Selected NYC Events (11/18) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 11/18/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

‘CÁNDIDO: THE LAST LEGENDARY MUSIC JOURNEY’
Aaron Davis Hall, City College, W135th St/Convent Ave./ 7:30PM, $25
Cándido Camero is a revered percussionist from Cuba, a cornerstone and exemplar of the Afro-Cuban pulse since the 1940s. He’s also 95, and planning to make his final performance here, in a gala concert celebrating his legacy. Among those paying tribute are the singer Xiomara Laugart and the guitarist and vocalist David Oquendo, both from Cuba; the Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band; (U)nity, led by the Cuban-American drummer Amaury Acosta; and assorted others, like the saxophonist and flutist Mitch Frohman.” (Chinen-NYT)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Ballet Hispánico
Ani Difranco
Andrea Marcovicci: A Gershwin Valentine
NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER
What Is Populism?
bonus:

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Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Ballet Hispánico (also Saturday)
Apollo Theatre, 253 W125th St./ 8PM, $35+
“The company’s annual performances at the Apollo Theatre are party-like occasions: new acquisitions are unveiled in a festive atmosphere, with booze for sale. This year’s première, “Línea Recta,” which tries to give flamenco the partnering it normally lacks, is by the prolific Belgian-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, whose previous pieces for the troupe have ranged from daft to effectively splashy.” (NewYorker)

Ani Difranco (also Saturday)
Concert Hall @ NY Society For Ethical Culture, 2 W64th St./ 8PM, $51+
“Singer-songwriter, activist and feminist icon Ani DiFranco brings “VOTE DAMMIT” tour to NYC this November. Comedian Lizz Winstead, known for her work on “The Daily Show” will open both evenings.

As a singer, songwriter, activist and independent entrepreneur, Ani DiFranco has been setting her own pace—and encouraging countless admirers to do the same—for more than 20 years. But while she has been known as the “Little Folksinger,” her music has grown far beyond her acoustic solo roots in cozy venues to embrace jazz, soul, electronica and even more distant sounds. All of which are featured in DiFranco’s new Righteous Babe release, Allergic To Water, where she also blends abstract imagery and deceptively understated melodies with personal reflections on her life in New Orleans where she is now raising her two children with her partner, producer Mike Napolitano.”

Andrea Marcovicci: A Gershwin Valentine
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM, $55
“The glamorous and insightful Andrea Marcovicci is one of the reigning masters of cabaret, whose singing is less an end unto itself than a delivery system for her deep command of the Great American Songbook. In this set she pays tribute to love songs by George and Ira Gershwin, including “Embraceable You,” “The Man I Love” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” (TONY)

NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER (through Nov. 19)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“One of the world’s great dance companies returns to New York with four previously unseen works. Paul Lightfoot, the artistic director, and his partner Sol León present “Stop-Motion,” an elegant meditation on death, and “Safe as Houses,” which features a large spinning wall. Additional works include “The Statement,” something of a corporate thriller, by the savvy Canadian Crystal Pite; and “Woke Up Blind,” by Marco Goecke, set to the woeful tunes of Jeff Buckley (2:10).” (Schaefer-NYT)

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

What Is Populism?
Columbia University, 116th St. & Broadway / 6PM, FREE
“Populists are on the rise across the globe, but what exactly is populism? Does populism bring government closer to the people or is it a threat to democracy? Who are “the people” anyway and who can speak in their name?

Author and Professor of Politics at Princeton University Jan-Werner Mueller, joins a Columbia University panel to discuss the people and who has the right to speak in their name. (ThoughtGallery.org)

HOT TICKET

Chick Corea 75th Birthday Celebration
“Four decades on from practically founding electric-jazz, Corea continues to innovate with his distinctive blend of fusionista technical flash and subtle introspection. He celebrates his 75th birthday this year with a two-month stay at Blue Note, winding through a number of different combo and duet configurations, with such key players as electric bass wunderkin Victor Wooten, studio drumming icon Steve Gadd and saxophone nobility Ravi Coltrane. In the grand finale (12/8), Corea teams up with groundbreaking guitarist John McLaughlin for what the two call “Return to Forever meets Mahavishnu Orchestra”—a hybrid of the two’s quintessential chops-forward, dizzyingly notey fusion groups.” (TONY)

Chick Corea Duos with Mehldau, Hancock, and Rubalcaba (Nov. 18-20.)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM, +10:30PM, $55 bar; $85 table
late shows are best bet to find a ticket.
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Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues, most 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.

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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 58 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 + 3 Good Eating places

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

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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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3 Good Eating Places

It’s not difficult finding 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:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 St. (Btw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. On a street filled with Broadway theaters, this is a real hole in the wall, but don’t let the dive look scare you away. You can never go wrong with a slice of NYCity pizza, and this one is a classic thin crust. Only a few seats here, but pizza was made to eat standing up.

Shake Shack – 691 8th Ave. (Btw 43rd/44th st)
Danny Meyer has revolutionized the high quality burger in this town. Now he has a branch on the West Side that was desperately needed, with a bit less of the insane lines that you find at the Madison Sq. Park location. Worth the wait.

Xi’an Famous Foods – 24 W45th St. (Btw 5th/6th ave)
Try to avoid long lunch lines. Order lamb hand ripped noodles and warm your insides at one of the tables in the back. You’ll return, just remember that even mild is pretty spicy.
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“3 Good Eating Places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 Premier Pubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Spring 2017).
◊ Order before Mar. 30, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
==============================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station.
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Selected NYC Events (11/17) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 11/17/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Pop-Up Magazine
Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Ave./ 7:30PM, $35
“Pop-Up Magazine is a live magazine, created for a stage, a screen, and a live audience. It’s a night of true stories, films, photography, and radio from some of our favorite writers, performers, and musicians. It’s one night only and not recorded—you have to be there to see it.

The best elements of your favorite magazines come to life onstage, with a mix of music, photography, film and more. This year’s one-night-only performers include This American Life’s Ira Glass and Stephanie Foo, documentarian Jamie Meltzer and MTV’s Jessica Hopper, with live music by Magik*Magik Orchestra.”

“A sensation” – New York Times | “Beautiful” – Los Angeles Times | “Always amazing” – Ira Glass
not Manhattan’s WestSide, but looks so worth the detour. subway: #2 to Beverly Road.

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL
NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER
The Cathedral & The Bazaar: Galileo Deconstructed
Undisclosed Files of the Police
World Philosophy Day at City College of New York
bonus: DOC NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL (through Nov. 20)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“Dorado Schmitt, a French guitarist with the roguish charisma and pencil-thin mustache required of any Gypsy jazz paragon, is the inexorable star of the Django Reinhardt Festival. He’ll be joined by the accordionist Ludovic Beier, the violinist Pierre Blanchard and others — including a parade of guests like the flutist and saxophonist Jorge Continentino (Tuesday), the singer Jazzmeia Horn (Wednesday) and the saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly (Thursday).” (Chinen-NYT)

NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER (through Nov. 19)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“One of the world’s great dance companies returns to New York with four previously unseen works. Paul Lightfoot, the artistic director, and his partner Sol León present “Stop-Motion,” an elegant meditation on death, and “Safe as Houses,” which features a large spinning wall. Additional works include “The Statement,” something of a corporate thriller, by the savvy Canadian Crystal Pite; and “Woke Up Blind,” by Marco Goecke, set to the woeful tunes of Jeff Buckley (2:10).” (Schaefer-NYT)

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

The Cathedral & The Bazaar: Galileo Deconstructed
Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, 18 Bleecker St./ 7PM, $15
“The Galileo Case is one of the most controversial and misunderstood chapters in the annals of the Catholic Church, its echoes resounding through the centuries, down to our present day. Join us for an evening of Galileo “deconstructed,” as a distinguished panel of experts questions longstanding narratives and re-examine the ongoing debate between science and religion, viewed through a completely different lens.”

Undisclosed Files of the Police:
Cases From the Archives of the NYPD, From 1831 to the Present
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
With Philip Messing, a veteran journalist, Bernard Whalen, a lieutenant in the NYPD, and Robert Mladinich, a retired NYPD detective.
“This illustrated lecture provides an insider’s look at more than 80 real-life crimes that shocked the nation, from arson to gangland murders, robberies, serial killers, bombings, and kidnappings.”

World Philosophy Day at City College of New York
City College of New York, Convent Avenue and 138th St./ 12:30PM, +6:30PM, FREE
“Celebrate World Philosophy Day with two intriguing talks at City College. Skye Cleary will be giving the lunchtime program as she looks at “Existential Love for the 21st Century.” Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won’t Go Away, will give the evening keynote address, “Plato, The Greeks, and the Invention of Philosophy.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

And for you Documentary Film fans, here’s a special bonus:

DOC NYC (LAST DAY)
“Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before – encompassing reportage, memoir, history, humor and more. DOC NYC celebrates this cultural phenomenon and encourages its new directions.”

“New York City’s annual DOC NYC festival kicks off this week, including a full-to-bursting slate of some of this year’s most remarkable documentaries. If you’ve been looking to beef up on your documentary consumption, DOC NYC is the perfect chance to check out a wide variety of some of the year’s best fact-based features.
PLUS 13 of our most anticipated films from the fest (indiewire.com)”

“Marking this year’s event with 110 features (roughly 44% of which are directed or co-directed by women, I will add) including 18 world premieres and 19 US premieres and even a small repertory sidebar, this is set to be the biggest and arguably best lineup yet.
PLUS 10 films to see (criterioncast.com)”

“DOC NYC has cemented itself as one of our favorite festivals of the cultural calendar.” – Flavorpill
“DOC NYC has become an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking.” – Wall Street Journal
“An essential event on the cinephile’s calendar.” – Time Out New York

various locations, times & prices – see the DOC NYC website.

===========================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite non jazz music venues, most 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 58 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)

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM:
‘AGNES MARTIN’ (through Jan. 11, 2017)
Agnes Martin was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1912, lived in New York City in the 1950s and ’60s, and spent the rest of her life in New Mexico, where she died in 2004. More than 100 of her paintings and drawings now float up the ramps of the Guggenheim Museum’s rotunda in the most out-of-this-world-beautiful show in this space in years. Her art is about faint colors and subliminal lines; to see it requires sustained looking and some moving around: Stand back, then move up close. By the time you reach the final painting, high up under the museum’s great skylight, you’ve been through a rich life, and had a spirit-lifting, body-lightening lesson in what abstraction can be and can do. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org. (Cotter)

MET BREUER:
‘DIANE ARBUS: IN THE BEGINNING’ (through Nov. 27)
“This show of 100 or so early photographs by Arbus (1923-71), many on view for the first time, has a terrific installation, with work hung on columnlike panels that suggest rows of doors receding into darkness. The pictures themselves, dating between 1956 and 1962, have a grainy, moody texture, and they reveal an Arbus who had already landed on some of her favored themes: childhood, negotiable gender, fringe culture and class. If the show as a whole is more powerful than most of its individual images, there are some wonderful things. And as a forecast of mature work to come — familiar examples are included in a separate gallery — it is utterly magnetic. 945 Madison Avenue, at 75th Street, Manhattan, 212-535-0177, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

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)

‘JERUSALEM 1000–1400: EVERY PEOPLE UNDER HEAVEN’ (through Jan. 8, 2017)
“Three major faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — have called Jerusalem their own, and its varying histories as a sacred space, a theater of conflict and a cosmopolitan cultural emporium are reflected in this exhibition modeled along classic Met epic lines: 200 fascinating objects from 60 international collections, with a time frame in the past and context in the present (in the form of short videos in each gallery). If much of the art is small, the effect is not. We see a city otherworldly and monumental, but also one of appetites, personalities and ethnic tensions as real today as they ever were. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/15 and 11/13.
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This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
=========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/16) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 11/16/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

NEDERLANDS DANS THEATER (through Nov. 19)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“One of the world’s great dance companies returns to New York with four previously unseen works. Paul Lightfoot, the artistic director, and his partner Sol León present “Stop-Motion,” an elegant meditation on death, and “Safe as Houses,” which features a large spinning wall. Additional works include “The Statement,” something of a corporate thriller, by the savvy Canadian Crystal Pite; and “Woke Up Blind,” by Marco Goecke, set to the woeful tunes of Jeff Buckley (2:10).” (Schaefer-NYT)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL
Dorrance Dance
HAROLD MABERN TRIO
Selected Shorts
Loved Her in the Movies: Memories of Hollywood’s Legendary Actresses
bonus:DOC NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL (through Nov. 20)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“Dorado Schmitt, a French guitarist with the roguish charisma and pencil-thin mustache required of any Gypsy jazz paragon, is the inexorable star of the Django Reinhardt Festival. He’ll be joined by the accordionist Ludovic Beier, the violinist Pierre Blanchard and others — including a parade of guests like the flutist and saxophonist Jorge Continentino (Tuesday), the singer Jazzmeia Horn (Wednesday) and the saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly (Thursday).” (Chinen-NYT)

Dorrance Dance (through Nov. 27)
Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave. @ 19th St./ $
“Michelle Dorrance, the MacArthur award-winning tap choreographer, brings her tightly constructed, spirit-lifting 2013 show “The Blues Project” back to the Joyce. Driven by the raucous live music of Toshi Reagon and her band, BIGLovely, Dorrance’s crew of affable, expert hoofers—including the virtuosic co-choreographers Derick K. Grant and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards—entertain greatly while more subtly hinting at the racially mixed roots of tap and the pain within the joy.” (NewYorker)
Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. (no performance on Thanksgiving Day)

HAROLD MABERN TRIO (through Nov. 20)
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave South, at 11th St./830PM, +10:30PM, $30
“The estimable hard-bop pianist Harold Mabern devoted his most recent album, “Afro Blue,” to the support and celebration of jazz singers. Here he pares down to his sharp longtime trio, with John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)

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

Selected Shorts:
The Best of the Harvard Lampoon: 140 Years of American Humor
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway / 7:30PM, $30
“Superb actors read a hilarious assortment of comic fiction from a new collection of hidden gems from the spawning ground for Hollywood’s elite comedy writers and New Yorker humorists. With appearances by Patricia Marx, Paul Simms and more.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Loved Her in the Movies: Memories of Hollywood’s Legendary Actresses |
A Reading and Conversation with Robert Wagner
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, 61 W62nd St./ 7:30PM, FREE, but get there early, no later than 7PM
“Fans of classic Hollywood are in for a treat when actor and best-selling author Robert Wagner reads from his latest memoir, an intimate account of some of the silver screen’s most charismatic actresses. Among Wagner’s subjects are Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Swanson, Raquel Welch, Glenn Close, and the two actresses who he ultimately married: Natalie Wood and Jill St. John. Through behind-the-scenes stories, Wagner reveals the charisma of these women on film, why they became stars, and how their specific emotional and dramatic chemistries affected the choices they made as actresses as well as the choices they made as women.”

And for you Documentary Film fans, here’s a special bonus:

DOC NYC (Nov 10-17)
“Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before – encompassing reportage, memoir, history, humor and more. DOC NYC celebrates this cultural phenomenon and encourages its new directions.”

“New York City’s annual DOC NYC festival kicks off this week, including a full-to-bursting slate of some of this year’s most remarkable documentaries. If you’ve been looking to beef up on your documentary consumption, DOC NYC is the perfect chance to check out a wide variety of some of the year’s best fact-based features.
PLUS 13 of our most anticipated films from the fest (indiewire.com)”

“Marking this year’s event with 110 features (roughly 44% of which are directed or co-directed by women, I will add) including 18 world premieres and 19 US premieres and even a small repertory sidebar, this is set to be the biggest and arguably best lineup yet.
PLUS 10 films to see (criterioncast.com)”

“DOC NYC has cemented itself as one of our favorite festivals of the cultural calendar.” – Flavorpill
“DOC NYC has become an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking.” – Wall Street Journal
“An essential event on the cinephile’s calendar.” – Time Out New York

various locations, times & prices – see the DOC NYC website.

================================================
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 58 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 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 thousand eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Spring 2017).
◊ Order before Mar.31, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
=============================================================
This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
======================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/15) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 11/15/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Dorrance Dance (through Nov. 27)
Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave. @ 19th St./ $
“Michelle Dorrance, the MacArthur award-winning tap choreographer, brings her tightly constructed, spirit-lifting 2013 show “The Blues Project” back to the Joyce. Driven by the raucous live music of Toshi Reagon and her band, BIGLovely, Dorrance’s crew of affable, expert hoofers—including the virtuosic co-choreographers Derick K. Grant and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards—entertain greatly while more subtly hinting at the racially mixed roots of tap and the pain within the joy.” (NewYorker)
Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. (no performance on Thanksgiving Day)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

MCCOY TYNER QUARTET
DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL
HAROLD MABERN TRIO
Election 2016: What Just Happened? With Peter Beinart
Nell Irvin Painter: “Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol”
bonus:DOC NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

MCCOY TYNER QUARTET
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM, +10:30PM, $30-$45
“The rumble of Mr. Tyner’s pianism has quieted a bit over the years, but he’s still a compelling stylist — especially alongside Gary Bartz, the incisive saxophonist and longtime ally who joins him here, in a band with Gerald Cannon on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL (through Nov. 20)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“Dorado Schmitt, a French guitarist with the roguish charisma and pencil-thin mustache required of any Gypsy jazz paragon, is the inexorable star of the Django Reinhardt Festival. He’ll be joined by the accordionist Ludovic Beier, the violinist Pierre Blanchard and others — including a parade of guests like the flutist and saxophonist Jorge Continentino (Tuesday), the singer Jazzmeia Horn (Wednesday) and the saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly (Thursday).” (Chinen-NYT)

HAROLD MABERN TRIO (through Nov. 20)
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave South, at 11th St./830PM, +10:30PM, $30
“The estimable hard-bop pianist Harold Mabern devoted his most recent album, “Afro Blue,” to the support and celebration of jazz singers. Here he pares down to his sharp longtime trio, with John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)

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

Election 2016: What Just Happened? With Peter Beinart
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, 219 W40th St./ 6PM, FREE, RSVP
“In the aftermath of Election 2016, what can we learn from this unprecedented campaign, and what will the new administration bring?

Join us for in-depth perspective from top political journalists: Joy-Ann Reid (national correspondent at MSNBC and host of AM Joy) and S. E. Cupp (CNN contributor and nationally syndicated columnist).

Peter Beinart, CNN commentator and faculty member at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and the CUNY Graduate Center, hosts this series of interactive and provocative discussions.”

Nell Irvin Painter: “Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol”
NYU, Center for the Study of Transformative Lives / 6:30PM, FREE, but RSVP
53 Washington Square South, in the first-floor auditorium
“Born into slavery in New York in 1797, Sojourner Truth became one of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” through her activism. (Nothing relevant here for the next four-eight years, right?) Author, historian, artist, and biographer Nell Painter will speak on Truth at a Center for the Study of Transformative Lives event at NYU.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

And for you Documentary Film fans, here’s a special bonus:

DOC NYC (Nov 10-17)
“Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before – encompassing reportage, memoir, history, humor and more. DOC NYC celebrates this cultural phenomenon and encourages its new directions.”

“New York City’s annual DOC NYC festival kicks off this week, including a full-to-bursting slate of some of this year’s most remarkable documentaries. If you’ve been looking to beef up on your documentary consumption, DOC NYC is the perfect chance to check out a wide variety of some of the year’s best fact-based features.
PLUS 13 of our most anticipated films from the fest (indiewire.com)”

“Marking this year’s event with 110 features (roughly 44% of which are directed or co-directed by women, I will add) including 18 world premieres and 19 US premieres and even a small repertory sidebar, this is set to be the biggest and arguably best lineup yet.
PLUS 10 films to see (criterioncast.com)”

“DOC NYC has cemented itself as one of our favorite festivals of the cultural calendar.” – Flavorpill
“DOC NYC has become an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking.” – Wall Street Journal
“An essential event on the cinephile’s calendar.” – Time Out New York

various locations, times & prices – see the DOC NYC website.

=======================================================
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 58 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
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 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)
“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:
‘CARMEN HERRERA: LINES OF SIGHT’ (through Jan.02, 2017)
“At 101, the artist Carmen Herrera is finally getting the show the art world should have given her half a century ago: a solo exhibition at a major museum in New York, where she has lived and worked since 1954. This compact but ravishing exhibition of about 50 works focuses on the pivotal period of 1948-78 — years in which Ms. Herrera developed her signature geometric abstractions, pared-down paintings of just two colors but seemingly infinite spatial complications. Although it’s not the full retrospective Ms. Herrera deserves, the Whitney’s show presents her as an artist of formidable discipline, consistency and clarity of purpose, and a key player in postwar art history. 99 Gansevoort Street, at Washington Street, 212-570-3600, whitney.org.” (Rosenberg)
‘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 11/13 and 11/11.
=======================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Train and Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
==========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/14) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 11/14/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Ellington, Basie, and Beyond: Big Band Jazz: The Basie/Ellington Schools and Beyond (1960s+)
Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rose Hall/Time Warner Center, 5th Floor/ 6:30PM, $35
imgres-1 “Join us for an interactive and lively introduction to big band jazz lead by musicologist, composer, arranger, and trombonist, John Wriggle. Throughout the term, Wriggle will take you through the history of the big bands formation, play for you the endless diversity of sounds they generated, and introduce you to the innovators and architects of the greatest bands!

While the heyday of big bands ended with the 1940s, many big bands continued or even formed in the 1960s and beyond. Some artists, like Woody Herman, found ways to refresh their big bands’ sounds to the changing times, while other artists like Gil Evans established new big bands with updated musical aesthetics.”

4 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY
Annual Duplex Gala
George W. Bush’s Drama: His Un-popular ElectionSubway Beats: Celebrating New York City Buskers 
“Never Built New York”
bonus:DOC NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Annual Duplex Gala
The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, 61 Christopher St. (at the Corner of 7th Ave.)/ 7:30PM, $15
“For those who like to sample their wares before buying, the Duplex offers a bargain-priced annual buffet of its usual suspects. It’s the best cabaret deal in town this month. Performers include Molly Pope, Natalie Joy Johnson, Brian Nash, Julie Gold, John Bucchino, Jason Kravits, Joel Waggoner and more.”  (TONY)

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

George W. Bush’s Drama: His Un-popular Election
The Cooper Union – The Great Hall, 7 E7th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“This fall The Cooper Union Department of Public Programs offers a free, public ten-session course on the Constitution taught by Prof. Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School on Monday evenings, beginning Sept. 12 and ending Nov. 21.Registration is requested.

The course will be based on Prof. Amar’s latest book, The Constitution Today: Timeless Lessons for the Issues of Our Era (Basic Books; September 13, 2016). In it Prof. Amar, a constitutional scholar, considers the biggest and most bitterly contested debates of the last two decades and provides a passionate handbook for thinking constitutionally about today’s headlines.”

Subway Beats: Celebrating New York City Buskers 
with Kurt Boone, a native New Yorker, freelance writer, and poet.
Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th ave & 40th St. / 6:30PM, FREE
“This illustrated lecture showcases performers who collectively express the soul of the Big Apple while entertaining thousands of commuters and visitors daily.”

LIVE from the NYPL: “Never Built New York”
Daniel Libeskind | Steven Holl | Elizabeth Diller | Sam Lubell
NYPL Main Building, Celeste Bartos Forum/ 7PM, $40
“It’s hard to imagine a New York different from the one we know, but what would the city have been like if the ideas of some of the greatest architectural dreamers had made it beyond the drawing boards and into built form? The new book Never Built New York paints the picture of an alternative New York, with renderings, sketches, models, and stories of proposals for the city that never came to be. Internationally acclaimed architects Daniel Libeskind. Steven Holl, and Elizabeth Diller come together with author Sam Lubell to envision this alternate city.”

And for you Documentary Film fans, here’s a special bonus:

DOC NYC (Nov 10-17)
“Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before – encompassing reportage, memoir, history, humor and more. DOC NYC celebrates this cultural phenomenon and encourages its new directions.”

“New York City’s annual DOC NYC festival kicks off this week, including a full-to-bursting slate of some of this year’s most remarkable documentaries. If you’ve been looking to beef up on your documentary consumption, DOC NYC is the perfect chance to check out a wide variety of some of the year’s best fact-based features.
PLUS 13 of our most anticipated films from the fest (indiewire.com)”

“Marking this year’s event with 110 features (roughly 44% of which are directed or co-directed by women, I will add) including 18 world premieres and 19 US premieres and even a small repertory sidebar, this is set to be the biggest and arguably best lineup yet.
PLUS 10 films to see (criterioncast.com)”

“DOC NYC has cemented itself as one of our favorite festivals of the cultural calendar.” – Flavorpill
“DOC NYC has become an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking.” – Wall Street Journal
“An essential event on the cinephile’s calendar.” – Time Out New York

various locations, times & prices – see the DOC NYC website.

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

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.

==================================================================================
♦ 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 58 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 / 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

==================================================================================
“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.
================================================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.
OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.
Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/13) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 11/13/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Dracula
Concert Hall at Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Blvd. W., Bronx / 6PM, $25+
2016-11-13-dracula-slideshow-1 “Halloween may be over, but it might be worth getting in the scary spirit once again to see the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s performance of Dracula at Lehman Center. A faithful rendition of Bram Stoker’s seminal novel, the ballet is set to a dramatic score by Gustav Mahler and features opulent sets and costumes—plus a good deal of fantastical flare (think flying bats and dancing gargoyles). The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada’s premier ballet company and one of the oldest ballet companies in North America.” (afar.com)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway 
Jarrod Spector: Jukebox Life
Chick Corea 75th Birthday Celebration
Harold Mabern Trio
RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR
bonus:DOC NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway (LAST DAY)
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W46th St./ 7PM, $47+
“Petite powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century) returns to the Great White Way with a concert to celebrate the release of her latest album, The Art of Elegance. Like the new CD, the song list should be dominated by American standards by Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins and others.” (TONY)

Jarrod Spector: Jukebox Life (LAST DAY)
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 9:30PM, $45-$60

jarrodspectornew_1960x1100_acf_cropped-1024x575“After playing high-flying tenor Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys for six years and songwriter Barry Mann in Beautiful for three, jukebox-musical hero Spector heads back to the nightclub stage with an autobiographical set of pop and Broadway favorites.” (TONY)

Chick Corea 75th Birthday Celebration: CHICK’S FLAMENCO HEART
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM, 10:30PM, $85
“Boston-born – Chelsea, MA, to be exact. Full-blooded, Italian-descent. 100% Flamenco Heart. Chick has long had serious passion for Spanish music and culture. His most popular song is, after all … “Spain.” Chick’s Latin/Spanish influences date back to the early ’60s, and his stints in Mongo Santamaria’s and Willie Bobo’s bands. Lighting strikes in the early ’80s with Chick’s collaborations with the greatest flamenco guitarist of all time: Paco de Lucía. Chick relit the flame again in 2014, with his group Touchstone – which consisted of original members of Paco’s band. And now we’re bringing Madrid to NYC for an authentic Flamenco Party – with the top flamenco musicians in the world.”

Harold Mabern Trio (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $30
“You can take the man out of Memphis, but the bluesy refinement and soulful phrasing that the veteran stylist Mabern soaked up from such resident masters as Phineas Newborn, Jr., has cohered to his pianistic DNA. Mabern, a New York fixture for nearly sixty years, will churn up the room with assistance from two trusted associates, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.” (NewYorker)

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

RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR
“Get an early start on your holiday shopping (or your non-holiday shopping) at the Renegade Craft Fair. There will be more than 200 “makers” and “artisans” selling jewelry and accessories, home décor, apothecary and art, as well as a photo booth, and food and drink vendors such as Mama Lam’s, Peaceful Provisions and Farmhouse Chocolates. DJs will provide a soundtrack as you browse.” (STAV ZIV, Newsday)
WHEN | WHERE 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, and Sunday, Nov. 13, at Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St.
INFO Free; renegadecraft.com

And for you Documentary Film fans, here’s a special bonus:

DOC NYC (Nov 10-17)
“Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before – encompassing reportage, memoir, history, humor and more. DOC NYC celebrates this cultural phenomenon and encourages its new directions.”

“New York City’s annual DOC NYC festival kicks off this week, including a full-to-bursting slate of some of this year’s most remarkable documentaries. If you’ve been looking to beef up on your documentary consumption, DOC NYC is the perfect chance to check out a wide variety of some of the year’s best fact-based features.
PLUS 13 of our most anticipated films from the fest (indiewire.com)”

“Marking this year’s event with 110 features (roughly 44% of which are directed or co-directed by women, I will add) including 18 world premieres and 19 US premieres and even a small repertory sidebar, this is set to be the biggest and arguably best lineup yet.
PLUS 10 films to see (criterioncast.com)”

“DOC NYC has cemented itself as one of our favorite festivals of the cultural calendar.” – Flavorpill
“DOC NYC has become an essential summit for all kinds of documentary filmmaking.” – Wall Street Journal
“An essential event on the cinephile’s calendar.” – Time Out New York

various locations, times & prices – see the DOC NYC website.

=====================================================
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 58 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.

One exhibition TimeOutNewYork likes:

 

Elmgreen & Dragset, “Changing Subjects”
FLAG Art Foundation, 545 W25th St, 9th Floor (closes Sat. Dec.17)
“The Scandinavian artist duo present works old and new for this mid-career survey show. Among the offerings are set pieces featuring morose, uncannily realistic figures, like those of a body in a morgue locker and a baby left in a basket under an ATM machine, as well as an enigmatic installation of large glass vessel filled with pastel blues, greens and pinks.”

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 11/11 and 11/09.
======================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
==========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/12) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 11/12/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Seu Jorge
Town Hall, 123 W43rd St./ 8PM, $
imgres “This favela legend opened ears far and wide to the sounds of Brazilian pop, reviving samba in the process. Jorge has shared a musical kinship with David Bowie for more than a decade, since his moving Portuguese covers of Bowie hits graced Wes Anderson’s 2004 movie, “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” in which he played a singing sailor. Those recordings had significant cultural impact, adding newfound depth to Bowie’s catalogue and sparking interest in acoustic Brazilian music in the U.S. As part of its “Masters of Brazilian Music” series, the World Music Institute taps Jorge for a tribute to Bowie.” (NewYorker)

6 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Ellis Marsalis Quintet
Tierney Sutton
Natalia Osipova & Artists
Harold Mabern Trio
In Our Time: A Year of Architecture in a Day
Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival
bonus: SHALL WE TANGO NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Ellis Marsalis Quintet (also Sunday)
Dizzy’s Club, Broadway at 60th St./
“Yes, he’s got talented kids, but Dad’s no slouch, either. The New Orleans-based pianist and educator is a sharp mainstream player, who reminds us that elegance will always have a secure place in jazz. His quintet comes manned with Big Easy talent, including the saxophonist Derek Douget.” (NewYorker)

Tierney Sutton (LAST DAY)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, 11PM, $40
The vocalist took on Joni Mitchell with her 2013 musical mash note “After Blue,” and recently she put a personal spin on the work of Gordon Sumner, with her latest album “The Sting Variations.” “Roxanne” didn’t make the cut, but Sutton did refashion soundtrack-of-a-generation hits like “Message in a Bottle” and “Fields of Gold.” (NewYorker)

Natalia Osipova & Artists
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“Like Wendy Whelan, the Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova is a restless creature, probing the limits of classical ballet. This triple bill of commissioned works is her second independent project to come to New York. Her partner is Sergei Polunin, ballet’s current enfant terrible, who, a few years back, walked away from a career at the Royal Ballet to pursue his dream of becoming a movie star. This program includes works by Arthur Pita, Russell Maliphant, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The most curious may be Pita’s period piece “Run Mary Run,” in which the two dancers play a young couple experiencing love, drugs, and heartbreak, all to the sixties pop of the Shangri-Las.” (NewYorker)

Harold Mabern Trio (through Nov. 13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $30
“You can take the man out of Memphis, but the bluesy refinement and soulful phrasing that the veteran stylist Mabern soaked up from such resident masters as Phineas Newborn, Jr., has cohered to his pianistic DNA. Mabern, a New York fixture for nearly sixty years, will churn up the room with assistance from two trusted associates, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.” (NewYorker)

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

In Our Time: A Year of Architecture in a Day
Metropolitan Museum of Art / 10:30AM-6PM, FREE with museum admission.
“presents the most exciting and critical design projects of 2016 in a daylong convening organized and hosted by the museum. Architects, curators, theorists, photographers, and filmmakers construct a global view of contemporary architectural practice.”

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival
Factory Floor at Industry City / 2:30PM +7:30PM; $69 per three-hour session
“At this autumnal drinking extravaganza, fill up a souvenir wine glass with limitless samples of more than 200 wines from locales both near (Brooklyn Winery) and far (Australia, South Africa). Your ticket is good for three hours of nonstop sipping set to the sounds of a live jazz performance from Elon Trotman. To complement the vino, snack on gratis hors d’oeuvres (cheese, crudités), with more grub for purchase at the new Supper Section stocked with borough eats like subs, sandwiches and pastries.” (TONY)

And for you tango fans, here’s a special bonus:
SHALL WE TANGO NYC
“Unleash your inner dancer for a week and a half of tango events. You can watch concerts featuring an all-female troupe, and other ensembles and professionals, often with live music; participate in seminars open to all levels (and no partner required); and learn about the history and evolution of the tango at an “illustrated history” presentation. Pictured: Gabriel Misse and Carla Espinoza, from Buenos Aires.”
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at various venues including the Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 W. 46th St. INFO Free-$40 (shows), $20-$500 (classes and seminars); shallwetango.com. (STAV ZIV, Newsday)

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

==================================================================================
♦ 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 58 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 in advance at these top NYC events, even if just on day of performance.
NYCity Vacation Travel Guide Video (Expedia):
================================================================================

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que / 700 W125th St. @ 12th ave.

Walk only five minutes from the 125th St. station on the #1 line to find this authentic honky-tonk barbecue joint. Some folks think Dinosaur is just a place to eat ribs. Au contraire. With 24 carefully selected taps, this is a place to drink beer, and eat ribs.

HarlHostStandNo food goes better with American craft ales than American barbecue. Dinosaur may be the best combo of good beer drinking and hearty eating in town, which makes the trip uptown to West Harlem totally worthwhile.

This second incarnation of Dinosaur in Harlem is in a two story, old brick warehouse near the Hudson River. Don’t let that run down exterior fool you. Inside it’s a large space with huge, rough wooden columns and unfinished wooden floors and brick walls – just right for a bbq joint. As soon as you open the front door you are hit with that tantalizing aroma of barbecue coming from the large open kitchen. Reminds me of those great rib joints I frequented when stationed in North Carolina all those years ago. If your stomach wasn’t grumbling before, it is now.

Head to the bar, sit down and try to decide on a beer. It’s not an easy decision – a good problem to have. This is a pretty damn good beer list to choose from, one that most beer bars should be jealous of. I love that they feature NY craft beers. You may want to try the four beer sampler, which is always fun, and in this place may be necessary.

The blues music playing in the background will get you in the mood for their North Carolina style barbecue, and even when it’s a full house your order shouldn’t take too long (assuming you snagged a table). The food is all slow smoked, so it’s already mostly done and ready to go. I always start with an order of their giant, spice rubbed wings, so good they may make you give up Buffalo wings.

Unfortunately, a place this good does not fly under the radar. There can be some long waits for a table at dinnertime. So you need a strategy – avoid prime time, and try not to arrive with your entire posse, which will limit your seating options.

A seat at the bar, a small table in the bar area, or in the summer, an outside table underneath what’s left of the elevated West Side Highway, all may open before a table inside the main dining room. Otherwise, try Dinosaur for lunch, or come very late for dinner, maybe after a show at the nearby Cotton Club nightclub.

Website: http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
Phone #: 212-694-1777
Hours: Mo-Th 11:30am-11:00pm; Fr-Sa 11:30am-12:00am;
Su 12:00pm-10:00pm
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day; $1 off all drinks
Music: Fri / Sat 10:30pm
Subway: #1 to 125th St.
Walk 2 blk W on 125th St. to Dinosaur Bar-B-Q,
just past the elevated highway.
========================================================
“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. 
================================================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.
OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.
Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (11/11) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 11/11/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Katie Rose Clarke
Feinstein’s/54 Below, mm / 9:30PM, $35-$45
katieroseclarke “One of musical theater’s brightest rising stars, Katie Rose Clarke has been seen on Broadway as Wicked’s bubbly Galinda, Allegiance’s lovable Hannah and The Light in the Piazza’s disturbed Clara. (Her excellent performance in the latter was recorded for PBS.) Now she shares some of the songs that shaped her musical sensibility in a benefit concert for Art House Astoria.” (TONY)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Seu Jorge
Natalia Osipova & Artists
Chick Corea 75th Birthday Celebration
Harold Mabern Trio
ONE STEP BEYOND
bonus: SHALL WE TANGO NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Seu Jorge (also Saturday)
Town Hall, 123 W43rd St./ 8PM, $
(better try for tickets to Saturday show – tonight looks sold out)
This favela legend opened ears far and wide to the sounds of Brazilian pop, reviving samba in the process. Jorge has shared a musical kinship with David Bowie for more than a decade, since his moving Portuguese covers of Bowie hits graced Wes Anderson’s 2004 movie, “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” in which he played a singing sailor. Those recordings had significant cultural impact, adding newfound depth to Bowie’s catalogue and sparking interest in acoustic Brazilian music in the U.S. As part of its “Masters of Brazilian Music” series, the World Music Institute taps Jorge for a tribute to Bowie.” (NewYorker)

Natalia Osipova & Artists
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“Like Wendy Whelan, the Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova is a restless creature, probing the limits of classical ballet. This triple bill of commissioned works is her second independent project to come to New York. Her partner is Sergei Polunin, ballet’s current enfant terrible, who, a few years back, walked away from a career at the Royal Ballet to pursue his dream of becoming a movie star. This program includes works by Arthur Pita, Russell Maliphant, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. The most curious may be Pita’s period piece “Run Mary Run,” in which the two dancers play a young couple experiencing love, drugs, and heartbreak, all to the sixties pop of the Shangri-Las.” (NewYorker)

Chick Corea 75th Birthday Celebration
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM, 10:30PM, $85
Four decades on from practically founding electric-jazz, Corea continues to innovate with his distinctive blend of fusionista technical flash and subtle introspection. He celebrates his 75th birthday this year with a two-month stay at Blue Note, winding through a number of different combo and duet configurations, with such key players as electric bass wunderkin Victor Wooten, studio drumming icon Steve Gadd and saxophone nobility Ravi Coltrane. In the grand finale (12/8), Corea teams up with groundbreaking guitarist John McLaughlin for what the two call “Return to Forever meets Mahavishnu Orchestra”—a hybrid of the two’s quintessential chops-forward, dizzyingly notey fusion groups.” (TONY)

Harold Mabern Trio (through Nov. 13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $30
“You can take the man out of Memphis, but the bluesy refinement and soulful phrasing that the veteran stylist Mabern soaked up from such resident masters as Phineas Newborn, Jr., has cohered to his pianistic DNA. Mabern, a New York fixture for nearly sixty years, will churn up the room with assistance from two trusted associates, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.” (NewYorker)

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

ONE STEP BEYOND
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St./ 9PM, $30
“The monthly party returns to the celestial Rose Center for Earth and Space with wine, beer and live D.J. sets. Visitors can also take a break from the dance floor with a trip up the Cosmic Pathway to the Hayden Big Bang Theater — where they can take a virtual tour of the universe with none other than the actor Liam Neeson.” (NYT-AroundTown)

And for you tango fans, here’s a special bonus:
SHALL WE TANGO NYC
“Unleash your inner dancer for a week and a half of tango events. You can watch concerts featuring an all-female troupe, and other ensembles and professionals, often with live music; participate in seminars open to all levels (and no partner required); and learn about the history and evolution of the tango at an “illustrated history” presentation. Pictured: Gabriel Misse and Carla Espinoza, from Buenos Aires.”
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at various venues including the Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 W. 46th St. INFO Free-$40 (shows), $20-$500 (classes and seminars); shallwetango.com. (STAV ZIV, Newsday)

===========================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite music venues, most 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
Bowery Ballroom – 6 Delancey St. boweryballroom.com,
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 58 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)

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM:
‘AGNES MARTIN’ (through Jan. 11, 2017)
Agnes Martin was born in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1912, lived in New York City in the 1950s and ’60s, and spent the rest of her life in New Mexico, where she died in 2004. More than 100 of her paintings and drawings now float up the ramps of the Guggenheim Museum’s rotunda in the most out-of-this-world-beautiful show in this space in years. Her art is about faint colors and subliminal lines; to see it requires sustained looking and some moving around: Stand back, then move up close. By the time you reach the final painting, high up under the museum’s great skylight, you’ve been through a rich life, and had a spirit-lifting, body-lightening lesson in what abstraction can be and can do. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org. (Cotter)

MET BREUER:
‘DIANE ARBUS: IN THE BEGINNING’ (through Nov. 27)
“This show of 100 or so early photographs by Arbus (1923-71), many on view for the first time, has a terrific installation, with work hung on columnlike panels that suggest rows of doors receding into darkness. The pictures themselves, dating between 1956 and 1962, have a grainy, moody texture, and they reveal an Arbus who had already landed on some of her favored themes: childhood, negotiable gender, fringe culture and class. If the show as a whole is more powerful than most of its individual images, there are some wonderful things. And as a forecast of mature work to come — familiar examples are included in a separate gallery — it is utterly magnetic. 945 Madison Avenue, at 75th Street, Manhattan, 212-535-0177, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

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)

‘JERUSALEM 1000–1400: EVERY PEOPLE UNDER HEAVEN’ (through Jan. 8, 2017)
“Three major faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — have called Jerusalem their own, and its varying histories as a sacred space, a theater of conflict and a cosmopolitan cultural emporium are reflected in this exhibition modeled along classic Met epic lines: 200 fascinating objects from 60 international collections, with a time frame in the past and context in the present (in the form of short videos in each gallery). If much of the art is small, the effect is not. We see a city otherworldly and monumental, but also one of appetites, personalities and ethnic tensions as real today as they ever were. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

===========================================================
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 11/09 and 11/07.
=============================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
=========================================================

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Selected NYC Events (11/10) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 11/10/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

LET’S TALK SEX!
Florence Gould Hall, French Institute Alliance Française, 55 E59th St./ 7PM, $25
“The French Institute Alliance Française’ series “The Art of Sex & Seduction” returns with this frank talk moderated by Elisabeth Ladenson, a French literature professor at Columbia University. Panelists include Toni Bentley, the journalist and author of “Surrender: An Erotic Memoir”; Erica Jong, of “Fear of Flying” fame; Daphne Merkin, the novelist and essayist; and Amy Sohn, the columnist and author of the novel “Prospect Park West.” (NYT-AroundTown)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Harold Mabern Trio
Tierney Sutton
Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway
American Maelstrom: The 1968 Election and the Politics of Division
“Baseball’s Most Baffling MVP Ballots”
bonus: SHALL WE TANGO NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Harold Mabern Trio (through Nov. 13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $30
“You can take the man out of Memphis, but the bluesy refinement and soulful phrasing that the veteran stylist Mabern soaked up from such resident masters as Phineas Newborn, Jr., has cohered to his pianistic DNA. Mabern, a New York fixture for nearly sixty years, will churn up the room with assistance from two trusted associates, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.” (NewYorker)

Tierney Sutton (Nov. 8-12)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, 11PM, $40
The vocalist took on Joni Mitchell with her 2013 musical mash note “After Blue,” and recently she put a personal spin on the work of Gordon Sumner, with her latest album “The Sting Variations.” “Roxanne” didn’t make the cut, but Sutton did refashion soundtrack-of-a-generation hits like “Message in a Bottle” and “Fields of Gold.” (NewYorker)

Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W46th St./ 8PM, $47+
“Petite powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century) returns to the Great White Way with a concert to celebrate the release of her latest album, The Art of Elegance. Like the new CD, the song list should be dominated by American standards by Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins and others.” (TONY)

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

American Maelstrom: The 1968 Election and the Politics of Division
with Michael A. Cohen, national political columnist, Boston Globe.
Mid-Manhattan Library / 6:30 PM, FREE
This lecture captures the full drama of a watershed election, establishing 1968 as the hinge between the decline of political liberalism, the ascendancy of conservative populism, and the rise of anti-government attitudes that continue to dominate the nation’s political discourse

“Baseball’s Most Baffling MVP Ballots” with Jeremy Lehrman
Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, 67 E11th St./ 7PM, FREE
“Snubs. Grudges. Conspiracies. Incompetence.
All in a day’s work for some of those who vote on Baseball’s Most Valuable Player Award.

From its colorful and scandalous beginnings more than a century ago, the MVP has evolved into the most prestigious — and contentious — individual honor in the sport. No award means more to the players, the media, or the fans — and no other award can claim a voting history so rich in controversy.

“Baseball’s Most Baffling MVP Ballots” looks at the past, present and future of the MVP Award through the most controversial ballots of all time. Which of the so-called “worst MVPs” can hold up to contemporary statistical analysis? Who cast the single worst vote in MVP history? Does racial bias influence the MVP vote? Who really deserved the award in a given year?”

And for you tango fans, here’s a special bonus:
SHALL WE TANGO NYC
“Unleash your inner dancer for a week and a half of tango events. You can watch concerts featuring an all-female troupe, and other ensembles and professionals, often with live music; participate in seminars open to all levels (and no partner required); and learn about the history and evolution of the tango at an “illustrated history” presentation. Pictured: Gabriel Misse and Carla Espinoza, from Buenos Aires.”
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at various venues including the Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 W. 46th St. INFO Free-$40 (shows), $20-$500 (classes and seminars); shallwetango.com. (STAV ZIV, Newsday)

================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite 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
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 58 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 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 thousand eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Spring 2017).
◊ Order before Mar.31, 2017 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
=============================================================
This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
======================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Selected NYC Events (11/09) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 11/09/2016 by GregD

“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: “Annual NYC Events / Nov.”

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

Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 205 W46th St./ 8PM, $47+
“Petite powerhouse Kristin Chenoweth (On the Twentieth Century) returns to the Great White Way with a concert to celebrate the release of her latest album, The Art of Elegance. Like the new CD, the song list should be dominated by American standards by Rodgers & Hart, the Gershwins and others.” (TONY)

5 OTHER TOP NYC EVENTS TODAY

Harold Mabern Trio
Tierney Sutton
The Women Who Made New York
REINER STACH AND SHELLEY FRISCH
Alexander Garvin & Paul Goldberger: The Dynamic City
bonus: SHALL WE TANGO NYC

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

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Harold Mabern Trio (through Nov. 13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, +10:30PM, $30
“You can take the man out of Memphis, but the bluesy refinement and soulful phrasing that the veteran stylist Mabern soaked up from such resident masters as Phineas Newborn, Jr., has cohered to his pianistic DNA. Mabern, a New York fixture for nearly sixty years, will churn up the room with assistance from two trusted associates, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.” (NewYorker)

Tierney Sutton (Nov. 8-12)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, 11PM, $40
The vocalist took on Joni Mitchell with her 2013 musical mash note “After Blue,” and recently she put a personal spin on the work of Gordon Sumner, with her latest album “The Sting Variations.” “Roxanne” didn’t make the cut, but Sutton did refashion soundtrack-of-a-generation hits like “Message in a Bottle” and “Fields of Gold.” (NewYorker)

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

The Women Who Made New York
Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the presidency of the United States offers an excellent opportunity to celebrate the women politicians who helped pave the way. Join Julie Scelfo, author of The Women Who Made New York, as she discusses three political trailblazers: Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman in the US Congress, Bella Abzug, the second Jewish woman elected to Congress, and Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman from a major party to run for vice president. Liz Abzug, Bella’s daughter, and Donna Zaccaro, Geraldine’s daughter, join the conversation.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

REINER STACH AND SHELLEY FRISCH
Graduate Center, Elebash Theater, City University of New York, 365 Fifth Avenue, at 34th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
In this event (hosted by the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the Graduate Center, CUNY), the German author Reiner Stach discusses his latest book: the third and final volume of his intimate biography of Franz Kafka’s life, “Kafka: The Early Years.” (The earlier volumes, “Kafka: The Decisive Years” and “Kafka: The Years of Insight,” are not necessarily in chronological order.) He will be joined in conversation by Ms. Frisch, his translator whose work on these books have won multiple awards.” (NYT-AroundTown)

Alexander Garvin & Paul Goldberger: The Dynamic City
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 7PM, $29
“Urban planner Alexander Garvin and architecture critic Paul Goldberger get together to look at the interplay between public space and private citizen, as they examine great urban centers and their ability to both challenge and inspire.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

And for you tango fans, here’s a special bonus:
SHALL WE TANGO NYC
“Unleash your inner dancer for a week and a half of tango events. You can watch concerts featuring an all-female troupe, and other ensembles and professionals, often with live music; participate in seminars open to all levels (and no partner required); and learn about the history and evolution of the tango at an “illustrated history” presentation. Pictured: Gabriel Misse and Carla Espinoza, from Buenos Aires.”
WHEN | WHERE Thursday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at various venues including the Dardo Galletto Studios, 151 W. 46th St. INFO Free-$40 (shows), $20-$500 (classes and seminars); shallwetango.com. (STAV ZIV, Newsday)

=======================================================
Bonus NYC Events – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are my favorite 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
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd St., bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 58 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
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 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)
“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:
‘CARMEN HERRERA: LINES OF SIGHT’ (through Jan.02, 2017)
“At 101, the artist Carmen Herrera is finally getting the show the art world should have given her half a century ago: a solo exhibition at a major museum in New York, where she has lived and worked since 1954. This compact but ravishing exhibition of about 50 works focuses on the pivotal period of 1948-78 — years in which Ms. Herrera developed her signature geometric abstractions, pared-down paintings of just two colors but seemingly infinite spatial complications. Although it’s not the full retrospective Ms. Herrera deserves, the Whitney’s show presents her as an artist of formidable discipline, consistency and clarity of purpose, and a key player in postwar art history. 99 Gansevoort Street, at Washington Street, 212-570-3600, whitney.org.” (Rosenberg)
‘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 11/07 and 11/05.
=======================================================

This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Train and Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
==========================================================

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