Selected NYC Events (02/06) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 02/06/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>MONDAY/FEB.06, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Feb.”

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

Broadway Sings Bowie|Prince
Highline Ballroom / 8pm; $35–$65
“The pop-oriented Broadway Sings concert series turns its attention to two of 2016’s most notable musical casualties, David Bowie and Prince. Robin De Jesus, Ariana DeBose, Joel Perez, Jessica Keenan Bolger, Van Hughes, Ruby Lewis, Christina Sajous and series producer Corey Mach are among the musical-theater talents taking the mic, as a 14-piece jazz band plays arrangements by Joshua Stephen Kartes.” (TONY)

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)

David Yazbek
THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL
The Rise of Populism: Reasons and Responses
Have I Got a Story for You: More Than a Century of Fiction from the Forward,
Lost Broadway Theaters with Jennifer Ashley Tepper & Guests

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

David Yazbek
Feinstein’s/54 Below, / 9:30PM, $90+
“Yazbek wrote the scores for Broadway’s The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; on his own, he plays what he calls “challenging pop.” His music is full of bouncy riffs and hooks, as well as nasty-naughty humor. For his February set at 54 Below, he is joined by preeminent Broadway diva Patti LuPone.” (TONY)

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

THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL (Feb.03-07)
“Dance On Camera Festival Remains The Longest-Running Dance Film Festival In The World, Providing A Platform For Choreographic Storytelling And Creative Expression, And Intimate Access To Innovative Media Artists And Their Cinematic Works. Each February In New York City, The Festival Presents Feature-Length Documentary And Narrative Films, Inventive Short Films, Filmmaker Panels And Special Events, Cutting Edge Media And Art Installations, As Well As Engaging Community And Student Programs.”
Tonight: A screening of “Alive & Kicking,” a documentary about swing dancing. 8:30PM

The Rise of Populism: Reasons and Responses
Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews / 6:30PM, FREE
“a panel discussion among Cigdem Ipek, Christian Martin, Jeffrey Goldfarb, and Richard Brooks, and moderated by Marcia Pally on “The Rise of Populism: Reasons and Responses.” Given the recent, seemingly inescapable rise of populism in the U.S. and Europe, and the increasing threat it poses to multi-cultural and cosmopolitan societies, this panel will engage with important questions focusing on the reasons behind the changes in political culture, the role of political correctness and religion, and how to formulate a democratic response to the situation at hand.”

Author @ the Library:
Have I Got a Story for You: More Than a Century of Fiction from the Forward, with Ezra Glinter, the Forward’s former deputy culture editor and current critic-at-large.
Mid-Manhattan Library / 6:30PM, FREE
“This illustrated lecture highlights some of the published wartime novellas, avant-garde fiction and satirical sketches about immigrant life from acclaimed Yiddish writers in The Forward’s 120-year history.”

Lost Broadway Theaters with Jennifer Ashley Tepper & Guests
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, 6PM, FREE
Shine a ghostlight on Broadway’s past at this discussion on its lost theaters with theatre historian Jennifer Ashley Tepper.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

=====================================================
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 (all six are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – 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 – 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).
=========================================================
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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Selected NYC Events (02/05) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 02/05/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>SUNDAY/FEB.05, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Feb.”

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

Lunar New Year Parade
imgresThe Chinese New Year Parade and Festival in Manhattan’s Chinatown might be the biggest rooster celebration in the city. On February 5th, the parade loops through the spirited neighborhood, so we’ve picked out the best eateries you can duck into when you’re getting a little crowd-weary, or take out from if you don’t want to miss a beat. The parade heads down Mott St from Canal St, continues onto East Broadway and curves up through Sara Roosevelt Park via Forsythe and Eldridge Sts to Broome St.To see the full route, check out our Chinese New Year Parade guide.” (TONY)

Suggested viewing at East Broadway or Grand Street and Sara Roosevelt Park.

6  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)

New York City Ballet
The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater
Kelly Burke: Love for Sale
Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Rooster
Netanyahu, Trump and the Future of Israeli/American Relations
Bang! Bang! ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Meets The Big Bang Theory!

You saw these here recently and they continue today:
David Berkman
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET
THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

New York City Ballet (through Feb. 26).
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ 3PM, $65+
“This week brings one more chance to see the season’s world premieres: “The Times Are Racing,” a ballet in sneakers by the company’s acclaimed resident artist, Justin Peck; and “The Shimmering Asphalt,” by the Swedish choreographer and filmmaker Pontus Lidberg. They share a program on Saturday night with Peter Martins’s “Fearful Symmetries,” a busy ballet to a bright John Adams score. George Balanchine’s one-act “Swan Lake” returns on Saturday afternoon and Sunday, on a triple bill with his “Allegro Brillante” and “The Four Temperaments.” Another classic story ballet takes the stage on Wednesday, when Mr. Martins’s “Sleeping Beauty” begins a two-week run.” (NYT-SIOBHAN BURKE)

The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater (thru Feb.05)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM,10:30PM; bar $30, tables $45
“In the history of Jazz music, there is only one bandleader that has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for over 30 years after his passing. Pianist and bandleader William James Count Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of Jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world.”

Kelly Burke: Love for Sale
Huron Club, 17 Vandam St./ 5PM, $40
“English singer-actor Burke makes her U.S. debut in a “cabaret-play” set in the 1930s, featuring songs by Kurt Weill and others. The winning Charlie Alterman costars as her pianist.” (TONY)

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

Lunar New Year Festival: Year of the Rooster
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave, at 82nd St./ 11AM+
Free with Museum admission ($12-25)
“Explore traditions from across Asia through thrilling performances, interactive gallery activities, artist-led workshops, a photo op with Sesame Street puppeteers, and much more! All festivities and events are FREE with Museum admission. Kids under 12 are always free when accompanied by an adult.”

A double header @ the 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave.
Netanyahu, Trump and the Future of Israeli/American Relations
First Up @ 5PM, $32
“Get an insight into the future of US/Israeli relations under President Trump at this panel discussion with such participants as Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon and former CIA head James Woolsey.” (ThoughtGallery.org)
Bang! Bang! ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Meets The Big Bang Theory!
Second Up @ 8PM, $32
“Nobel Prize winner Robert Wilson, an astrophysicist and expert in the Big Bang, sits down with a science writer and the executive producer of the television show The Big Bang Theory to talk science and humor.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week (LAST DAY)
Day 17 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival (LAST DAY)
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (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 (all six are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – 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 – 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.

Time Out New York highlights this current exhibition:
“Sergei Eisenstein: Drawings 1931–1948” (thru Feb.11)
Alexander Gray Associates, 510 W26th St.
“Did you know that the director of Battleship Potemkin drew pornographic pictures in his downtime? Us neither, but as this roundup of his explicit exertions on paper clearly demonstrate, it’s true. The show spans the period from 1931 until his death in 1948.”

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

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).

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 02/03 and 02/01.
======================================================

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Selected NYC Events (02/04) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 02/04/2017 by GregD

Today’s Elite8 NYC Events>SATURDAY/FEB.04, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Feb.”

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

Walter Murch + Heather Berlin: How Is Movie Magic Made? 2PM, $25
Lawrence Weschler + Walter Murch | Is There a New Way to See the Stars? 6PM, $25
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St.
“An intriguing weekend at the Rubin continues Saturday with two sessions from legendary film editor Walter Murch. In the first he’ll talk the perception of image and sound with neuroscientist Heather Berlin; the second will cover the new book Waves Passing in the Night, Lawrence Weschler’s profile of Murch, and how the latter’s amateur astrophysicist investigations “could reshape our understanding of the universe.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

7  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY (see below for full listing)

Family Concert | Who is Louis Armstrong?
Ólöf Arnalds
Broadway Originals!
Marcus Roberts Trio
Chinese New Year Celebration, Year of the Rooster / Rockin’ Rooster
Chelsea “Best Exhibits” Gallery Tour
Target First Saturdays

You saw these here yesterday and they continue today:
David Berkman
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET
Monty Alexander
THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

Family Concert | Who is Louis Armstrong?
Jazz at Lincoln Center, 3 Columbus Circle, Rose Hall / 1PM, +3PM, $20+
“Through stories, recordings, and live music, audiences will learn about a talented youngster from New Orleans who changed the meaning of jazz – and the way we think about art. This hour-long journey through the life of Louis Armstrong will be hosted by jazz royalty Catherine Russell. Not only is Russell a supreme vocalist and gifted storyteller, she is also the daughter of Louis Armstrong’s long-time music director, Luis Russell. The concert will also feature an all-star band and 19-year-old trumpeter Anthony Hervey, a most exciting up-and-comer who was awarded “Outstanding Trumpet” in the 2014 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival and Competition, and has already wowed audiences at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Monterey Jazz Festival. In addition to demonstrating Armstrong’s greatest musical achievements as a trumpeter and singer, we will also consider some of his inspiring lessons about improvisation, self-expression, community, and the joy of music.”

Ólöf Arnalds
Mercury Lounge, 217 E Houston St./ 8:30PM, $14
It’s easy to see how remarkable Icelandic singer Ólöf Arnalds has drawn such distinguished fans (including Björk and Jonathan Richman). Her playing is full of soft, insistent little plucks and strums, and her clear, virtuostic voice recalls Joanna Newsom, but where Newsom is all medieval fairy-tale mystery, Arnalds conjures something more ancient-sounding.” (TONY)

Broadway Originals!
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 w54th St./ 9:30PM, $35+
“History gets remade as musical-theater stars re-create some of their most celebrated numbers in the latest installment of cabaret impresario Scott Siegel’s popular series. Scheduled performers include Stephanie J. Block (9 to 5), Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd), Claybourne Elder (Bonnie & Clyde), Bill Irwin (Bye, Bye Birdie) and Lee Roy Reams (42nd Street).” (TONY)

Marcus Roberts Trio
Miller Theatre, 2960 Broadway/ 8PM, $30
“We call him ‘the genius of modern piano’ because he is,” says Wynton Marsalis of jazz legend Marcus Roberts. The long-running Marcus Roberts Trio makes their Miller debut, shining a light on their unique and virtuosic style. Each member of the Trio shares equally in leading and changing, displaying their innate connection to the music and each other.”

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

Chinese New Year Celebration, Year of the Rooster / Rockin’ Rooster
China Institute, 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor/ Family Workshops: 1:00–3:30PM $5-$15 *Price includes entry to one workshop and the concert; Party & Performance: 4:00–7:00PM, $20
“Kick off the Year of the Rooster with China Institute’s signature New Year Celebration. In the afternoon, we open our doors to families for New Year-themed workshops and activities including dumpling making, storytelling, and lantern-making. In the evening, adults and families alike are welcome to a party featuring a lion dance, food, and live music.”

Chelsea “Best Exhibits” Gallery Tour
New York Gallery Tours, 1PM, +3:45PM, $25
“Take a fascinating gallery tour of Chelsea—the world’s center for contemporary art—and see the very latest in painting, sculpture, electronic media & photography. Our guide, who holds a Ph.D. in arts education, helps explain the artwork and leads the group in lively discussion.

The tour will take place no matter what the weather – rain, snow or shine (the art is all indoors). Meet at 526 W. 26th St. between 10th & 11th Ave. Nearest subways: C- or E-Train to 23rd St. Admission is $25. SPECIAL OFFER: visit our website to request a DISCOUNT ticket link for $8-off admission!”

Elsewhere, but this is always worth the detour:

Target First Saturdays
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway (Washington Ave.)/ 5PM, FREE
“Are you free Saturday night? We are! Join us for our monthly evening of free art and entertainment. In February we are honoring Black History Month through the lens of our exhibitions I See Myself in You and Beverly Buchanan—Ruins and Rituals. All night long, we’ll celebrate activists, revolutionaries, and artists of the African diaspora through vibrant music, dance, storytelling, and more.”

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 16 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (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 (all six are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – 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 – 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

Selected NYC Events (02/03) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 02/03/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>FRIDAY/FEB.03, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Feb.”

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

David Berkman (thru Feb.05)
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, btw105th/106th Sts./ 7,9,10:30PM, $38
For both this engagement and his current album, “Old Friends and New Friends,” the long-respected pianist, composer, and author David Berkman doesn’t stint on the woodwind power: joining him are three of today’s most engaging saxophone stylists, Adam Kolker, Dayna Stephens, and Billy Drewes, who, between them, will be playing seven different wind instruments. The sets will sample work from the album and newly minted originals.” (NewYorker)

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

MARY WILSON
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET
Monty Alexander
THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL
Christine Ha + David Linden | How Does a Blind Cook Cook?

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

MARY WILSON
You’ll hear a symphony when the former member of The Supremes breaks into some of the hits from her Motown days, including “Stop in the Name of Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and “Baby Love.” Though she’s best known for her music, Wilson in recent years has focused on humanitarian efforts and served as a Goodwill Ambassador.
WHEN | WHERE Friday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m., B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
INFO $49.50-$89.50; 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com (DANIEL BUBBEO, Newsday)

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET (thru Feb.05)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30, +10:30PM, $30
“For the trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, revelation emerges from a place of contemplative darkness. He makes music with a furrowed brow, and the occasional splash of abandon. At the Vanguard this week, Mr. Akinmusire, 34, will appear with a quartet, allowing himself a rare level of unfettered prominence. The band mates are all longstanding associates: Sam Harris on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass and Justin Brown on drums. Go, but be sure to clink those glasses quietly: The band will be using this weeklong run to record a live album.” (NYT – GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Monty Alexander (thru Feb.04)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $35
“Versatility defines the artistry of the pianist Alexander, and his sixty-year résumé confirms his uncanny ability to assert his voice in diverse settings. This mini retrospective offers just a sliver of his multifarious experiences, but each is choice: a glance at the 1969 album “That’s The Way It Is,” which featured a young Alexander alongside the co-leaders Milt Jackson and Ray Brown; a revisit to a stirring 1977 live date with Jackson and Dizzy Gillespie; and a loving reworking of the reggae sounds that originated during the pianist’s youth at Studio One, the legendary recording studio in Alexander’s native Jamaica.” (NewYorker)

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

THE 45TH ANNUAL DANCE ON CAMERA FESTIVAL (Feb.03-07)
“Dance On Camera Festival Remains The Longest-Running Dance Film Festival In The World, Providing A Platform For Choreographic Storytelling And Creative Expression, And Intimate Access To Innovative Media Artists And Their Cinematic Works. Each February In New York City, The Festival Presents Feature-Length Documentary And Narrative Films, Inventive Short Films, Filmmaker Panels And Special Events, Cutting Edge Media And Art Installations, As Well As Engaging Community And Student Programs.”

Christine Ha + David Linden | How Does a Blind Cook Cook?
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St./ 7PM, $25
“How to cook by touch: Christine Ha, the season three winner of MasterChef and the show’s first blind contestant, joins neuroscientist David Linden to discuss perception beyond the visual. Linden breaks down the science of Ha’s extraordinary palate to understand how we perceive touch, taste, and smell.”

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 16 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

===========================================================
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):

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

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)

Morgan Library & Museum
‘I’M NOBODY! WHO ARE YOU? THE LIFE AND POETRY OF EMILY DICKINSON’ (through May 28).
“This is the second-largest gathering ever, anywhere, of prime Dickinson relics, and as such it comes with an aura the size of a city block. It instantly turns the Morgan into a pilgrimage site, a literary Lourdes, a place to come in contact with one aspect of America that truly can claim greatness. And the show has a mission, to give 21st-century audiences a fresh take on Dickinson. Gone is the white-gowned Puritan nun, and the Belle of Amherst, that infantilized charmer. At the Morgan we get a different Dickinson, a person among people: a member of a household, a village dweller, a citizen.” 212-685-0008, themorgan.org. (NYT-Holland Cotter)

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

at the very least you will want to see these two:
‘CELEBRATING THE ARTS OF JAPAN: THE MARY GRIGGS BURKE COLLECTION’ (through May 2017)
“This lavish collection of 160 objects came to the Met from the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation in early 2015. The Burkes loved Japanese art — all of it — and the exhibition is close to compendious in terms of media, from wood-carved Buddhas to bamboo baskets, with a particular strength in painting, early and late. The quality of the work? Japan thinks highly enough of it to have made the Burke holdings the first Japanese collection from abroad ever to show at Tokyo National Museum. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

‘MAX BECKMANN IN NEW YORK’ (through Feb. 20).
“In the last two years of his life, the great German Expressionist Max Beckmann lived in New York. This terrific exhibition gathers paintings that he created during his time here as well as paintings now owned by museums and private collectors in New York, regardless of when they were made. If this sounds like a recipe for mishmash, it’s not: There’s not a single dud among the 39 works in the show. Including portraits, still lifes, cityscapes and several of his most ambitious allegorical visions, it will warm the hearts of Beckmann’s fans and serve as an excellent introduction for those unfamiliar with his vigorously humane art. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org” (Ken Johnson)

===========================================================
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).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 02/01 and 01/30.
=============================================================

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Selected NYC Events (02/02) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 02/02/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>THURSDAY/FEB.02, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Feb.”

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

The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater (thru Feb.05)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM,10:30PM; bar $30, tables $45
“In the history of Jazz music, there is only one bandleader that has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for over 30 years after his passing. Pianist and bandleader William James Count Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of Jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world.”

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET
Monty Alexander
BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY
Robert Coover Discusses “Huck Out West”
If Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining a Human Body

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET (thru Feb.05)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30, +10:30PM, $30
“For the trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, revelation emerges from a place of contemplative darkness. He makes music with a furrowed brow, and the occasional splash of abandon. At the Vanguard this week, Mr. Akinmusire, 34, will appear with a quartet, allowing himself a rare level of unfettered prominence. The band mates are all longstanding associates: Sam Harris on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass and Justin Brown on drums. Go, but be sure to clink those glasses quietly: The band will be using this weeklong run to record a live album.” (NYT – GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

Monty Alexander (thru Feb.04)
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $35
“Versatility defines the artistry of the pianist Alexander, and his sixty-year résumé confirms his uncanny ability to assert his voice in diverse settings. This mini retrospective offers just a sliver of his multifarious experiences, but each is choice: a glance at the 1969 album “That’s The Way It Is,” which featured a young Alexander alongside the co-leaders Milt Jackson and Ray Brown; a revisit to a stirring 1977 live date with Jackson and Dizzy Gillespie; and a loving reworking of the reggae sounds that originated during the pianist’s youth at Studio One, the legendary recording studio in Alexander’s native Jamaica.” (NewYorker)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY (thru Feb.04)
at the Brooklyn Academy of Music / 7:30PM, $25
“The Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin unveils “Last Work” (2015), a dance for 18 that spotlights the choreographer’s movement language, Gaga, a silken, sensual approach that allows energy to flow nonstop through the body. For the duration of the piece, a dancer runs on a treadmill that is part of the set. Romanian lullabies are included in the score, as well as a composition by the German electronic music producer Grischa Lichtenberger. The engagement also coincides with the New York release of a documentary by Tomer Heymann that focuses on Mr. Naharin called “Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance.” Both are highly recommended.” (NYT-GIA KOURLAS)

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

Robert Coover Discusses “Huck Out West”
The Cooper Union, 7 E. 7th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“Leave to the always-daring Robert Coover to tackle a great hanging thread of American literature: what happened to Huck after he decided to “light out for the Territory” to avoid getting “sivilized.” Coover discusses his latest at The Cooper Union.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Author @ the Library:
If Our Bodies Could Talk: A Guide to Operating and Maintaining a Human Body – with Dr. James Hamblin, a writer and senior editor at The Atlantic magazine.
Mid-Manhattan Library / 6:30PM, FREE
“This lecture explores the human stories behind health questions that never seem to go away—and which tend to be mischaracterized and oversimplified by marketing and news media. Topics include sleep, aging, diet, and much more.”

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 15 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

================================================
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 enjoyment and discovery.
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.
==============================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

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

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Summer 2017).
◊ Order before May.31, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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Selected NYC Events (02/01) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 02/01/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>WEDNESDAY/FEB.01, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Jan.”

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

Monty Alexander
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, $35
“Versatility defines the artistry of the pianist Alexander, and his sixty-year résumé confirms his uncanny ability to assert his voice in diverse settings. This mini retrospective offers just a sliver of his multifarious experiences, but each is choice: a glance at the 1969 album “That’s The Way It Is,” which featured a young Alexander alongside the co-leaders Milt Jackson and Ray Brown; a revisit to a stirring 1977 live date with Jackson and Dizzy Gillespie; and a loving reworking of the reggae sounds that originated during the pianist’s youth at Studio One, the legendary recording studio in Alexander’s native Jamaica.” (NewYorker)

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET
BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY
The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater
Gotham, Religion, and the Fright of Modernity:
A History of Brooklyn Bridge Park:

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Art

AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE QUARTET (thru Feb.05)
at the Village Vanguard / 8:30, +10:30PM, $30
“For the trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, revelation emerges from a place of contemplative darkness. He makes music with a furrowed brow, and the occasional splash of abandon. At the Vanguard this week, Mr. Akinmusire, 34, will appear with a quartet, allowing himself a rare level of unfettered prominence. The band mates are all longstanding associates: Sam Harris on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass and Justin Brown on drums. Go, but be sure to clink those glasses quietly: The band will be using this weeklong run to record a live album.” (NYT – GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO)

BATSHEVA DANCE COMPANY (thru Feb.04)
at the Brooklyn Academy of Music / 7:30PM, $25
“The Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin unveils “Last Work” (2015), a dance for 18 that spotlights the choreographer’s movement language, Gaga, a silken, sensual approach that allows energy to flow nonstop through the body. For the duration of the piece, a dancer runs on a treadmill that is part of the set. Romanian lullabies are included in the score, as well as a composition by the German electronic music producer Grischa Lichtenberger. The engagement also coincides with the New York release of a documentary by Tomer Heymann that focuses on Mr. Naharin called “Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance.” Both are highly recommended.” (NYT-GIA KOURLAS)

The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater (thru Feb.05)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM,10:30PM; bar $30, tables $45
“In the history of Jazz music, there is only one bandleader that has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for over 30 years after his passing. Pianist and bandleader William James Count Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of Jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world.”

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

Gotham, Religion, and the Fright of Modernity: 1880–1960 | A Lecture and Q&A with Acclaimed Historian Jon Butler
Trinity Church, 74 Trinity Pl./ 6:30PM, FREE
“St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan abides as New York’s oldest building in continuous public use, and as a symbol of faith, endurance, and social good. As part of a year-long celebration of the Chapel’s 250th anniversary, Trinity Church Wall Street is hosting a series of lectures exploring the chapel’s place in the city’s history. On Wednesday, February 1st, Jon Butler, Howard R. Lamar Professor Emeritus of American Studies, History, and Religious Studies at Yale University, will present “Gotham, Religion, and the Fright of Modernity: 1880–1960.” The event will discuss how organized religion, including St. Paul’s Chapel, met the challenges of religion as New York became the world’s largest city by the 1920s.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Author @ the Library:
A History of Brooklyn Bridge Park: How a Community Reclaimed and Transformed New York City’s Waterfront, with Nancy Webster, executive director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, and journalist David Shirley.
Mid-Manhattan Library / 6:30PM, FREE
“This illustrated lecture recounts the grassroots, multivoiced, and contentious effort, beginning in the 1980s, to transform Brooklyn’s defunct piers into a beautiful urban oasis.”

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 14 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

=======================================================
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 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)

Museum of Modern Art:
‘FROM THE COLLECTION: 1960-1969’ (through March 12, 2017)
“MoMA shakes up its sanctum sanctorum, installing half of its permanent collection galleries with works chosen by 17 curators from a single decade: the tumultuous 1960s. The limited time frame is balanced by unprecedented breadth and variety. As never before, the presentation mixes together objects and artworks from all six of the museum’s curatorial departments. The blend is alternately stimulating and bewildering, revelatory and infuriating: yet another symptom of the museum’s limited curatorial mind-set. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Smith)
 ‘TONY OURSLER: IMPONDERABLE’ (through April 16, 2017)
“This small exhibition is centered on a 90-minute film in which episodes from the history of spiritualist frauds and hoaxes are re-enacted by people in fanciful costumes while mystic flames, smoke and ectoplasmic phenomena come and go. At certain moments during “Imponderable,” you feel breezes wafting over you and hear loud thumping under the theater’s risers. The crudeness of these effects is part of the generally comical spirit. It’s all about the confusion between illusion and reality to which human beings seem to be congenitally susceptible. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Johnson)

 Whitney Museum of American Art:
‘HUMAN INTEREST: PORTRAITS FROM THE WHITNEY’S COLLECTION’ (through Feb.12, 2017)
“A year ago, the Whitney inaugurated its new downtown home with a permanent collection showcase called “America Is Hard to See.” Its even more immediately engaging successor, devoted entirely to portraiture, is now on view and might well have been subtitled “Americans Are Strange to Look At,” which, in the 250 images here, we sure are: funny-strange, beautiful-strange, crazy-strange, dangerous-strange, inscrutable-strange. The work is arranged by theme and spread over two floors. There are magnetic images everywhere. 99 Gansevoort Street, 212-570-3600, whitney.org.” (Cotter)

“DREAMLANDS: IMMERSIVE CINEMA AND ART’, 1905-2016′ (thru Feb.05, 2017)
“The Whitney’s new exhibit offers visitors a chance to explore more than a century of experimentation in cinema, mostly by American artists. See works that question and play with elements such as color, touch, music, spectacle, light and darkness, animation and dimension. There will be a film series in addition to the 18,000 square feet of gallery space devoted to the show.” (Newsday)

==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 01/30 and 01/28.
==============================================================

Posted in New York City Events, New York City Music, NYC Calendar of Events, NYC Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Selected Events (01/31) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 01/31/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>TUESDAY/JAN.31, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Jan.”

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

Christine Ebersole: After the Ball
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM, $90+
“Broadway leading lady Ebersole (Grey Gardens) can really land a joke and knock out a number, moving with ease between her lustrous belt, her mock-operatic soprano and multiple other modes. Fresh from a Chicago run of the promising new musical War Paint, and before the show opens on Broadway, she stops by 54 Below with her latest set.” (TONY)

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
New York Philharmonic: Chinese New Year Celebration
The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater
New York City Ballet
Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell
Breaking the Black Box: How Algorithms Make Decisions About You

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

New York Philharmonic: Chinese New Year Celebration
Philharmonic Hall (at Lincoln Center)/ 7:30PM, $35–$110
“The New York Philharmonic is known for its exceptional New Year’s Concert and, for a sixth year, the renowned symphony kicks the Lunar New Year into high gear as well. The special Chinese New Year Gala Concert features Puccini’s Turandot as well as Chinese folk songs such as “Jasmine Flower” and a new trumpet concerto, Joie Éternelle.” (TONY)

The Count Basie Orchestra ft Dee Dee Bridgewater (thru Feb.05)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM,10:30PM; bar $30, tables $45
“In the history of Jazz music, there is only one bandleader that has the distinction of having his orchestra still performing sold out concerts all over the world, with members personally chosen by him, for over 30 years after his passing. Pianist and bandleader William James Count Basie was and still is an American institution that personifies the grandeur and excellence of Jazz. The Count Basie Orchestra, today directed by Scotty Barnhart, has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, won 18 Grammy Awards, performed for Kings, Queens, and other world Royalty, appeared in several movies, television shows, at every major jazz festival and major concert hall in the world.”

New York City Ballet
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, $30+
This is the week to see what’s new at City Ballet. The company’s prolific choreographer-in-residence, Justin Peck, débuts his newest piece, “The Times Are Racing.” (The title comes from an album by the indie rocker Dan Deacon.) It’s a bit of an anomaly for Peck, a ballet danced in sneakers, to pop music, using elements of soft-shoe and street dance. Pontus Lidberg’s “The Shimmering Asphalt,” in contrast, is set to a score commissioned from the post-minimalist David Lang, a lyrical chamber work full of soaring legato passages for cello and violin. Lidberg’s style is spare and fluid, with a tendency toward long, smooth phrases and soulful encounters. * Feb. 1-2 at 7:30 and Feb. 4 at 8: “Fearful Symmetries,” “The Shimmering Asphalt,” and “The Times Are Racing.” * Feb. 3 at 8: “Scènes de Ballet,” “The Cage,” “Eight Easy Pieces,” “Scherzo Fantastique,” and “Stravinsky Violin Concerto.” * Feb. 4 at 2 and Feb. 5 at 3: “Allegro Brillante,” “Swan Lake,” and “The Four Temperaments.” (NewYorker)

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

Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
With Alexandra Horowitz, author of the bestselling “Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know” and “On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation.”
“This illustrated lecture explains how dogs perceive the world through their most spectacular organ—the nose—and how we humans can put our under-used sense of smell to work in surprising ways.”

Breaking the Black Box: How Algorithms Make Decisions About You
The Greene Space, 44 Charlton St./ 7PM, $15
“Algorithms are everywhere, sifting through information to determine the curated news we read, the prices we pay for goods and services, and even which people are most compatible for us to date. But often we don’t know how, exactly, machines are making these decisions.

WNYC’s Manoush Zomorodi joins forces with ProPublica to talk about their recent investigation, “Breaking the Black Box,” and launch Note to Self’s own latest project: “The Privacy Paradox,” a five-part podcast and audience engagement series designed to take the mystery out of digital privacy.

Hear about how to protect your personal data, the hidden biases in algorithms, and ways we can peek inside black boxes and hold actual people accountable. With ProPublica senior reporter Julia Angwin, entrepreneur and writer Anil Dash and Microsoft researcher Solon Barocas.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 13 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

===========================================================
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 (40s, 50s, R&B, and soul). On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
————————————————————————————————————————
Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

==================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).
If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
==================================================================================
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Selected NYC Events (01/30) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 01/30/2017 by GregD

Today’s Sweet6 NYC Events>MONDAY/JAN.30, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Jan.”

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

An Evening with Thomas Friedman
Temple Emanu-El, 1 E. 65th St./ 7PM, $30
“Journalist and author Thomas Friedman is the winner of three Pulitzer Prizes: the first for coverage of the war in Lebanon, the second for coverage of Israel and the third for his commentary illuminating the worldwide impact of the terrorist threat.

Now one of the most celebrated observers of our time turns his attention to the 21st century with his new book, Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations. In this time of super-computing power, self-driving cars, economic interdependence, spiraling debt burdens, rising sea levels and the exponential acceleration of most everything, Mr. Friedman establishes a blueprint for how to think about modern times, take advantage of technology and feel optimistic about our future.”

5  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
Ziegfeld Follies of the Air
Roy Hargrove
When Pop Writers Go Broadway
Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution
Emmett Till: True Stories of An American Tragedy

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Ziegfeld Follies of the Air
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $25+
A starry cast pays homage to great entertainers of a bygone era in a gala benefit for the Ziegfeld Society, directed by Walter Willison. Headliners include Liliane Montevecchi (Nine) as Mistinguett, Loni Ackerman (Evita) as Fanny Brice, Carole Demas (Grease) as Billie Burke, Shelly Burch as Helen Morgan, Erin Cronican as Marilyn Miller and Lee Horwin as Libby Holman.” (TONY)

Roy Hargrove
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8pm; 10:30pm; bar $30, tables $45
“Fiery trumpeter Roy Hargrove has been doing double duty for years now, spending half his time as a funkster with his slick combo RH Factor and the other half as a soulful neobopper. You’ll be hearing him in the former mode tonight, so wear your dancing shoes.” (TONY)

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

When Pop Writers Go Broadway
The Greene Space, 44 Charlton St./ 7PM, $20
Broadway’s relationship with contemporary music is a rocky one. Burt Bacharach and Hal David triumphed with their swinging 1968 hit “Promises, Promises,” but the team never wrote another musical — a pattern followed by subsequent Broadway one-timers like Roger Miller, Paul Simon and Dolly Parton.

How do songwriters from the worlds of rock, folk and country adjust to writing for the theater? And why has the Broadway establishment been so resistant to their idiosyncratic and often fascinating shows? Encores! Artistic Director Jack Viertel hosts a conversation with Rob Berman, musical supervisor for “Bright Star,” and Carmel Dean, musical supervisor on Green Day’s “American Idiot” and “Hands on a Hard Body,” written by the frontman of Phish. The evening will include a performance by Lauren Worsham from the cast of Encores! “Big River.”

Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution
The Explorers Club, 6 E. 70th St./ 6PM, $25
“Evolutionary biologist Scott Solomon looks at aspects of modernization like epidemics and online dating and the way they may be influencing a new phase in human evolution. If recent political shifts are hastening the need to become a multi-planetary species, will new humans adapted to say, Martian environments, be the next step in our development? (ThoughtGallery.org)

Author Talks:
Emmett Till: True Stories of An American Tragedy
NYPL, Main Building, Celeste Auditorium, 42nd St. & 5th Ave.
6:30PM, Program is FREE, but advance registration is recommended. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance.
“In August 1955, a fourteen-year-old black boy visiting Mississippi from Chicago named Emmett Till was abducted from his family’s home in the middle of the night by white men who believed that Till had harassed one of their wives; he was beaten, murdered, and dumped in a river with a cotton-gin fan tied to his neck by barbed wire. The atrocity, which persisted during the trial of his killers and their acquittal by an all-white jury, rattled a nation and helped fuel the modern civil rights movement. Two groundbreaking accounts of the lynching that changed a generation re-examine the life, death, and legacy of Emmett Till. Historian Timothy Tyson and PEN Award–winning author John Edgar Wideman will speak about their new books, The Blood of Emmett Till and Writing to Save a Life, with historian Nell Irvin Painter, author of the New York Times bestseller The History of White People.

Timothy Tyson’s The Blood of Emmett Till records one of the most comprehensive accounts of Emmett Till’s story, using for the first time trial transcripts that had gone missing for a half century and a revelatory interview with Carolyn Bryant, the woman Till had supposedly harassed, near the end of her life. John Edgar Wideman’s Writing to Save a Life plumbs the story through Louis Till, Emmett’s father, who was hanged for rape and murder by the U.S. Army in Italy a decade before his son’s death.”

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 12 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (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 (all six are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – 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 – 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):

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

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.

Time Out New York highlights this current exhibition:
“Sergei Eisenstein: Drawings 1931–1948” (thru Feb.11)
Alexander Gray Associates, 510 W26th St.
“Did you know that the director of Battleship Potemkin drew pornographic pictures in his downtime? Us neither, but as this roundup of his explicit exertions on paper clearly demonstrate, it’s true. The show spans the period from 1931 until his death in 1948.”

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

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).

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 01/28 and 01/26.
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Selected NYC Events (01/29) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 01/29/2017 by GregD

Today’s Super7 NYC Events>SUNDAY/JAN.29, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Jan.”

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

ETHAN IVERSON QUARTET
at Village Vanguard / 8:30PM+ 10:30PM, $30
“This Chicago-born pianist has made a steady and seamless transition from brash iconoclast to measured statesman. His popular postmodern trio, the Bad Plus, continues to motor along, but he’s also tested out various formulations of his own groups and delved into writing criticism and conducting incisive, in-depth interviews with musicians. Here he draws together an impressive set of jazz veterans: Tom Harrell on trumpet, Ben Street on bass and Eric McPherson on drums.” (NYT-ANDREW R. CHOW)

6  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
Butler, Bernstein, and the Hot 9
MOGWAI
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
New York Times Travel Show
Winter Antiques Show
New York Boat Show

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Butler, Bernstein, and the Hot 9
Jazz Standard, 116 E. 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $35
“The stylistically omnivorous brass man Steven Bernstein has a soft spot for early jazz, so his fertile hookup with the New Orleans pianist and singer Henry Butler, a virtuosic performer who honors tradition while remaining unbound to it, always delivers big fun. The fruits of their collaboration—fortified by the spirited Hot 9 unit—were first heard on “Viper’s Drag,” from 2014, a recording that gave a joyous dusting-off to formative material from Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, and others.” (NewYorker)

MOGWAI
at the Town Hall / 8PM, $30-$40
“When the Glasgow-based band Mogwai released its seventh album in 2011, it picked a title, “Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will,” that neatly sums up the band’s musical approach for more than two decades. Like its peers My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, Mogwai has mastered the tricky art of transforming roaring guitar riffs, gut-punching drums and walls of guitar noise into sweeping epics that can, at times, feel oddly soothing.” (NYT – KEVIN O’DONNELL)

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

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

New York Times Travel Show
Javits Center, 655 W34th St. / 11AM-5PM, $20
“Planning a trip? The New York Times Travel Show brings two days of seminars, performances, special offers, and tips from professionals to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Midtown.” (NYT/Today)

Winter Antiques Show (LAST DAY)
Park Avenue Armory, 643 Park Ave./ 12-8PM, $25
“History buffs can riffle through 70-plus booths of decorative housewares, furniture and tableaux at this vintage art and antiques fair, where you’ll find some luxurious and incredibly detailed paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries.” (TONY)

New York Boat Show (LAST DAY)
Javits Center, 655 W34th St./ 10AM -9PM SA; 10AM-5PM SU, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops, test the waters on land through a boating simulator and more.” (TONY)

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 11 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

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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 (all six are within walking distance of each other):
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 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 – 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 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):

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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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Selected NYC Events (01/28) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 01/28/2017 by GregD

Today’s Elite8 NYC Events>SATURDAY/JAN.28, 2017

“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 be sure to check the tab above: “Notable NYC Events-Jan.”

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

Roméo et Juliette
Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center/ 8PM, $30+
“When Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starred opposite each other in Manon at the Met in 2015, the New York Times said, “the temperature rises nearly to boiling every time Damrau and Grigolo are on stage together.” Now they’re back as opera’s classic lovers, in Gounod’s lush Shakespeare adaptation. The production, by director Bartlett Sher, has already won acclaim for its vivid 18th-century milieu and stunning costumes during runs at Salzburg and La Scala. Gianandrea Noseda conducts the sumptuous score.”

7  OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
Legacies of Jazz: Bebo, Chico, Chucho, ‘Turo
Nellie McKay: A Girl Named Bill
ETHAN IVERSON QUARTET
Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
New York Times Travel Show
Lunar New Year
A Night of Philosophy & Ideas

PLUS 
NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
New York Boat Show

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Legacies of Jazz: Bebo, Chico, Chucho, ‘Turo
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space / 8PM, $25-$45
“Celebrating the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s 15th year, multi-Grammy winners Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés reinterpret the works of their legendary fathers, Bebo Valdés and Chico O’Farrill, side-by-side on Steinway pianos and with the full 18-piece Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, plus collaborative performances by the talented younger generations O’Farrill (Zack & Adam) and Valdés (Jesse & Leyanis).

This encounter between two great family legacies continues a dynamic conversation between Cuba and the United States. O’Farrill and Valdés are living proof that culture is more important than politics and ideology, and that love and art are the highest power.”

Nellie McKay: A Girl Named Bill (LAST DAY)
Feinstein’s/54 Below, / 7PM, $55-$65
“Fearless singer-songwriter McKay is always guaranteed to flabber your gast with her witty, unwieldy and beguiling performances. Her themed sets are especially bonkers (in a wonderful way); this one, first performed in 2014, employs original songs and a wide range of covers to explore the life of jazz bandleader Billy Tipton, who was discovered at his death to have been born female.” (TONY)

ETHAN IVERSON QUARTET (also Jan.29)
at Village Vanguard / 8:30PM+ 10:30PM, $30
“This Chicago-born pianist has made a steady and seamless transition from brash iconoclast to measured statesman. His popular postmodern trio, the Bad Plus, continues to motor along, but he’s also tested out various formulations of his own groups and delved into writing criticism and conducting incisive, in-depth interviews with musicians. Here he draws together an impressive set of jazz veterans: Tom Harrell on trumpet, Ben Street on bass and Eric McPherson on drums.” (NYT-ANDREW R. CHOW)

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

Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
“There will be an ice castle and so much more at Bryant Park’s Winter Carnival
Rooftop igloos are pretty cool, but an ice castle is way cooler (pun intended). And guess what? You can scope out the frozen fortress at Bryant Park Winter Village’s upcoming Winter Carnival on January 27. Better yet, the formally weekend-only festival has been extended!

That’s right. This year’s nine-day, frosty celebration is jam-packed with entertainment including free curling lessons, a silent disco, a cozy sweater pup meet-up, an outdoor winter brew house and more. And, like last year, there’s an “Ice Ball” where folks can don their fanciest attire and waltz (or, er, try to) on the park’s ice-skating rink. For more of the very ~chill~ activities you can do while you’re there. see the Bryant Park Winter Village Guide.” (TONY)

New York Times Travel Show
Javits Center, 655 W34th St. / 10AM-6PM (also Sun.11AM-5PM), $20
“Planning a trip? The New York Times Travel Show brings two days of seminars, performances, special offers, and tips from professionals to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Midtown.” (NYT/Today)

Lunar New Year
Various locations. Jan. 26-31
imgres“There are several ways to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, and most involve lavish displays of fireworks. Red and gold, the traditional shades of good luck, burst over the Hudson River and color the Empire State Building on Jan. 26; in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, on Jan. 28, more than six hundred thousand firecrackers will be set off to ward away evil spirits. The park will also host lion dances (distinct from the more famous dragon dance in its use of just two performers), decorations giveaways, craft venders, and food booths. Organizers suggest that the more dumplings attendees eat, the more money they’ll earn that year, an easy enough proposition. The New York Philharmonic welcomes the Year of the Rooster with a concert and gala at Lincoln Center on Jan. 31.” (NewYorker)

Elsewhere, but you don’t want to miss this annual extravaganza of ideas, worth the detour:

A Night of Philosophy & Ideas
Brooklyn Public Library – Central Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza / 7PM-7AM, FREE
“It’s time again to stay up all night with ideas. Catch a 60-philosopher sleepover at the Brooklyn Central Library as top minds from around the world gather for performance, film, and debate. It runs from 7pm until past sunrise Sunday morning, covering such topics as Can a Robot Feel? and The “Post-Truth” Era: Modern Politics and the Linguistic Turn.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

PLUS 

NYC Restaurant Week reservations now open
From Jan. 23 to Feb. 10, have your pick from 375 participating restaurants, with a three-course prix fixe lunch or dinner; lunches are $29, and dinners are $42, not including beverages, gratuities and taxes, a great deal for some of the city’s most popular spots…

This year there are 32 new restaurants participating, joining the array of restaurants that span 41 neighborhoods and four boroughs.
To see the full list, go to nycgo.com/restaurantweek.

Broadway Week and Attractions Week now open
Day 10 of Broadway Week and Attractions Week, through Feb. 5, where you can receive deals like two-for-one tickets at performances and cultural events around the city.

New York Boat Show (thru Jan.29)
Javits Center, 655 W34th St./ 10AM -9PM SA; 10AM-5PM SU, $16
“If your life, your love and your lady is the sea, then you’ll be more than satisfied by this five-day nautical convention, which features a vast variety of yachts, sailboats and more. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to sharpen your boating skills with interactive workshops, test the waters on land through a boating simulator and more.” (TONY)

===========================================================
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 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):

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

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)

MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM:
‘HANS MEMLING: PORTRAITURE, PIETY AND A REUNITED ALTARPIECE’ (through January 2017)
“When it comes to jewels, there are Taylor-Burton rocks and discreetly cut heirloom stones. With museum shows, it’s the same. This one, at the Morgan Library, is a minute but invaluable gem. Set in a 20-by-20-by-20-foot gallery known as the Cube, it reunites, for the first time in the United States, dispersed sections of an altarpiece by the 15th-century German-born, Flanders-based Memling and adds some of his exquisite portrait paintings. 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, 212-685-0008, themorgan.org.” (Cotter)

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

at the very least you will want to see these two:
‘CELEBRATING THE ARTS OF JAPAN: THE MARY GRIGGS BURKE COLLECTION’ (through May 2017)
“This lavish collection of 160 objects came to the Met from the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation in early 2015. The Burkes loved Japanese art — all of it — and the exhibition is close to compendious in terms of media, from wood-carved Buddhas to bamboo baskets, with a particular strength in painting, early and late. The quality of the work? Japan thinks highly enough of it to have made the Burke holdings the first Japanese collection from abroad ever to show at Tokyo National Museum. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

‘MAX BECKMANN IN NEW YORK’ (through Feb. 20).
“In the last two years of his life, the great German Expressionist Max Beckmann lived in New York. This terrific exhibition gathers paintings that he created during his time here as well as paintings now owned by museums and private collectors in New York, regardless of when they were made. If this sounds like a recipe for mishmash, it’s not: There’s not a single dud among the 39 works in the show. Including portraits, still lifes, cityscapes and several of his most ambitious allegorical visions, it will warm the hearts of Beckmann’s fans and serve as an excellent introduction for those unfamiliar with his vigorously humane art. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org” (Ken Johnson)

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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).
==============================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 01/26 and 01/24.
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