NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/05) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

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

New York City Ballet (through Oct. 15, at various times).
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / tonight 7:30PM, $30+
“One of the programs this week is a trio of works by George Balanchine. In his particularly joyful 1957 piece “Square Dance,” Balanchine evoked the high spirits, rhythms, and formations of country dancing, but set them to the music of Vivaldi and Corelli. In 1976, he added an enigmatic male solo, and with it, a note of gravity. The result is one of his most perfect ballets.” (NewYorker)

“Three works, each stylized and rousing, exhibit Balanchine’s masterful yet subtle penchant for channeling cultural sensibilities, including a distillation of square dancing into fascinating patterns and effervescent spirit, a cavernous ballroom where a young woman both horrified and fascinated by her own vanity is seduced by the figure of Death, and a grand procession of classical dance.”

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7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Joan Soriano
>>Chicano Batman
>>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
>>Ron Carter’s Great Big Band
>>Fall for Dance
>>Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
>>Sheridan’s Ride: The Cavalry Triumph That Turned the Tide for the Union
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Joan Soriano
Atrium at Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, FREE but get there early for a seat.
“Born in the rural countryside near Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Joan Soriano infuses steel string bachata with equal parts romance and grit. He is the star of Adam Taub’s The Duke of Bachata, was featured in Alex Wolfe’s critically acclaimed documentary, Santo Domingo Blues, and is on The Rough Guide’s “Bachata” compilation. A practitioner of palo and gaga, Soriano blends Afro-Dominican sacred traditions with bachata, imparting his music with down-to-earth spirit and danceability, preserving bachata’s roots and expanding on them.”

Chicano Batman
at Irving Plaza / 8PM, $30+
“Hip Angelenos have known for years about Chicano Batman, an excellently named quartet that sports snazzy formal wear as it unspools grooves with roots in rock, soul, funk, psychedelic and pan-Latin music. National audiences are catching on, too. Witness these dates (also Oct. 6 at Warsaw) for the band, promoting its third album, “Freedom Is Free.” If you’ve never been to one of Chicano Batman’s shows, see one now before the band gets even bigger.” (NYT-SIMON VOZICK-LEVINSON)

Ron Carter’s Great Big Band
A Celebration of Ron Carter, October 3-21
Birdland, 315 West 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
“Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific and influential bassists in jazz with more than 2,000 albums to his credit. Beginning his career in the 1960s with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, and a five year stint with the Miles Davis’ Quintet, Ron also performed and recorded with notables including Bill Evans, B.B. King, and Dexter Gordon. Ron Carter’s various ensembles, big band to trio, feature a who’s who of the finest players on the NYC scene with, “an absolute commitment to musical sublimity [that] exudes refined elegance and sonic power.” (amazon.com)”

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
David Geffen Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30pm; $65­–$175 (maybe tough tkt)
“New York Philharmonic takes on John Williams’s scores for the most iconic film franchise in history with screenings of A New Hope (September 15, 16), The Empire Strikes Back (September 26–28), Return of the Jedi (October 4, 5) and The Force Awakens (October 6, 7), all backed by conductor David Newman and an 85-person orchestra. Maybe we’ll get the prequels in 2018?” (TONY)

Fall for Dance (thru Oct. 14)
City Center, 131 W. 55th St./ 8PM, ALL TKTS $15!
“ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS OF THE NEW YORK DANCE YEAR”
— THE NEW YORK TIMES
“One of the appealing aspects of this festival is its inclusive spirit; there seems to be something for just about everyone. (The opposite is also true; there will be at least one thing to hate on most programs.) The second of five programs opens with a fast-paced ballet from 2004 by Christopher Wheeldon, “Rush,” performed by dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet, and closes with an excerpt from the high-octane tango show “Tango Fire,” by the Argentine choreographer German Cornejo. In program four, New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns—a ballerina with an adventurous soul—collaborates with the hip-hop choreographer Honji Wang in a duet entitled “No. 1” (a world première). And program five features American Ballet Theatre’s star David Hallberg in a series of miniatures set to Benjamin Britten’s “Twelve Variations for Piano,” created for the festival by Mark Morris.” (NewYorker)

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

Tell Me Something I Don’t Know (Oct.5-7)
Joe’s Pub, / 6:30PM, +9:30PM, $25
“News you can use.
Leave with answers to questions you didn’t even know you had when the hit podcast–game show helmed by Freakonomics Radio’s Stephen J. Dubner tapes six live shows at Joe’s Pub, with co-hosts including Top Chef’s Gail Simmons.” (NewYork magazine)

Sheridan’s Ride: The Cavalry Triumph That Turned the Tide for the Union
New-York Historical Society,170 Central Park West/ 6:30PM, $44
“Can unexpected acts of extraordinary, personal heroism change history? Acclaimed Civil War scholars return to explore charismatic Union General Philip H. Sheridan’s famous October 19, 1864 ride on his magnificent horse, “Rienzi”—a dramatic act of heroism that rallied demoralized federal troops, turned the tide of the Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia, and inspired poets and artists alike to immortalize “Little Phil” in words and images.”

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

Archtober
31 days, 100+ ways to celebrate design in NYC! The seventh-annual, month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City will take place October 1-31, 2017.  Archtober’s calendar features 200 architecture and design lectures, conferences, programs, and exhibitions at more than 70+ collaborating institutions across the city.

For more details go to my Section: “Notable Events October”  and scroll all the way to the bottom.

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Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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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 these exhibitions)

Whitney Museum of American Art:

Calder: Hypermobility (thru Oct 23)
“focuses on the extraordinary breadth of movement and sound in the work of Alexander Calder. This exhibition brings together a rich constellation of key sculptures and provides a rare opportunity to experience the works as the artist intended—in motion. Regular activations will occur in the galleries, revealing the inherent kinetic nature of Calder’s work, as well as its relationship to performance. Influenced in part by the artist’s fascination and engagement with choreography, Calder’s sculptures contain an embedded performativity that is reflected in their idiosyncratic motions and the perceptual responses they provoke.”

Museum of Modern Art:

A special pat on the back to MOMA, who is now displaying art from the seven countries affected by Trump’s travel ban.

“Trump’s ban against refugees from seven Muslim-majority nations has sparked acts of defiance in NYC, from demonstrations across town, to striking taxicab drivers at JFK to Middle Eastern bodega owners closing their shops in protest. Recently, the Museum Of Modern added its two cents by bringing out artworks it owns from the affected countries, and hanging them prominently within the galleries usually reserved for 19th- and 20th-century artworks from Europe and the United States. Paintings by Picasso and Matisse, for example, were removed to make way for pieces by Tala Madani (from Iran), Ibrahim El-Salahi (from Sudan) and architect Zaha Hadid (from Iraq). The rehanging, which was unannounced, aims to create a symbolic welcome that repudiates Trump by creating a visual dialog between the newly added works and the more familiar objects from MoMA’s permanent collection.” (TONY)

New-York Historical Society

‘THE DUCHESS OF CARNEGIE HALL: PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDITTA SHERMAN’ (through Oct. 15).
“In this show, royalty photographs royalty, and everyone looks grand. The subjects facing the camera included some of the pop culture sovereigns of the 1940s and ’50s: Carl Sandburg, Tyrone Power, Leopold Stokowski. The person behind the lens was, though more discreetly crowned, no less lofty a luminary. Editta Sherman, born Edith Rinaolo, was a self-made celebrity portraitist operating out of a studio atop Carnegie Hall, where she worked and lived until she and her fellow tenants were removed in 2011. The show incudes dozens of her best pictures, her monumental 1930s camera and a short film of which she is the very engaging subject. Together they make a moving and regal tribute. (Holland Cotter-NYT)

American Museum of Natural History:

Mummies (thru 1/7/18)
“For thousands of years, peoples around the world practiced mummification as a way of preserving and honoring their dead. Mummies brings you face to face with some of these ancient individuals and reveals how scientists are using modern technology to glean stunning details about them and their cultures. In Mummies, ancient remains from the Nile Valley of Africa and the Andes Mountains of South America will be on view, allowing visitors to connect with cultures from the distant past. Mummification, a more widespread practice than most think, was used not only for royal Egyptians but also for common people and even animals. Interactive touch tables let visitors virtually “unravel” or see inside mummies as they delve deep into the unique stories of the people or animals who lie within. Other parts of the exhibition showcase the latest isotopic and DNA testing being performed on mummies, and explain how these sophisticated analytical techniques are helping scientists discover important clues about long-vanished practices. Mummies was developed by The Field Museum, Chicago.”(NYCity Guide)

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 10/03 and 10/01.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/04) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

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

TWYLA THARP DANCE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 8)
at the Joyce Theater / 7:30PM, $76+
“Dance’s Renaissance woman, Twyla Tharp, camps out at the Joyce for three weeks this fall, packing an eclectic collection of old and new works. “The Fugue,” the 1970 work that put her on the dance map, is inspired by Bach’s complex rhythms. But in lieu of his music, we get the dancer’s amplified stomps instead. In “The Raggedy Dances,” from 1972, she mashes up Scott Joplin and Mozart with her own unique blend of rigorous frolicking. Fast forward to now and Ms. Tharp introduces “Dylan Love Songs,” her return to the music of Bob Dylan more than a decade after wrestling with his oeuvre in a short-lived Broadway musical.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
>>Ron Carter’s Great Big Band
>>Fall for Dance
>>Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance, and Revolution in Trump’s America
>>Slice Out Hunger
>>Going Into Town with Roz Chast
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
David Geffen Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30pm; $65­–$175 (maybe tough tkt)
“New York Philharmonic takes on John Williams’s scores for the most iconic film franchise in history with screenings of A New Hope (September 15, 16), The Empire Strikes Back (September 26–28), Return of the Jedi (October 4, 5) and The Force Awakens (October 6, 7), all backed by conductor David Newman and an 85-person orchestra. Maybe we’ll get the prequels in 2018?” (TONY)

Ron Carter’s Great Big Band
A Celebration of Ron Carter, October 3-21
Birdland, 315 West 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
“Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific and influential bassists in jazz with more than 2,000 albums to his credit. Beginning his career in the 1960s with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, and a five year stint with the Miles Davis’ Quintet, Ron also performed and recorded with notables including Bill Evans, B.B. King, and Dexter Gordon. Ron Carter’s various ensembles, big band to trio, feature a who’s who of the finest players on the NYC scene with, “an absolute commitment to musical sublimity [that] exudes refined elegance and sonic power.” (amazon.com)”

Fall for Dance (thru Oct. 14)
City Center, 131 W. 55th St./ 8PM, ALL TKTS $15!
“ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS OF THE NEW YORK DANCE YEAR”
— THE NEW YORK TIMES
“One of the appealing aspects of this festival is its inclusive spirit; there seems to be something for just about everyone. (The opposite is also true; there will be at least one thing to hate on most programs.) The second of five programs opens with a fast-paced ballet from 2004 by Christopher Wheeldon, “Rush,” performed by dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet, and closes with an excerpt from the high-octane tango show “Tango Fire,” by the Argentine choreographer German Cornejo. In program four, New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns—a ballerina with an adventurous soul—collaborates with the hip-hop choreographer Honji Wang in a duet entitled “No. 1” (a world première). And program five features American Ballet Theatre’s star David Hallberg in a series of miniatures set to Benjamin Britten’s “Twelve Variations for Piano,” created for the festival by Mark Morris.” (NewYorker)

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

Nasty Women: Feminism, Resistance, and Revolution in Trump’s America
New York Public Library—Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
476 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM,FREE
“How do you solve a problem like The Donald?
In support of Nasty Women — an essay collection by leading feminist writers like Rebecca Solnit — contributors including Zerlina Maxwell, Jessica Valenti, and New York’s own Kera Bolonik join moderator Anna Holmes to discuss how women can fight back against Trump’s America.” (NewYork magazine)

Going Into Town with Roz Chast
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, $35
“Join us for an evening with acclaimed author and New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast to celebrate the launch of her new graphic memoir, Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York(Bloomsbury, 2017). For the Brooklyn-born Chast, adjusting to life in the suburbs was a surreal process that took many years — and yet, she recognized that for her kids growing up outside the city, the reverse was true. Inspired by her children’s wonder for New York’s gum dotted sidewalks, honeycombed streets, and “those West Side Story-things” (i.e., fire escapes), Chast has created an inimitable guide and ode to New York City that speaks to both natives and newcomers alike.”

Slice Out Hunger
St. Anthony of Padua; 6pm; $1
“Gotham’s biggest do-good pizza party returns with one-buck slices donated by more than 50 primo pie makers, including Di Fara, Emily and Speedy Romeo. Fill your box with up to ten slices, with all proceeds donated to The Sylvia Center and City Harvest. Popular pies go fast, so queue up early or pledge a single Franklin for a line-hopping VIPizza Passport. Feeling lucky? Snag a dollar raffle ticket to score prizes from Blue Apron, Eataly and more.” (TONY)

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

Archtober
31 days, 100+ ways to celebrate design in NYC! The seventh-annual, month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City will take place October 1-31, 2017.  Archtober’s calendar features 200 architecture and design lectures, conferences, programs, and exhibitions at more than 70+ collaborating institutions across the city.

For more details go to my Section: “Notable Events October”  and scroll all the way to the bottom.

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2016.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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 50th 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 $6.75, 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).
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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 2 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.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/03) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

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

Ron Carter’s Great Big Band
A Celebration of Ron Carter, October 3-21
Birdland, 315 West 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
“Ron Carter is among the most original, prolific and influential bassists in jazz with more than 2,000 albums to his credit. Beginning his career in the 1960s with Jaki Byard and Eric Dolphy, Cannonball Adderley, and a five year stint with the Miles Davis’ Quintet, Ron also performed and recorded with notables including Bill Evans, B.B. King, and Dexter Gordon. Ron Carter’s various ensembles, big band to trio, feature a who’s who of the finest players on the NYC scene with, “an absolute commitment to musical sublimity [that] exudes refined elegance and sonic power.” (amazon.com)”

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

7 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>NEW YORK CITY BALLET
>>ADAM RUDOLPH’S MOVING PICTURES  
>>PETER EVANS
>>Norma
>>Solange
>>JOHN COLIANNI’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA
>>Origin Stories: Celebrating the Pop Culture That Made Us
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (through Oct. 15, at various times).
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $30+
“Tuesday’s program brings together the three most celebrated ballet choreographers of the century thus far, with “Liturgy” and “Polyphonia” by Christopher Wheeldon, “Odessa” by Alexei Ratmansky and “The Times Are Racing,” a well-received recent ballet by Justin Peck, danced in sneakers. Wednesday’s program comprises newly revealed commissions from Mr. Peck, as well as the City Ballet dancers Lauren Lovette and Troy Schumacher, and the School of American Ballet graduate Gianna Reisen. Thursday’s program is a threesome of Balanchine classics: “Square Dance,” “La Valse” and “Cortège Hongrois.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

ADAM RUDOLPH’S MOVING PICTURES (Oct. 3-4)
at the Jazz Gallery / 7:30 and 9:30PM, $15
“In Moving Pictures, an octet led by the percussionist Mr. Rudolph, the rhythms of Brazil, West Africa and the Caribbean combine in an aesthetic that recalls the various fusion sounds of the 1970s and ’80s. A seven-piece iteration of the band will appear at this concert, which celebrates the release of Moving Pictures’ new album, “Glare of the Tiger.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

PETER EVANS (Oct. 3-8)
at the Stone / 8:30PM, $
“Peter Evans plays the trumpet like a homing device, a percussion instrument, a didgeridoo, or distant bird call. He is now a heavily relied-upon sideman on New York’s avant-garde jazz scene, because he can seemingly do anything with his horn, while keeping his heart on his sleeve. But some of his most compelling work is as a soloist. He’s in residence at the Stone, where he will play with a range of collaborators and finish the run with a solo performance on Sunday, Oct. 8.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Norma
Metropolitan Opera House / 7:30PM, $32+
“Ponselle, Milanov, Sutherland, Callas … after last night, Radvanovsky can add her name to the list,” declared the Huffington Post when Sondra Radvanovsky made her Met role debut as Norma in 2013. The 2017–18 season opens with a new production of Bellini’s masterpiece, starring Radvanovsky as the Druid priestess and Joyce DiDonato as her archrival, Adalgisa—a casting coup for bel canto fans. Tenor Joseph Calleja is Pollione, Norma’s unfaithful lover, and Carlo Rizzi conducts. Sir David McVicar’s evocative production sets the action deep in a Druid forest where nature and ancient ritual rule.”

Solange
also Earl Sweatshirt, The Sun Ra Arkestra, Chassol
at Radio City Music Hall / 8PM, $49+ (TUE.may be easier ticket)
“Solange is playing more and more shows in support of last year’s excellent A Seat At The Table, and her shows have been serious spectacles with an ace live band and it’s the kind of thing that you really just need to see for yourself. This is her first of two nights at Radio City (which sounds like a perfect place to see her), and she has great and very interesting openers. There’s direct support from Earl Sweatshirt, whose 2015 LP I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside remains one of the more unique major-label rap albums in recent memory, plus there’s Sun Ra Arkestra, who feature members of the late jazz legend Sun Ra’s band and perform his songs, and French composer Chassol, who uses field recordings in a way that no one else is really doing.” (brooklynvegan)

Fall for Dance (thru Oct. 14)
City Center, 131 W. 55th St./ 8PM, ALL TKTS $15!
“ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS OF THE NEW YORK DANCE YEAR”
— THE NEW YORK TIMES
“One of the appealing aspects of this festival is its inclusive spirit; there seems to be something for just about everyone. (The opposite is also true; there will be at least one thing to hate on most programs.) The second of five programs opens with a fast-paced ballet from 2004 by Christopher Wheeldon, “Rush,” performed by dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet, and closes with an excerpt from the high-octane tango show “Tango Fire,” by the Argentine choreographer German Cornejo. In program four, New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns—a ballerina with an adventurous soul—collaborates with the hip-hop choreographer Honji Wang in a duet entitled “No. 1” (a world première). And program five features American Ballet Theatre’s star David Hallberg in a series of miniatures set to Benjamin Britten’s “Twelve Variations for Piano,” created for the festival by Mark Morris.” (NewYorker)

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

Origin Stories: Celebrating the Pop Culture That Made Us
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby St./7PM, FREE
“From the characters in our favorite movies and books to the lyrics of the songs we can’t get out of our heads, the pop culture we’re obsessed with is more than just entertainment—it makes us who we are. Origin Stories will feature emotional and heartfelt tales of the moments in our lives that were indelibly linked to the cultural artifacts that impacted us, inspired our creativity, and shaped our personalities—making us the pop-culture obsessives we are today.

Hosted by Tyler Coates, culture editor for Esquire. Featured performers including Jason Diamond, Jaya Saxena, Jill Pangallo, Danielle Henderson, Dylan Marron, and more to be announced.”

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

Archtober
31 days, 100+ ways to celebrate design in NYC! The seventh-annual, month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City will take place October 1-31, 2017.  Archtober’s calendar features 200 architecture and design lectures, conferences, programs, and exhibitions at more than 70+ collaborating institutions across the city.

For more details go to my Section: “Notable Events October”  and scroll all the way to the bottom.

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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 are two exhibitions that the NYT likes:

‘A Line Can Go Anywhere’

Through Oct. 14. James Cohan, 533 West 26th Street, Manhattan; 212-714-9500, jamescohan.com.

September usually brings a wealth of must-see solo exhibitions, and this year is no different. “A Line Can Go Anywhere,” at James Cohan, however, is a notable group show that shouldn’t be missed. This terrific exhibition, organized by Jenelle Porter, who curated the landmark “Fiber: Sculpture 1960-present” at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, in 2015, includes seven artists from the San Francisco Bay Area working in the fiber tradition.

Among the influential figures here are Trude Guermonprez (1910-1975), who trained at the Bauhaus and taught alongside Anni Albers at Black Mountain College, and Ed Rossbach (1914-2002), who came out of the California Funk Art tradition. Ms. Guermonprez is represented by elegant woven works, including two from her 1960s “Space Hanging” series. Mr. Rossbach’s wonky-shaped raffia baskets are joined by his “After Miro” (1970), which looks like an acid-colored spider web.

Photo

“The Cosmetic Affect of Darkness,” a 2017 work by Josh Faught.CreditPhoebe d’Heurle/James Cohan Gallery, New York

Alexandra Jacopetti Hart and Kay Sekimachi, who studied with Ms. Guermonprez in the 1950s, represent a middle generation. Both work with grids: Ms. Hart’s “Nebulae” (1982) is a lovely jumble of pastel rectangles, and Ms. Sekimachi’s muted-linen squares hark back to the Bauhaus weaving tradition.

Terri Friedman, Josh Faught and Ruth Laskey are younger artists making the case for fiber art in the technology-saturated present. Ms. Friedman’s “YES” (2016) looks like a bright wool (electric pink and yellow-green), acrylic and cotton circuit board. Ms. Laskey’s handwoven panels resemble Ellsworth Kelly’s work or Sol LeWitt’s fragmented abstractions, and Mr. Faught’s virtuosic weavings include funny texts that reference new technology and social media — retorts, essentially, to contemporary criticism of fiber art.

Finally, Ben Van Meter’s 21-minute film “The Saga of Macramé Park” (1974) captures children playing on Ms. Hart’s countercultural playground, made of knotted fibers. The film is a reminder of the timeless, haptic allure of fiber art and its magical, near-mythical history in Northern California.” (MARTHA SCHWENDENER, NYT)

Carey Young

Through Oct. 14. Paula Cooper Gallery, 534 West 21st Street, Manhattan; 212-255-1105, paulacoopergallery.com.

“Brussels has drawn even with Berlin as Europe’s coolest city for contemporary art, but amid its new galleries and cheap studios are grand, gruesome reminders of Belgium’s 19th-century empire. None are more imposing than the Palais de Justice, or central courthouse, a ghastly mash-up of Baroque, classical and Assyrian motifs that sprawls over more than six acres of the capital’s heart. (“It wants to be as terrible as the Law, severe and sumptuously naked,” Verlaine wrote after seeing it.) It’s here that the British-American artist Carey Young shot her icy, thoughtful, technically accomplished new video, which takes a distinctly feminist view of jurisprudence.

In “Palais de Justice,” establishing shots of the monstrous courthouse precede long takes of female judges at work, which Ms. Young filmed without permission through the portholes of courtroom doors. Lawyers, defendants and witnesses appear only in partial view, blocked by walls or curtains, as the stern-faced magistrates, all middle-aged and wearing black robes with white neck bands, nod along or stare down petitioners. We never hear the pleas, only ghostly, ambient sounds from the giant courthouse’s halls, and the silent female judges appear unimpressed and unbending. (An associated series of depopulated photographs of the courthouse, bearing the Kafkaesque title “Before the Law,” doubles down on the video’s eeriness.)

“Palais de Justice” is projected here at massive scale, as domineering as the courthouse itself, and its view of gender and law is at once sensitive and bleak. You may briefly fantasize that Ms. Young has found some alternate Brussels where women are in charge. But more often, and more disturbingly, it feels like a juridical peep show, in which the criminal law appears as just a special case of a male-dominated society’s pitiless daily judgments.” (JASON FARAGO-NYT)

And one that the New Yorker likes very much.

Jordan Casteel (thru Oct.28)
Casey Kaplan Gallery, 121 W27th St.

“In one of the most buzzed-about débuts of the fall season, Casteel shows large figurative canvases that combine the candid immediacy of the digital snapshots on which they’re based with the restraint and humanity of an Alice Neel portrait. The young Colorado-born phenom worked almost entirely from pictures she took in Harlem of men, at night. Casteel’s subjects, like the artist herself, are black, and her work tackles the representation of race in general, while revelling, as painters will, in the specific details. In “Q,” a man sits on a stoop next to a sketched-in green railing, earnestly consulting his iPhone, and wearing a sweatshirt with an image of Biggie Smalls in wraparound shades, a gold chain, and a Coogi sweater. In “MegaStarBrand’s Louie and A-Thug,” two well-turned-out young men sprawl with authority in folding chairs on the sidewalk, gazing skeptically out of frame. One wears a shirt that says “REASON,” the other is in a T-shirt that reads “T.H.U.G.: THE HATE YOU GAVE US.” In her exhilarating, if uneven, show, Casteel gives nothing but love.” (NewYorker)

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

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 the 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 10/01 and 09/29.

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

NYC Events,”Only the Best” (10/02) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

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

Fall for Dance (thru Oct. 14)
City Center, 131 W. 55th St./ 8PM, ALL TKTS $15!
“ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS OF THE NEW YORK DANCE YEAR”
— THE NEW YORK TIMES
“One of the appealing aspects of this festival is its inclusive spirit; there seems to be something for just about everyone. (The opposite is also true; there will be at least one thing to hate on most programs.) The second of five programs opens with a fast-paced ballet from 2004 by Christopher Wheeldon, “Rush,” performed by dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet, and closes with an excerpt from the high-octane tango show “Tango Fire,” by the Argentine choreographer German Cornejo. In program four, New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns—a ballerina with an adventurous soul—collaborates with the hip-hop choreographer Honji Wang in a duet entitled “No. 1” (a world première). And program five features American Ballet Theatre’s star David Hallberg in a series of miniatures set to Benjamin Britten’s “Twelve Variations for Piano,” created for the festival by Mark Morris.” (NewYorker)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>“LA BOHÈME”
>>Solange
>>Fastball, Wesley Stace
>>Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
>>JOHN COLIANNI’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA
>>The Future of Healthcare in America
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

“LA BOHÈME” (various dates through Nov. 4)
at the Metropolitan Opera / 7:30PM, $25+
“Franco Zeffirelli’s picture-postcard Puccini stands as a continuing rebuke to anyone who thinks Peter Gelb is an innovator, and here it returns yet again to Lincoln Center. There are just the 15 performances this season, and the first run of two has the lowest wattage. Angel Blue sings Mimì, Brigitta Kele takes Musetta, and Dmytro Popov is Rodolfo for three nights, before he gives way to Russell Thomas. Note that Sonya Yoncheva plays Mimì in the new year, opposite Michael Fabiano.” (NYT-DAVID ALLEN)

Solange (Oct. 2-3)
also Earl Sweatshirt, The Sun Ra Arkestra, Chassol
at Radio City Music Hall / 8PM, $49+ (TUE.may be easier ticket)
“Solange is playing more and more shows in support of last year’s excellent A Seat At The Table, and her shows have been serious spectacles with an ace live band and it’s the kind of thing that you really just need to see for yourself. This is her first of two nights at Radio City (which sounds like a perfect place to see her), and she has great and very interesting openers. There’s direct support from Earl Sweatshirt, whose 2015 LP I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside remains one of the more unique major-label rap albums in recent memory, plus there’s Sun Ra Arkestra, who feature members of the late jazz legend Sun Ra’s band and perform his songs, and French composer Chassol, who uses field recordings in a way that no one else is really doing.” (brooklynvegan)

Fastball, Wesley Stace
@ City Winery / 8PM, $25-$28
“Nineties alt-rock vets Fastball recently returned with their first album in eight years, Step Into Light, which is a nice dose of McCartney/Kinks-inspired power pop. Their old hits also hold up pretty well, especially in a live environment. Tonight’s show is with Wesley Stace, which makes for a great double bill.” (brooklynvegan)

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Birdland, / 9:30PM, $30
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of “Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night. It’s a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars, backed by Steve Doyle on bass, Billy Stritch on piano and Daniel Glass on drums, hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.” (broadwayworld)

JOHN COLIANNI’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA
Blue Note Jazz Club / 8:00PM, 10:30PM, $20-$35
“Noted for a virtuosic, hard swinging piano style, Colianni’s resume includes long-term stints and collaborations with many jazz and pop music giants, including Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Les Paul, and Larry Coryell.

Now Colianni shares his gifts as a composer, arranger, and band leader with us with the introduction of the John Colianni Jazz Orchestra. The John Colianni Jazz Orchestra works with an approach that seeks to build on and extend the sounds of big band jazz, with originality and innovation.” (wfuv.org)

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

The Future of Healthcare in America
Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave/ 6:30PM, FREE
“As the roller coaster of Repeal and Replace hits another valley, get up to speed on the future of one of America’s main economic pillars. Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman headlines a panel of experts representing a diverse set of POVs.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

Archtober
31 days, 100+ ways to celebrate design in NYC! The seventh-annual, month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City will take place October 1-31, 2017.  Archtober’s calendar features 200 architecture and design lectures, conferences, programs, and exhibitions at more than 70+ collaborating institutions across the city.

For more details go to my Section: “Notable Events October”  and scroll all the way to the bottom.

==========================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and is TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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” closed Jan.15)

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” (10/01) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

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

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (through Oct. 15, at various times).
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 3PM, $35+
“This weekend concludes the two-week reign of the swan queens, with the final performances this season of “Swan Lake.” Tuesday’s program brings together the three most celebrated ballet choreographers of the century thus far, with “Liturgy” and “Polyphonia” by Christopher Wheeldon, “Odessa” by Alexei Ratmansky and “The Times Are Racing,” a well-received recent ballet by Justin Peck, danced in sneakers. Wednesday’s program comprises newly revealed commissions from Mr. Peck, as well as the City Ballet dancers Lauren Lovette and Troy Schumacher, and the School of American Ballet graduate Gianna Reisen. Thursday’s program is a threesome of Balanchine classics: “Square Dance,” “La Valse” and “Cortège Hongrois.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>54 Sings Rufus Wainwright
>>Shaken Not Stirred: The Music of James Bond
>>Eddie Henderson  
>>TWYLA THARP DANCE
>>CHILE PEPPER FESTIVAL
>>VEGAN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

54 Sings Rufus Wainwright
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $40+
“Top Broadway talents gather to reinterpret the musically and emotionally complex songs of singer, songwriter and Judy Garland enthusiast Wainwright. Scheduled performers include Alice Ripley, Andy Mientus, Nicholas Barasch, Dave Thomas Brown, Kacie Sheik, Wesley Taylor, Clarke Thorell and Evan Hansen–to-be Taylor Trensch. The night is hosted by Ben Rimalower and music directed by Jason Hart.” (TONY)

Shaken Not Stirred: The Music of James Bond
The Django / 6PM, +9PM, $
“Natalie Joy Johnson, PJ Griffith, Matt Hetherington and the Romanova Dancers put their stock in Bond as they whirl through theme songs originally performed by Shirley Bassey, Adele, Tom Jones, Wings, Chris Cornell and more. (Dare we hope for a little A-ha and Sheena Easton?) Doors open an hour before showtime for an interactive Bond-inspired lounge party.” (TONY)

Eddie Henderson (LAST DAY)
Smoke Jazz Club / 7, 9, 10:30PM, $38
“The Henderson of the seventies and the trumpeter of the present day are two different species of jazz player. While the brass man who weaved through the fusion forests of Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band and his own jazz-funk projects was all Miles-ish jabs and flourishes, today’s Henderson is a post-bop classicist eager to exhibit his sharp-edged chops. He’s joined by the saxophonist Donald Harrison and the drummer Mike Clark, another veteran from the Hancock fusion era.” (NewYorker)

TWYLA THARP DANCE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 8)
at the Joyce Theater / 2PM, $76+
“Dance’s Renaissance woman, Twyla Tharp, camps out at the Joyce for three weeks this fall, packing an eclectic collection of old and new works. “The Fugue,” the 1970 work that put her on the dance map, is inspired by Bach’s complex rhythms. But in lieu of his music, we get the dancer’s amplified stomps instead. In “The Raggedy Dances,” from 1972, she mashes up Scott Joplin and Mozart with her own unique blend of rigorous frolicking. Fast forward to now and Ms. Tharp introduces “Dylan Love Songs,” her return to the music of Bob Dylan more than a decade after wrestling with his oeuvre in a short-lived Broadway musical.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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

Not exactly Manhattan’s WestSide, but these two look worth the detour:

CHILE PEPPER FESTIVAL
The food is spicy, the music is hot and at least some of the entertainment involves actual fire. Check out dozens of vendors to taste and buy products including hot sauces, spicy chocolate, and chile­centric condiments, ice cream, jams, pickles, and more, and don’t miss the pop­up spice market Sahadi’s Souk. All the while you can enjoy live music and acts such as fire breathing, pictured.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Sunday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m.­6 p.m., at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn
INFO $25; 718­623­7200, bbg.org ­­

VEGAN FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL
“Step into a vegan paradise at this inaugural festival. You can taste­test the concoctions of local and out­ of­town vendors such as Avocaderia, Southern Fried Vegan, Doug McNish, No Bones Beach Club, John’s Juice and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream. The event takes place rain or shine.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Sunday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m.­7 p.m., at 20 Randall’s Island Park, Randall’s Island
INFO $15; vegandrinkfest.com ­­

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

Archtober
31 days, 100+ ways to celebrate design in NYC! The seventh-annual, month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City will take place October 1-31, 2017.  Archtober’s calendar features 200 architecture and design lectures, conferences, programs, and exhibitions at more than 70+ collaborating institutions across the city.

For more details go to my Section: “Notable Events October”  and scroll all the way to the bottom.

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Bonus NYC events– Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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)

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)

Guggenheim Museum
‘MYSTICAL SYMBOLISM: THE SALON DE LA ROSE+CROIX IN PARIS, 1892-1897’ (through Oct. 4). This brilliantly tasteless exhibition, complete with carmine walls and blue velvet settees, plunges viewers into a spiritualist — and, let’s say it, tawdry — Parisian collective of the last decade of the 19th century. Around the time Cézanne and van Gogh were down in Provence analyzing apples and mountains, the artists of the Salon de la Rose+Croix painted lovesick Orpheuses, busty femmes fatales and virginal shepherdesses, all in the service of the salon’s dubious mystic founder, Joséphin Péladan, an author with a taste for high drama and white robes. Most of the artists here are little exhibited today. Much of their work is sordid; some is simply gross. But it’s all weirdly compelling, and a reminder of the hunger even we alleged moderns still nurse for worlds beyond this one. (Jason Farago-NYT)

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)

‘CRISTÓBAL DE VILLALPANDO: MEXICAN PAINTER OF THE BAROQUE’  (through Oct. 15). “In 1683, the leading painter of colonial Mexico painted a stupefying altarpiece for the cathedral of Puebla: a 26-foot showstopper that merged a radiant vision of Jesus’ transfiguration into light with a grimmer narrative of Israelites attacked by snakes. Now, for the first time ever, Villalpando’s altarpiece has left Mexico and stands alone in the Robert Lehman Collection wing of the Met, where you could spend days gaping at its churning collision of saints and mortals, and puzzling over the strange confluence of Old and New Testament visions. Compared with Baroque painting in Italy or Flanders, the Mexican version was lighter and less rigid, making use of bright color and free ornamentation. Ten other paintings by Villalpando, all but one lent from Mexican collections, round out the presentation, but it’s the altarpiece that matters, and it’s here for your veneration into the fall.” (NYT-Farago) 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org

‘TALKING PICTURES: CAMERA-PHONE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN ARTISTS  (through Dec. 17). “One of the wisest, savviest museum exhibitions of the summer may not have much actual art in it, but it circles the subject like a satellite around a planet. Using prints, slide shows, books and iPads, it presents image-only camera-phone exchanges between 12 pairs of artists and is full of flashes of wit, poetry, even genius. Observers will find occasional momentous events, both personal and presidential.” (NYT – Roberta Smith) 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org

‘STREAMS AND MOUNTAINS WITHOUT END: LANDSCAPE TRADITIONS OF CHINA’  (through Jan. 6). “If you’ve seen only ash-aired Beijing, or that architectural Oz Shanghai, you haven’t seen China. Most of the country is wide-open space, green and blue: hills, plains, water. And it was for an escape to that openness that some Chinese urbanites yearned in centuries past. Their dream: to sit in on a terrace halfway up a mountain, with tea steeping, an ink-brush at hand, a friend at the door, and a waterfall splashing nearby. Not just for vacation. Forever. One way they could live the dream was through images of the kind seen in this show. Technically, it’s a collection reinstallation spiced with a few loans. But the Met’s China holdings are so broad and deep that some of the pictures here are resurfacing for the first time in almost a decade; one is finally making its debut a century after it was acquired. And there’s more than just paintings on view: ceramics, textiles and scholar’s rocks fill out the panorama.” (NYT-Holland Cotter) 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org

‘JAPANESE BAMBOO ART: THE ABBEY COLLECTION’  (through Feb. 4). “This fabulous show celebrates Diane and Arthur Abbey’s gift of some 70 bamboo baskets and sculptures, which nearly doubles the Met’s already outstanding holdings in this genre and brings them into the 20th and 21st centuries. The curator has embedded this trove within what is essentially a second exhibition that traces bamboo’s presence through folding screens, ink paintings, porcelain, netsuke, kimonos and more.” (NYT-Roberta Smith)
212-535-7710, metmuseum.org

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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)

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) 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).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/29 and 09/27.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (09/30) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-OCTOBER”
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 through the month.

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

TWYLA THARP DANCE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 8)
at the Joyce Theater / 2PM +8PM, $76+
“Dance’s Renaissance woman, Twyla Tharp, camps out at the Joyce for three weeks this fall, packing an eclectic collection of old and new works. “The Fugue,” the 1970 work that put her on the dance map, is inspired by Bach’s complex rhythms. But in lieu of his music, we get the dancer’s amplified stomps instead. In “The Raggedy Dances,” from 1972, she mashes up Scott Joplin and Mozart with her own unique blend of rigorous frolicking. Fast forward to now and Ms. Tharp introduces “Dylan Love Songs,” her return to the music of Bob Dylan more than a decade after wrestling with his oeuvre in a short-lived Broadway musical.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>KENDRICK SCOTT PRESENTS ‘HOUSTON STRONG’
>>Eddie Henderson
>>GOGO PENGUIN
>>Christine Andreas: Love Is Good
>>CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND 
>>Rachel Tucker
>>Jim Gaffigan
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

KENDRICK SCOTT PRESENTS ‘HOUSTON STRONG’
at the Jazz Gallery / 7:30 and 9:30PM, $30
“It’s no longer a secret that New York jazz in the 21st century would be unrecognizable without the contributions of musicians from Houston. That group includes Jason Moran, Eric Harland and Kendrick Scott, to name a few. Here, Mr. Scott, a wakeful drummer with an elastic funk attack, has organized a benefit to help his hometown recover from Hurricane Harvey. The concert will include a stunning array of contemporary jazz talent — from Houston and elsewhere — including the names above, plus Vijay Iyer, Melissa Aldana and Aaron Parks.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Eddie Henderson (Sept. 29-Oct. 1.)
Smoke Jazz Club / 7, 9, 10:30PM, $38
“The Henderson of the seventies and the trumpeter of the present day are two different species of jazz player. While the brass man who weaved through the fusion forests of Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band and his own jazz-funk projects was all Miles-ish jabs and flourishes, today’s Henderson is a post-bop classicist eager to exhibit his sharp-edged chops. He’s joined by the saxophonist Donald Harrison and the drummer Mike Clark, another veteran from the Hancock fusion era.” (NewYorker)

GOGO PENGUIN
at Le Poisson Rouge / 7:30PM, $25
“Gogo Penguin is a British piano trio that’s redolent of a few things: Brad Mehldau’s 1990s chamber jazz; Jon Brion’s warm and glistening film scores; and Dawn of Midi, a contemporary group sounding like electronic dance music played by acoustic instruments. It doesn’t strike you as viscerally as any of those three — its momentum is tidy, not tidal — but it is carving out an amalgamated identity, built on its associations, that sounds distinctly like today.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Christine Andreas: Love Is Good  (LAST DAY)
Beach Cafe / 9:15PM, $10-$20
“Broadway leading lady Andreas could coast on her pure, silvery soprano, but she is also a strong storyteller who knows how to dip beneath the pretty surfaces. This set of romantic standards features her husband, composer Martin Silvestri, at the piano.” (TONY)

CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND (LAST DAY)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $55-$85
“Mr. Corea, one of jazz’s most influential pianists and keyboardists, featured Mr. Gadd’s drumming on a few albums in the 1970s, including the classic fusion excursion “My Spanish Heart.” (Mr. Gadd was also in Mr. Corea’s storied band Return to Forever for a spell, though he never recorded with it.) The two have reunited sporadically in recent years, and here they’ll play a two-week run with the support of some fabulous sidemen: Steve Wilson on saxophone and flute, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Carlitos Del Puerto on bass and Luisito Quintero on percussion.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Rachel Tucker  (LAST DAY)
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $55+
“Northern Irish singer-actor Tucker has played Elphaba to widespread plaudits on Broadway and in the West End., and was a standout as the female lead in Sting’s short-lived 2014 musical, The Last Ship. Now she makes her New York solo cabaret debut.” (TONY)

Jim Gaffigan  (LAST DAY)
@ Beacon Theatre / 7:30PM, $40+
“Jim Gaffigan is a Grammy nominated comedian, actor, New York Times best-selling author, top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling father of five. Gaffigan is known around the world for his unique brand of humor which largely revolves around fatherhood and his observations on life and food.”

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

“The main slate nabs the headlines, but this festival’s sidebars nearly constitute a festival of their own. In the Spotlight on Documentary program, Travis Wilkerson’s riveting “Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?” (Friday and Sunday) grapples with a family legend: that Mr. Wilkerson’s white great-grandfather almost certainly got away with murdering a black man in Alabama in the 1940s. The main retrospective of the festival (which runs through Oct. 15) celebrates Robert Mitchum’s centennial. “His Kind of Woman” (Friday), with Mitchum (above, with Jane Russell) as a gambler lured to Mexico as a sap, and the auteur purée “Macao” (Thursday), on which Nicholas Ray took over for Josef von Sternberg, are enjoyably overstuffed Howard Hughes productions. William A. Wellman’s “Track of the Cat” (Monday); Otto Preminger’s “River of No Return” (Monday), with Marilyn Monroe; and Vincente Minnelli’s “Home From the Hill” (Thursday), all in CinemaScope, demand big-screen viewing.” (BEN KENIGSBERG, NYT)

 

EXHIBIT ‘TO QUENCH THE THIRST OF NEW YORKERS: THE CROTON AQUEDUCT AT 175’   (thru Dec 31)
“Many New Yorkers today take for granted the appearance of clean water in the city’s taps. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Croton Aqueduct, an engineering feat that brought fresh water from the Croton River upstate to fountains in the middle of the city when it was completed in the 1840s.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Opens Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org.

Learn all about the High Bridge, which carried the Croton Aqueduct across the Harlem River. This magnificent civic structure was modeled on the old Roman Aqueduct bridges, and is New York City’s oldest and best bridge. I know, because I lived nearby in the far west Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge, and have strolled across it many times.

======================================================
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. Check out who’s playing tonight:

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W54th St., 54below.com, 646-476-3551
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

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.
See Below.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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.

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.
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“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.
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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.

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
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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 Winter 2017).
◊ Order before Feb. 28, 2018 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (09/29) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-September”
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 through the month.

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

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

NEW YORK CITY BALLET – SWAN LAKE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 1)
at the NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 8PM, $35+
“The first two weeks of City Ballet’s fall season is devoted to the majestic avian classic of the ballet canon, “Swan Lake.” Several of the company’s top ballerinas offer their individual interpretations of the double-sided role of Odette and Odile. In Week One, look for Sara Mearns’s grandeur, Teresa Reichlen’s elegant reach, Ashley Bouder’s attack and Sterling Hyltin’s witty grace. Each will plumb the tragic depths of that white and black plumage in choreography by the company’s director, Peter Martins, that builds on 19th-century steps and later contributions by Balanchine.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Christine Andreas: Love Is Good
>>CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND 
>>Rachel Tucker
>>Jim Gaffigan
>>Sigmund Rosenblum, Ace of Spies: Jewish Spies in Wartime New York
>>National Coffee Day
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Christine Andreas: Love Is Good
Beach Cafe / 9:15PM, $10-$20
“Broadway leading lady Andreas could coast on her pure, silvery soprano, but she is also a strong storyteller who knows how to dip beneath the pretty surfaces. This set of romantic standards features her husband, composer Martin Silvestri, at the piano.” (TONY)

CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND (Sept.26-30)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $55-$85
“Mr. Corea, one of jazz’s most influential pianists and keyboardists, featured Mr. Gadd’s drumming on a few albums in the 1970s, including the classic fusion excursion “My Spanish Heart.” (Mr. Gadd was also in Mr. Corea’s storied band Return to Forever for a spell, though he never recorded with it.) The two have reunited sporadically in recent years, and here they’ll play a two-week run with the support of some fabulous sidemen: Steve Wilson on saxophone and flute, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Carlitos Del Puerto on bass and Luisito Quintero on percussion.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Rachel Tucker
Feinstein’s/54 Below / 7PM, $55+
“Northern Irish singer-actor Tucker has played Elphaba to widespread plaudits on Broadway and in the West End., and was a standout as the female lead in Sting’s short-lived 2014 musical, The Last Ship. Now she makes her New York solo cabaret debut.” (TONY)

Jim Gaffigan
@ Beacon Theatre / 7:30PM, $40+
“Jim Gaffigan is a Grammy nominated comedian, actor, New York Times best-selling author, top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling father of five. Gaffigan is known around the world for his unique brand of humor which largely revolves around fatherhood and his observations on life and food.”

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

Sigmund Rosenblum, Ace of Spies: Jewish Spies in Wartime New York
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 12PM, $25
“Go undercover to learn a secret side of the city as New York maven Lucie Levine speaks on Sidney George Reilly (aka Sigmund Rosenblum), an inspiration for James Bond, among other 20th century operators.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

National Coffee Day
Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall / 7AM-2PM
“Celebrate with live music and discounts on coffee and bites in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, which has been transformed into a European-style cafe.”

Where to get free java for National Coffee Day in NYC? – try this from TONY

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
The 18-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring 25 works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent from around the globe.

“The 55th New York Film Festival’s Main Slate showcases films honored at Cannes, including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or–winner The Square; Robin Campillo’s BPM, awarded the Cannes Critics’ Prize; and Agnès Varda & JR’s Faces Places, which took home the Golden Eye. From Berlin, Aki Kaurismäki’s Silver Bear–winner The Other Side of Hope and Agnieszka Holland’s Alfred Bauer Prize–winner Spoor mark the returns of two New York Film Festival veterans, while Luca Guadagnino’s acclaimed Call Me by Your Name will be his NYFF debut.”(cityguideny.com)

Madison Square Eats  (LAST DAY)
Worth Square, 11AM, FREE
“The fall version of this twice-a-year event from UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy runs daily from September 2–29, and it’s your chance to try food from two dozen vendors who converge on the park from all corners of the city. It’ll be hard to go wrong with any of it, but we recommend the po’boys from the Gumbo Brothers and whatever sweet concoction that Renegade Lemonade, Ice & Vice, and Macaron Parlour have teamed up to create. (Hint: It’s called “Renegade Vice Parlour.”) Or, if you look at a plate of chicken and waffles and think, “Wish I didn’t have to sit at a table and bother with utensils to enjoy this,” Chick’nCone is your food trend du jour.”  (Mary Bakija, Village Voice)


EXHIBIT ‘TO QUENCH THE THIRST OF NEW YORKERS: THE CROTON AQUEDUCT AT 175’   (thru Dec 31)
“Many New Yorkers today take for granted the appearance of clean water in the city’s taps. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Croton Aqueduct, an engineering feat that brought fresh water from the Croton River upstate to fountains in the middle of the city when it was completed in the 1840s.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Opens Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org.

Learn all about the High Bridge, which carried the Croton Aqueduct across the Harlem River. This magnificent civic structure was modeled on the old Roman Aqueduct bridges, and is New York City’s oldest and best bridge. I know, because I lived nearby in the far west Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge, and have strolled across it many times.

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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 these exhibitions)

Whitney Museum of American Art:

Calder: Hypermobility (thru Oct 23)
“focuses on the extraordinary breadth of movement and sound in the work of Alexander Calder. This exhibition brings together a rich constellation of key sculptures and provides a rare opportunity to experience the works as the artist intended—in motion. Regular activations will occur in the galleries, revealing the inherent kinetic nature of Calder’s work, as well as its relationship to performance. Influenced in part by the artist’s fascination and engagement with choreography, Calder’s sculptures contain an embedded performativity that is reflected in their idiosyncratic motions and the perceptual responses they provoke.”

Museum of Modern Art:

A special pat on the back to MOMA, who is now displaying art from the seven countries affected by Trump’s travel ban.

“Trump’s ban against refugees from seven Muslim-majority nations has sparked acts of defiance in NYC, from demonstrations across town, to striking taxicab drivers at JFK to Middle Eastern bodega owners closing their shops in protest. Recently, the Museum Of Modern added its two cents by bringing out artworks it owns from the affected countries, and hanging them prominently within the galleries usually reserved for 19th- and 20th-century artworks from Europe and the United States. Paintings by Picasso and Matisse, for example, were removed to make way for pieces by Tala Madani (from Iran), Ibrahim El-Salahi (from Sudan) and architect Zaha Hadid (from Iraq). The rehanging, which was unannounced, aims to create a symbolic welcome that repudiates Trump by creating a visual dialog between the newly added works and the more familiar objects from MoMA’s permanent collection.” (TONY)

New-York Historical Society

‘THE DUCHESS OF CARNEGIE HALL: PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDITTA SHERMAN’ (through Oct. 15).
“In this show, royalty photographs royalty, and everyone looks grand. The subjects facing the camera included some of the pop culture sovereigns of the 1940s and ’50s: Carl Sandburg, Tyrone Power, Leopold Stokowski. The person behind the lens was, though more discreetly crowned, no less lofty a luminary. Editta Sherman, born Edith Rinaolo, was a self-made celebrity portraitist operating out of a studio atop Carnegie Hall, where she worked and lived until she and her fellow tenants were removed in 2011. The show incudes dozens of her best pictures, her monumental 1930s camera and a short film of which she is the very engaging subject. Together they make a moving and regal tribute. (Holland Cotter-NYT)

American Museum of Natural History:

Mummies (thru 1/7/18)
“For thousands of years, peoples around the world practiced mummification as a way of preserving and honoring their dead. Mummies brings you face to face with some of these ancient individuals and reveals how scientists are using modern technology to glean stunning details about them and their cultures. In Mummies, ancient remains from the Nile Valley of Africa and the Andes Mountains of South America will be on view, allowing visitors to connect with cultures from the distant past. Mummification, a more widespread practice than most think, was used not only for royal Egyptians but also for common people and even animals. Interactive touch tables let visitors virtually “unravel” or see inside mummies as they delve deep into the unique stories of the people or animals who lie within. Other parts of the exhibition showcase the latest isotopic and DNA testing being performed on mummies, and explain how these sophisticated analytical techniques are helping scientists discover important clues about long-vanished practices. Mummies was developed by The Field Museum, Chicago.”(NYCity Guide)

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/27 and 09/25.
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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (09/28) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square / Theater District)

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-September”
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 through the month.

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

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

LIVE from the NYPL | Stephen Greenblatt: The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve
New York Public Library—Main Building, 476 Fifth Ave./ 7PM, $25
“In the Pulitzer Prize– and National Book Award–winning The Swerve, Stephen Greenblatt set out to discover the origin of our modern world. He now turns his eye to the origin of all origins in his latest book, The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. “At some moment in an immensely distant past it was a breath that brought Adam to life,” Greenblatt writes, “the breath of a storyteller.” Greenblatt, the 2016 Holberg Prize Laureate, will discuss the tremendous theological, artistic, and cultural investment over centuries that made humanity’s fictional first parents so profoundly resonant in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worlds and, finally, so very “real” to millions of people even in the present.”

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Listening Party – Celebrating South African Jazz
>>Jim Gaffigan
>>Mdou Moctar
>>Julian Fleisher with Martha Plimpton: Pop Music
>>Pharoah Sanders
>>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Listening Party – Celebrating South African Jazz
Frederick P. Rose Hall, 5th floor, Broadway and 60th Street / 7:00PM, FREE
“Join host Seton Hawkins, pianist Eli Yamin, and vocalist Melanie Scholtz as they explore South Africa’s incredible Jazz history! With a mix of classic recordings as well as live performance by Melanie and Eli, the event will showcase the extraordinary breadth of styles and incredible array of artists that have contributed to the country’s jazz scene.

Guest pianists Kathy Tagg and Andre Petersen will perform duo piano arrangements of South African Jazz classics as a special treat.”

Jim Gaffigan
@ Beacon Theatre / 7:30PM, $40+
“Jim Gaffigan is a Grammy nominated comedian, actor, New York Times best-selling author, top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling father of five. Gaffigan is known around the world for his unique brand of humor which largely revolves around fatherhood and his observations on life and food.”

Mdou Moctar
Rubenstein Atrium (Lincoln Center) / 7:30PM, FREE
“Guitarist Mdou Moctar, the star of a delightful low-budget Purple Rain remake whose Tuareg-language title translates as Rain the Color of Blue With a Little Red in It, makes his New York debut at this World Music Institute event. Raised in Niger’s Azawagh desert, Moctar recorded his first album in Nigeria in 2008. Anar, a Hausa-influenced revelation of phase-shifting Tuareg guitar vamps and autotuned vocals, quickly made him a hot item among West Africa’s SIM card–swapping MP3 traders. Part of the Tuareg scene that includes Tinariwen (whose songs he has covered) and Bombino, Moctar is a popular wedding performer who sings about Islam, love, and education and plays a left-handed Fender in the griot-like tekamba and shadowy, late-night assouf guitar styles.” (Richard Gehr, VillageVoice)

Julian Fleisher with Martha Plimpton: Pop Music
Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater / 9:30PM, $30
“Musical showman Fleisher continues his Joe’s Pub residency with a show that reunites him with Emmy-winning actor and acerbic wit Plimpton (Raising Hope), with whom he used to perform a popular Los Angeles nightclub act. Vibraphonist Nick Mancini adds to the mischief.” (TONY)

Pharoah Sanders (Sept. 26-30)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
“Time may have mellowed the formidable free-jazz saxophonist Sanders, but the juice is hardly all drained yet. At seventy-six, this onetime terror can still rattle a bandstand with fervently soulful tones. His quintet includes such committed associates as the pianist William Henderson and the bassist Nat Reeves.” (NewYorker)

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
David Geffen Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30pm; $65­–$175 (maybe tough tkt)
“New York Philharmonic takes on John Williams’s scores for the most iconic film franchise in history with screenings of A New Hope (September 15, 16), The Empire Strikes Back (September 26–28), Return of the Jedi (October 4, 5) and The Force Awakens (October 6, 7), all backed by conductor David Newman and an 85-person orchestra. Maybe we’ll get the prequels in 2018?” (TONY)

Continuing Events

The 55th New York Film Festival (9/28-10/15)
at The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
featuring 25 films from around the globe.
“It’s the opening night of the 55th New York Film Festival, with things kicking off with the premiere of Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying, a long-in-the-making, quasi-sequel to Hal Ashby’s ‘70s classic The Last Detail.”

Madison Square Eats  (thru sept.29)
Worth Square, 11AM, FREE
“The fall version of this twice-a-year event from UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy runs daily from September 2–29, and it’s your chance to try food from two dozen vendors who converge on the park from all corners of the city. It’ll be hard to go wrong with any of it, but we recommend the po’boys from the Gumbo Brothers and whatever sweet concoction that Renegade Lemonade, Ice & Vice, and Macaron Parlour have teamed up to create. (Hint: It’s called “Renegade Vice Parlour.”) Or, if you look at a plate of chicken and waffles and think, “Wish I didn’t have to sit at a table and bother with utensils to enjoy this,” Chick’nCone is your food trend du jour.”  (Mary Bakija, Village Voice)


EXHIBIT ‘TO QUENCH THE THIRST OF NEW YORKERS: THE CROTON AQUEDUCT AT 175’   (thru Dec 31)
“Many New Yorkers today take for granted the appearance of clean water in the city’s taps. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Croton Aqueduct, an engineering feat that brought fresh water from the Croton River upstate to fountains in the middle of the city when it was completed in the 1840s.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Opens Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org.

Learn all about the High Bridge, which carried the Croton Aqueduct across the Harlem River. This magnificent civic structure was modeled on the old Roman Aqueduct bridges, and is New York City’s oldest and best bridge. I know, because I lived nearby in the far west Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge, and have strolled across it many times.

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

City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Feinstein’s/54 Below – 254 W54th St., 54below.com, 646-476-3551
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St., joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
Town Hall – 123 W43rd St., thetownhall.org, 212-997-6661
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St., lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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

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“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” (09/27) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-September”
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 through the month.

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

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

TWYLA THARP DANCE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 8)
at the Joyce Theater / 7:30PM, $76+
“Dance’s Renaissance woman, Twyla Tharp, camps out at the Joyce for three weeks this fall, packing an eclectic collection of old and new works. “The Fugue,” the 1970 work that put her on the dance map, is inspired by Bach’s complex rhythms. But in lieu of his music, we get the dancer’s amplified stomps instead. In “The Raggedy Dances,” from 1972, she mashes up Scott Joplin and Mozart with her own unique blend of rigorous frolicking. Fast forward to now and Ms. Tharp introduces “Dylan Love Songs,” her return to the music of Bob Dylan more than a decade after wrestling with his oeuvre in a short-lived Broadway musical.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

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

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>SEU JORGE
>>Pharoah Sanders
>>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
>>Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict
>>The Glories of the Han Dynasty
>>Public Tour: The Decisive Moment | Photography and Sound
 ===========================================================

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

SEU JORGE
at the Beacon Theater / 7:30PM, $59+
“It’s been nearly 13 years since many fans discovered the Brazilian singer Seu Jorge through the David Bowie covers he recorded for the film “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.” Those renditions, and the expanded all-Bowie album Mr. Jorge released in 2005, remain among his best-loved work, and on Wednesday he will perform them in tribute to Bowie, who died last year.” (NYT-SIMON VOZICK-LEVINSON)

Pharoah Sanders (Sept. 26-30)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
“Time may have mellowed the formidable free-jazz saxophonist Sanders, but the juice is hardly all drained yet. At seventy-six, this onetime terror can still rattle a bandstand with fervently soulful tones. His quintet includes such committed associates as the pianist William Henderson and the bassist Nat Reeves.” (NewYorker)

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert  (also Sept.28)
David Geffen Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30pm; $65­–$175 (maybe tough tkt)
“New York Philharmonic takes on John Williams’s scores for the most iconic film franchise in history with screenings of A New Hope (September 15, 16), The Empire Strikes Back (September 26–28), Return of the Jedi (October 4, 5) and The Force Awakens (October 6, 7), all backed by conductor David Newman and an 85-person orchestra. Maybe we’ll get the prequels in 2018?” (TONY)

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

Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict |
Book Launch and Illustrated Lecture with Steve Swenson
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St./ 7PM, $20
Hike up to the Rubin Museum of Art for a conversation with world-class alpinist Steve Swenson on his new book Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict, which details his experiences climbing in the Karakoram Range that spans India, Pakistan and China” (ThoughtGallery.org)

The Glories of the Han Dynasty (Wed’s thru Oct 18)
China Institute, 100 Washington St./ 6:30PM, $15
Full Series: $60
“The Glories of the Han Dynasty” is a 5-week lecture series exploring the culture of the Han Dynasty through its history, literature, economy, politics, scholarship, and visual arts. Each lecture will be delivered by a prominent scholar covering a crucial aspect of Han Dynasty civilization, including the growth of the Silk Road, the role of Confucianism, and the writing of Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian. The topics will elaborate and expand upon many of the themes touched upon by China Institute’s exhibition Dreams of the Kings: A Jade Suit for Eternity, Treasures of the Han Dynasty from Xuzhou.”

Public Tour: The Decisive Moment | Photography and Sound
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St./ 6PM, Free with museum admission
“What decisive moments shape our lives, and how do we recognize them? The photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson was driven by the concept of the “decisive moment” — when the essential truth of a situation is revealed in an instant. Learn about his groundbreaking work in a guided tour of the exhibition Henri Cartier-Bresson: India in Full Frame on the fifth floor. Then explore the power of sound to shape these moments in our sixth-floor exhibition The World Is Sound.”

Continuing Events

EXHIBIT ‘TO QUENCH THE THIRST OF NEW YORKERS: THE CROTON AQUEDUCT AT 175’   (thru Dec 31)
“Many New Yorkers today take for granted the appearance of clean water in the city’s taps. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Croton Aqueduct, an engineering feat that brought fresh water from the Croton River upstate to fountains in the middle of the city when it was completed in the 1840s.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Opens Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org.

Learn all about the High Bridge, which carried the Croton Aqueduct across the Harlem River. This magnificent civic structure was modeled on the old Roman Aqueduct bridges, and is New York City’s oldest and best bridge. I know, because I lived nearby in the far west Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge, and have strolled across it many times.

Madison Square Eats  (thru sept 29)
Worth Square, 11AM, FREE
“The fall version of this twice-a-year event from UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy runs daily from September 2–29, and it’s your chance to try food from two dozen vendors who converge on the park from all corners of the city. It’ll be hard to go wrong with any of it, but we recommend the po’boys from the Gumbo Brothers and whatever sweet concoction that Renegade Lemonade, Ice & Vice, and Macaron Parlour have teamed up to create. (Hint: It’s called “Renegade Vice Parlour.”) Or, if you look at a plate of chicken and waffles and think, “Wish I didn’t have to sit at a table and bother with utensils to enjoy this,” Chick’nCone is your food trend du jour.”  (Mary Bakija, Village Voice)


Generation Wealth (thru Jan.7, 2018)
International Center of Photography Museum / 10am; $14
“Check out 25 years of documentary photography with Generation Wealth by award-winning photographer Lauren Greenfield, her first major retrospective. The exhibit, reflecting stories about affluence, beauty, body image, competition, corruption, fantasy and excess, was originally shown at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles and has now made its way to New York City . For photography buffs, this is a must-see show.” (TONY)

=====================================================
Bonus NYC events– Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 are underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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 are two exhibitions that the NYT likes:

‘A Line Can Go Anywhere’

Through Oct. 14. James Cohan, 533 West 26th Street, Manhattan; 212-714-9500, jamescohan.com.

September usually brings a wealth of must-see solo exhibitions, and this year is no different. “A Line Can Go Anywhere,” at James Cohan, however, is a notable group show that shouldn’t be missed. This terrific exhibition, organized by Jenelle Porter, who curated the landmark “Fiber: Sculpture 1960-present” at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, in 2015, includes seven artists from the San Francisco Bay Area working in the fiber tradition.

Among the influential figures here are Trude Guermonprez (1910-1975), who trained at the Bauhaus and taught alongside Anni Albers at Black Mountain College, and Ed Rossbach (1914-2002), who came out of the California Funk Art tradition. Ms. Guermonprez is represented by elegant woven works, including two from her 1960s “Space Hanging” series. Mr. Rossbach’s wonky-shaped raffia baskets are joined by his “After Miro” (1970), which looks like an acid-colored spider web.

Photo

“The Cosmetic Affect of Darkness,” a 2017 work by Josh Faught.CreditPhoebe d’Heurle/James Cohan Gallery, New York

Alexandra Jacopetti Hart and Kay Sekimachi, who studied with Ms. Guermonprez in the 1950s, represent a middle generation. Both work with grids: Ms. Hart’s “Nebulae” (1982) is a lovely jumble of pastel rectangles, and Ms. Sekimachi’s muted-linen squares hark back to the Bauhaus weaving tradition.

Terri Friedman, Josh Faught and Ruth Laskey are younger artists making the case for fiber art in the technology-saturated present. Ms. Friedman’s “YES” (2016) looks like a bright wool (electric pink and yellow-green), acrylic and cotton circuit board. Ms. Laskey’s handwoven panels resemble Ellsworth Kelly’s work or Sol LeWitt’s fragmented abstractions, and Mr. Faught’s virtuosic weavings include funny texts that reference new technology and social media — retorts, essentially, to contemporary criticism of fiber art.

Finally, Ben Van Meter’s 21-minute film “The Saga of Macramé Park” (1974) captures children playing on Ms. Hart’s countercultural playground, made of knotted fibers. The film is a reminder of the timeless, haptic allure of fiber art and its magical, near-mythical history in Northern California.” (MARTHA SCHWENDENER, NYT)

Carey Young

Through Oct. 14. Paula Cooper Gallery, 534 West 21st Street, Manhattan; 212-255-1105, paulacoopergallery.com.

“Brussels has drawn even with Berlin as Europe’s coolest city for contemporary art, but amid its new galleries and cheap studios are grand, gruesome reminders of Belgium’s 19th-century empire. None are more imposing than the Palais de Justice, or central courthouse, a ghastly mash-up of Baroque, classical and Assyrian motifs that sprawls over more than six acres of the capital’s heart. (“It wants to be as terrible as the Law, severe and sumptuously naked,” Verlaine wrote after seeing it.) It’s here that the British-American artist Carey Young shot her icy, thoughtful, technically accomplished new video, which takes a distinctly feminist view of jurisprudence.

In “Palais de Justice,” establishing shots of the monstrous courthouse precede long takes of female judges at work, which Ms. Young filmed without permission through the portholes of courtroom doors. Lawyers, defendants and witnesses appear only in partial view, blocked by walls or curtains, as the stern-faced magistrates, all middle-aged and wearing black robes with white neck bands, nod along or stare down petitioners. We never hear the pleas, only ghostly, ambient sounds from the giant courthouse’s halls, and the silent female judges appear unimpressed and unbending. (An associated series of depopulated photographs of the courthouse, bearing the Kafkaesque title “Before the Law,” doubles down on the video’s eeriness.)

“Palais de Justice” is projected here at massive scale, as domineering as the courthouse itself, and its view of gender and law is at once sensitive and bleak. You may briefly fantasize that Ms. Young has found some alternate Brussels where women are in charge. But more often, and more disturbingly, it feels like a juridical peep show, in which the criminal law appears as just a special case of a male-dominated society’s pitiless daily judgments.” (JASON FARAGO-NYT)

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And one that the New Yorker likes very much.

Jordan Casteel (thru Oct.28)
Casey Kaplan Gallery, 121 W27th St.

“In one of the most buzzed-about débuts of the fall season, Casteel shows large figurative canvases that combine the candid immediacy of the digital snapshots on which they’re based with the restraint and humanity of an Alice Neel portrait. The young Colorado-born phenom worked almost entirely from pictures she took in Harlem of men, at night. Casteel’s subjects, like the artist herself, are black, and her work tackles the representation of race in general, while revelling, as painters will, in the specific details. In “Q,” a man sits on a stoop next to a sketched-in green railing, earnestly consulting his iPhone, and wearing a sweatshirt with an image of Biggie Smalls in wraparound shades, a gold chain, and a Coogi sweater. In “MegaStarBrand’s Louie and A-Thug,” two well-turned-out young men sprawl with authority in folding chairs on the sidewalk, gazing skeptically out of frame. One wears a shirt that says “REASON,” the other is in a T-shirt that reads “T.H.U.G.: THE HATE YOU GAVE US.” In her exhilarating, if uneven, show, Casteel gives nothing but love.” (NewYorker)

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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 the 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.) “

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 09/25 and 09/23.

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NYC Events,”Only the Best” (09/26) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

“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 better check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-September”
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 through the month.

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

West Side Story 60th Anniversary Celebration
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W 54th St./ 7PM, $45+
Join us at Feinstein’s/54 Below to celebrate the groundbreaking musical masterpiece West Side Story on the 60th anniversary of the show’s opening. With an immortal score by Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), West Side Story opened at the Winter Garden Theater on September 26, 1957.

This very special 60th anniversary program will feature appearances by both young talent and theatre veterans singing some of the most beloved Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim songs from the score — “Something’s Coming,” “Maria,” “Tonight,” “Cool,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Somewhere,” and others.”

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6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)
>>Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert
>>CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND
>>NEW YORK CITY BALLET
>>Two Fake Blondes presents B*tches & Snitches: A Character Show!
>>Jenna Pirog
>>Methods, with Guest Nate Silver
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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – In Concert  (also Sept.27-28)
David Geffen Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30pm; $65­–$175 (maybe tough tkt)
“New York Philharmonic takes on John Williams’s scores for the most iconic film franchise in history with screenings of A New Hope (September 15, 16), The Empire Strikes Back (September 26–28), Return of the Jedi (October 4, 5) and The Force Awakens (October 6, 7), all backed by conductor David Newman and an 85-person orchestra. Maybe we’ll get the prequels in 2018?” (TONY)

CHICK COREA AND STEVE GADD BAND (Sept.26-30)
at the Blue Note / 8 and 10:30PM, $55-$85
“Mr. Corea, one of jazz’s most influential pianists and keyboardists, featured Mr. Gadd’s drumming on a few albums in the 1970s, including the classic fusion excursion “My Spanish Heart.” (Mr. Gadd was also in Mr. Corea’s storied band Return to Forever for a spell, though he never recorded with it.) The two have reunited sporadically in recent years, and here they’ll play a two-week run with the support of some fabulous sidemen: Steve Wilson on saxophone and flute, Lionel Loueke on guitar, Carlitos Del Puerto on bass and Luisito Quintero on percussion.” (NYT-GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

NEW YORK CITY BALLET – SWAN LAKE (Sept. 19 to Oct. 1)
at the NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $35+
“The first two weeks of City Ballet’s fall season is devoted to the majestic avian classic of the ballet canon, “Swan Lake.” Several of the company’s top ballerinas offer their individual interpretations of the double-sided role of Odette and Odile. In Week One, look for Sara Mearns’s grandeur, Teresa Reichlen’s elegant reach, Ashley Bouder’s attack and Sterling Hyltin’s witty grace. Each will plumb the tragic depths of that white and black plumage in choreography by the company’s director, Peter Martins, that builds on 19th-century steps and later contributions by Balanchine.” (NYT-BRIAN SCHAEFER)

Two Fake Blondes presents B*tches & Snitches: A Character Show!
Peoples Improv Theater / 9:30pm; $7
“Eliza Kingsbury and Jewel Elizabeth invite writers and performers from esteemed comedy institutions like UCB and Magnet Theater to perform their best character comedy at this hour-long show. See original creations by Jay Malsky, Sara Katherine, Dan Fox, Zack Gafin and Steven St. Pierre at this month’s edition.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other NYC Events
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
LIVE from the NYPL /

Jenna Pirog
at the School of Visual Arts / 7PM, FREE
“MPS Digital Photography presents a talk by Jenna Pirog, the virtual reality editor at The New York Times Magazine. She was part of the team that launched NYT VR in November 2015 and produced the Times’s first virtual reality film, The Displaced, which was nominated for an Emmy and won first prize in Innovative Storytelling in World Press Photo 2016.

This talk is part of the i3: Images, Ideas, Inspiration lecture series, which features presentations by digital photographers, hardware and software developers and industry experts.”

Methods, with Guest Nate Silver
Caveat, 21 Clinton St./ 8PM, $20
“Methods is an interview show with professional fact-finders that gives the backstory on how they separate fact from fiction to understand the world around them.

This month’s guest: Nate Silver
“Nate Silver is a leading statistician and best-selling author known for his unique brand of creativity, journalism and statistical analysis. He is the founder of the award-winning website FiveThirtyEight, which was acquired by ESPN in 2013. The site relaunched as an ESPN entity on March 17, 2014, and expanded its coverage to include topics such as sports, economics, culture, science and technology, among others. FiveThirtyEight continues to provide data-driven coverage of politics, including forecasts of upcoming elections.”

Continuing Events

EXHIBIT ‘TO QUENCH THE THIRST OF NEW YORKERS: THE CROTON AQUEDUCT AT 175’   (thru Dec 31)
“Many New Yorkers today take for granted the appearance of clean water in the city’s taps. This exhibit focuses on the history of the Croton Aqueduct, an engineering feat that brought fresh water from the Croton River upstate to fountains in the middle of the city when it was completed in the 1840s.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE Opens Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave.
INFO $18; 212­534­1672, mcny.org.

Learn all about the High Bridge, which carried the Croton Aqueduct across the Harlem River. This magnificent civic structure was modeled on the old Roman Aqueduct bridges, and is New York City’s oldest and best bridge. I know, because I lived nearby in the far west Bronx neighborhood of Highbridge, and have strolled across it many times.


Generation Wealth (thru Jan.7, 2018)
International Center of Photography Museum / 10am; $14
“Check out 25 years of documentary photography with Generation Wealth by award-winning photographer Lauren Greenfield, her first major retrospective. The exhibit, reflecting stories about affluence, beauty, body image, competition, corruption, fantasy and excess, was originally shown at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles and has now made its way to New York City . For photography buffs, this is a must-see show.” (TONY)

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Madison Square Eats  (thru sept 29)
Worth Square, 11AM, FREE
“The fall version of this twice-a-year event from UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy runs daily from September 2–29, and it’s your chance to try food from two dozen vendors who converge on the park from all corners of the city. It’ll be hard to go wrong with any of it, but we recommend the po’boys from the Gumbo Brothers and whatever sweet concoction that Renegade Lemonade, Ice & Vice, and Macaron Parlour have teamed up to create. (Hint: It’s called “Renegade Vice Parlour.”) Or, if you look at a plate of chicken and waffles and think, “Wish I didn’t have to sit at a table and bother with utensils to enjoy this,” Chick’nCone is your food trend du jour.”  (Mary Bakija, Village Voice)

==================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Jazz Clubs:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:

Greenwich Village:
(5 underground, classic jazz joints. all 6 within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – UG, 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346
Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346
Cornelia Street Cafe – UG, 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319

Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080
Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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 enjoyment and discovery.

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 60 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2017.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats for these top NYC events in advance, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):

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

A PremierPub / Tribeca

B-Flat / 277 Church St. (btw Franklin/White St))

b_flat4There are some places that are tough to find, then add a layer of mystery when you do find them. B-Flat has a nondescript, almost unmarked door at street level – today’s speakeasy vibe. Open this door and you face a dimly lit stairway down to their basement location. It almost takes a leap of faith to follow the stairs down to their interior door.
But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

It’s a basement jazz spot all right, but not like any traditional jazz joint you may have been to before. This place looks as fresh as today, probably because it’s only been open for 6 years. Even though it hasn’t had a chance to age gracefully, the cherry wood accents and low lighting make this small space very inviting.

There is always jazz, often progressive jazz, playing over their very discrete, stylish bose speakers, setting just the right tone as you find a seat at the bar, or one of the small tables. There is wine and beer available, but this place has some expert mixologists making some very creative cocktails, which I’m told change seasonally, a nice touch.

Come at happy hour and tasty cocktails like the el Diablo or the lychee martini are $8 – not bad. I am a sucker for any drink made with lychee and how can you not try a tequila drink named el Diablo. There is also nice selection of small bites available at happy hour and a food menu that is as innovative as the cocktail menu, so this does not have to be a happy hour only stop.

It wasn’t surprising to find a tasty prosciutto and arugula salad with yuzu dressing, but I did not expect to find such a good version of fried chicken breast on the apps menu. Here it’s called “Tatsuta.” Best bet is to sample happy hour, then dinner on a Monday or Wednesday night, when you can finish with no cover live jazz that starts around 8.

This place is tough to find (look for a small slate sandwich board on the sidewalk out front advertising happy hour) and on some nights when there is no live music it may be a little too quiet for some. But I think it’s worth searching out if you want a place with good music, food, and especially drinks, away from the maddening crowd.

Website: http://http://www.bflat.info/index.html
Phone #: 212-219-2970
Hours: Mo-Wed 5pm-2am; Th-Sat 5pm-3am; no Sun
Happy Hour: 5-7pm every day; $8 cocktails + special prices on apps
Music: Mon/Wed 8pm
Subway: #1 to Franklin; walk E 1 blk to Church; N 1 blk to bFlat

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“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.
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