Selected NYC Events (10/29) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 10/29/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Red Hot Chicago: King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, and Beyond
Dizzy’s Club, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St.&Broadway / 7:30PM, $
Presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York Hot Jazz Festival
“It’s hot jazz weekend at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola! For the second night of performances co-presented with the New York Hot Jazz Festival, we welcome a true modern staple of the genre: Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks. In addition to their constant schedule of live performances, The Nighthawks recently won a Grammy Award for bringing the 1920s to life in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. The first set tonight explores formative jazz icons like King Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton, giving audiences an intimate look at some of the most important and eternally enjoyable early jazz music.

This set is part of Hot Jazz Age: From the First Jazz Recording to the Dawn of Swing (1917-1934), presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York Hot Jazz Festival, October 28-30.”

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

THE B-52S
Webster Hall, 125 E11th St./ 8PM, $50-$65
“Love Shack” and “Rock Lobster” are about to get the spook treatment as the ’80s rockers perform their hits in some creepy attire for this special “Halloween Scream” show. The concert also marks the first time The B-52s have played at Webster Hall since 1983, when the venue was called The Ritz.” (Newsday)

Kelli O’Hara
Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Ave./ 8PM, $18.50-$96
“Broadway’s golden-voiced O’Hara has made a graceful transition from dramatic ingenue (The Light in the Piazza) to top-tier leading lady (The King & I), earning six Tony nomination and one win along the way. Now, the exquisitely poised performer makes her solo Carnegie Hall debut, backed by Dan Lipton at the piano.” (TONY)

AMERICAN BALLET THEATER (through Sunday)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ at various times, $
“Ballet Theater’s fall season concludes with three more performances of Jessica Lang’s newly commissioned work “Her Notes” to the music of Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix’s talented but stifled sister, paired with Frederick Ashton’s delicate “Monotones I and II” and George Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son” (Friday and Saturday afternoon). On Saturday evening, Balanchine is swapped for Benjamin Millepied’s Greek-inspired “Daphnis and Chloe” which is then subsequently joined on Sunday by Ashton’s intimate midcentury study in pure classicism, “Symphonic Variations.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

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

New York Television Festival (LAST DAY)
Times, locations and prices vary.
“Each fall, all of the Festival’s individual development initiatives culminate at the annual New York Television Festival in Manhattan. The week-long celebration features screenings of the best independently-produced content, panels and talkbacks with industry leaders and creative luminaries, and red-carpet premieres with the stars and creatives behind the seasons’ most anticipated new network and cable shows.”

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
TODAY’S events include:
South Street Seaport Museum / 3PM
Hidden History of the South Street Seaport’s Architecture
“Several buildings in the Seaport District are considered to be some the oldest standing structures in Manhattan. From rat pits to a warehouse built by one of the most famous American architects of the 19th century, the buildings of the Seaport have a big story to tell. This is the story of the rise of New York. Take a walk with us and discover the origins of New York’s greatness. Registration required.”

“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the final options is the Battery’s redesign by Quennell Rothschild & Partners (Sunday at noon). Other highlights include “Pumpkitecture!,” an architecture-minded pumpkin-carving competition that welcomes puns like “Marcel Booeuer” (6 p.m. on Friday, at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.“ (NYT-AroundTown)

. More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (Newsday)

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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.
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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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

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

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

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

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

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“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.
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NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24 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 Winter 2016).
◊ Order before Nov. 30, 2016 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
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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.
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Selected NYC Events (10/28) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 10/28/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

The Jazz Age: Untamed Elegance
JALC Orchestra
Rose Theatre, 60th St. at Broadway/ 8PM, $22.50+
“The so-called Jazz Age of the nineteen-twenties and early thirties—predating the iconic Swing Era—saw the untrammelled music of New Orleans co-existing with the straightened sounds of popular dance bands, a confluence that will be examined by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, under the direction, for this event, of the clarinettist Victor Goines. In addition to emblematic work by Armstrong, Ellington, and Gershwin, the evening will also feature an idiomatically inspired Goines opus, “Untamed Elegance.” (NewYorker)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

STEELY DAN (also Oct.29)
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $60+
“During their most prolific period, in the 1970s, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the founders of Steely Dan, shunned performing live to focus on making records. But in recent years, the duo’s studio output has slowed and they have embraced live shows instead. For this week’s run of performances at the Beacon Theater, part of an October residency, Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen — backed by some of the best session players around — will give full-album performances of “Gaucho” (1980), on Saturday, and “Aja” (1977), on Wednesday. On Tuesday, they will perform a set of greatest hits, with a guest appearance by Rickie Lee Jones.” (O’Donnell – NYT)

AMERICAN BALLET THEATER (through Sunday)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ at various times, $
“Ballet Theater’s fall season concludes with three more performances of Jessica Lang’s newly commissioned work “Her Notes” to the music of Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix’s talented but stifled sister, paired with Frederick Ashton’s delicate “Monotones I and II” and George Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son” (Friday and Saturday afternoon). On Saturday evening, Balanchine is swapped for Benjamin Millepied’s Greek-inspired “Daphnis and Chloe” which is then subsequently joined on Sunday by Ashton’s intimate midcentury study in pure classicism, “Symphonic Variations.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

CHICK COREA AT THE BLUE NOTE (through Sunday)
Blue Note, 131 W 3rd St./ 8PM, +10:30PM, $
“Mr. Corea recently turned 75, and decided to celebrate with a big gesture: an eight-week club engagement, with a highlight reel of bands. This weekend he closes out a stretch with For Miles, an all-star, multi-era tribute to Miles Davis.
Next Wednesday and Thursday he revisits the music from his 1981 album “Three Quartets,” leading a band with Ben Solomon on saxophones, Eddie Gomez on bass and Steve Gadd on drums.
For a full schedule, visit bluenote.net.” (Chinen-NYT)

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

Halloween Extravaganza and Procession of the Ghouls
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine/ 7PM, +10PM; $25
“Take in a screening of the German expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, accompanied by creepy tunes played on the cathedral’s great organ. But the nightmare’s not over once the credits roll—the movie will be followed by Ralph Lee and the Mettawee River Theatre Company’s annual procession of the ghouls, in which demons and witches infiltrate the church in a ghostly parade down the aisles.” (TONY)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
TODAY’S events include:
AIANY/Classic Harbor Line / 10AM, +1:45PM, $
Around Manhattan Architecture Boat Tour
“The “Around Manhattan” tour narration, provided by members of the American Institute of Architects’ NYC chapter, is general enough for visitors yet detailed enough for the locals. On this 2.75-hour cruise, you will circumnavigate the island of Manhattan (passing under all 18 bridges) while taking in monuments, architecture, parks and infrastructure.”

“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the final options is the Battery’s redesign by Quennell Rothschild & Partners (Sunday at noon). Other highlights include “Pumpkitecture!,” an architecture-minded pumpkin-carving competition that welcomes puns like “Marcel Booeuer” (6 p.m. on Friday, at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.“ (NYT-AroundTown)

. More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (Newsday)

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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.

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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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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)

 Whitney Museum of American Art:

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

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 10/26 and 10/24.
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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 Train and Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
==========================================================

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

Selected NYC Events (10/27) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 10/27/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

KURT ELLING (through Oct. 29)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“Mr. Elling is a jazz vocalist with range — a shape-shifter equally capable of Mark Murphy-esque insouciance, Jon Hendricks-like ingenuity and even the expressive restraint of Frank Sinatra in his concept-album years. This engagement will partly serve as a preview taste of his first holiday album, “The Beautiful Day,” due out this month.” (Chinen-NYT)

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

Louis Armstrong: Good Evening Everybody
Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rose Hall/Time Warner Center, 5th Floor/ 6:30PM, $35
“Join us for an interactive and lively discussion on the life and legacy of Louis “Pops” Armstrong lead by Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections at the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Riccardi, Armstrong biographer, all-around “Pops” scholar, and master storyteller, will take you into the wonderful world of this American icon.

Armstrong continues having hit records like “Hello, Dolly” and “What a Wonderful World,” while battling failing health, fading chops and the abandonment of much of his African-American audience. Through all of his ailments, he heroically continues to perform until his death at home in 1971.”

Two Years, Eight Months, And Twenty-Eight Nights
A Conversation with Salman Rushdie and Maaza Mengiste
ALBERTINE, 972 FIFTH AVE./ In English. 7PM, FREE.
“Join internationally acclaimed author Salman Rushdie and novelist Maaza Mengiste as they discuss Rushdie’s last novel Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, just out in France with Actes Sud.

From Salman Rushdie, one of the great writers of our time, comes a spellbinding work of fiction that blends history, mythology, and a timeless love story. A lush, richly layered novel in which our world has been plunged into an age of unreason, Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights is a breathtaking achievement and an enduring testament to the power of storytelling. Join us for a conversation between Rushdie and author Maaza Mengiste on this new novel.”

Dangerous Work: An Evening with Toni Morrison
The New School, 66 W12th St./ 7PM, $40
“A tribute to Toni Morrison, as she joins PEN America and The New School to receive the 2016 PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction.

With performances by actress Adepero Oduye, actor Delroy Lindo, jazz pianist Jason Moran, mezzo-sporano Alicia Hall Moran, and Master of Ceremonies Kevin Young, Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
TODAY’S events include:
The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, The Cooper Union / 6:30PM
Alternativas / Alternatives Exhibition Opening
The Thirteenth Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (XIII BEAU), entitled Alternativas / Alternatives, features 22 jury selected projects completed between January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015 by contemporary Spanish architects. The exhibition, which also includes an additional 20 shortlisted works, features large-scale image displays and audiovisual commentary about the winning projects, as well as drawing reproductions and architectural models.

“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the final options is the Battery’s redesign by Quennell Rothschild & Partners (Sunday at noon). Other highlights include “Pumpkitecture!,” an architecture-minded pumpkin-carving competition that welcomes puns like “Marcel Booeuer” (6 p.m. on Friday, at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.“ (NYT-AroundTown)

. More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (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 (10/26) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 10/26/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

STEELY DAN (also Oct.28,29))
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $60+
“During their most prolific period, in the 1970s, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the founders of Steely Dan, shunned performing live to focus on making records. But in recent years, the duo’s studio output has slowed and they have embraced live shows instead. For this week’s run of performances at the Beacon Theater, part of an October residency, Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen — backed by some of the best session players around — will give full-album performances of “Gaucho” (1980), on Saturday, and “Aja” (1977), on Wednesday. On Tuesday, they will perform a set of greatest hits, with a guest appearance by Rickie Lee Jones.” (O’Donnell – NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

KURT ELLING (through Oct. 29)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“Mr. Elling is a jazz vocalist with range — a shape-shifter equally capable of Mark Murphy-esque insouciance, Jon Hendricks-like ingenuity and even the expressive restraint of Frank Sinatra in his concept-album years. This engagement will partly serve as a preview taste of his first holiday album, “The Beautiful Day,” due out this month.” (Chinen-NYT)

Michael Friedman: Election Songs
The Greene Space, 44 Charlton St./ 7PM, $25
“The resident songwriter of the Civilians, and the composer of musicals including Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Fortress of Solitude, Freidman has one of musical theater’s sharpest minds. In a series of concerts leading up to the election—culminating in an election-night “hootenanny” at Joe’s Pub—he slices into politics with a song cycle based on interviews he has conducted across the country throughout the blistering 2016 campaign.” (TONY)

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

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSE’
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St./ 7PM, $
“Once upon a time at Princeton University, the astrophysicists Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught a popular astronomy course that doubled as a broad tour of the cosmos. The class inspired the book “Welcome to the Universe,” recently published by Princeton University Press. To celebrate, the authors are getting together to discuss astronomy and what fascinates them: planets, black holes and even time travel.” (NYT-AroundTown)

New York Television Festival (Oct.24-29)
Times, locations and prices vary.
“Each fall, all of the Festival’s individual development initiatives culminate at the annual New York Television Festival in Manhattan. The week-long celebration features screenings of the best independently-produced content, panels and talkbacks with industry leaders and creative luminaries, and red-carpet premieres with the stars and creatives behind the seasons’ most anticipated new network and cable shows.”

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)

TODAY’S events include: Rubin Museum of Art / 6PM
Monumental Lhasa Tour
“Discover Lhasa’s unique monuments and the stories behind them in a special tour of “Monumental Lhasa” with exhibition curator Natasha Kimmet. This tour will highlight the myriad forces that shaped the Tibetan capital’s historical architectural landscape.”

“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

HOT TKT – OCT.27
PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (Newsday)

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

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 the NYT likes:
v

One exhibition TimeOutNewYork likes:
b

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 10/24 and 10/22.
======================================================

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 (10/25) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 10/25/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

THE MAKING OF THE PRESIDENTS
Greenberg Lounge, N.Y.U. School of Law, 40 Washington Square South/ 6:30PM, FREE
“Biographers of recent American presidents gather for this talk about the current election season and the state of political commentary. The speakers include David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker and author of “The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama”; Jacob Weisberg, author of “Ronald Reagan”; David Maraniss, author of “First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton”; and Jonathan Alter, an NBC News journalist who is currently at work on a biography of Jimmy Carter. Lesley Stahl, a correspondent for CBS’s “60 Minutes,” will moderate.“ (NYT-AroundTown)

Music, Dance, Performing Art

STEELY DAN (also Wednesday)
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $60+
“During their most prolific period, in the 1970s, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the founders of Steely Dan, shunned performing live to focus on making records. But in recent years, the duo’s studio output has slowed and they have embraced live shows instead. For this week’s run of performances at the Beacon Theater, part of an October residency, Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen — backed by some of the best session players around — will give full-album performances of “Gaucho” (1980), on Saturday, and “Aja” (1977), on Wednesday. On Tuesday, they will perform a set of greatest hits, with a guest appearance by Rickie Lee Jones.” (O’Donnell – NYT)

Gay Marshall: Gay’s Paree
Pangea, 178 2nd Ave./ 7PM, $20 (this looks worth the detour.)
“An American who has spent much of her life in Paris, the bohemian-styled Marshall applies her big, emotional, stubbornly resilient voice to chansons by Charles Aznavour, Boris Vian, Francis Lemarque, Dave Frishberg, Jacques Brel and her spirit sparrow, Edith Piaf.” (TONY)

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

ABBI JACOBSON
Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway/
$32 includes a copy of “Carry This Book”; 7:30PM
On “Broad City,” the comedy series Ms. Jacobson created and stars in with Ilana Glazer, she plays a fictional version of herself. But like her television alter ego, Ms. Jacobson is a visual artist. In this talk, she shares “Carry This Book,” her collection of illustrations of everyday objects we carry with us. Oprah’s favorite purse makes an appearance, as does Donald Trump’s weekend bag. (Spoiler: It contains a lot of self-tanning lotion.) Ms. Jacobson will be joined by Lena Dunham, the creator of “Girls” and author of “Not That Kind of Girl.” (NYT-AroundTown)

New York Television Festival (Oct.24-29)
Times, locations and prices vary.
“Each fall, all of the Festival’s individual development initiatives culminate at the annual New York Television Festival in Manhattan. The week-long celebration features screenings of the best independently-produced content, panels and talkbacks with industry leaders and creative luminaries, and red-carpet premieres with the stars and creatives behind the seasons’ most anticipated new network and cable shows.”

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: CNU NYC / 7PM
Streets for People
Macaulay Honors College CUNY, 35 West 67th Street
“We’ve all grown up in the age of the automobile. For Archtober 2016, CNU NYC Chair John Massengale, co-author of Street Design, The Secret to Great Cities and Towns, will lead a discussion on how to make New York City streets better for pedestrians and cyclists. Not just safer, but actually places where we want to get out of our cars and enjoy city life.”

HOT TKT – OCT.27
PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (Newsday)

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

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):

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

A PremierPub / West Village

Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.

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

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

The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro celebrated it’s 50th anniversary last year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.

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

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

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

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

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 (10/24) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 10/24/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

New York Television Festival (Oct.24-29)
Times, locations and prices vary.
“Each fall, all of the Festival’s individual development initiatives culminate at the annual New York Television Festival in Manhattan. The week-long celebration features screenings of the best independently-produced content, panels and talkbacks with industry leaders and creative luminaries, and red-carpet premieres with the stars and creatives behind the seasons’ most anticipated new network and cable shows.”

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Lincoln Center, Broadway and 64th St./ 8PM, $25+
“International Chopin Competition first-prize winner Seong-Jin Cho joins the Warsaw Philharmonic for Chopin’s romantic First Piano Concerto. “Unequivocally brilliant,” raves The Telegraph of London.

Also Music Director Jacek Kaspszyk conducts Brahms’ “Tragic Overture” and the New York premiere of Mieczysław Weinberg’s Fourth Symphony. A legendary orchestra on its 115th anniversary. With a brilliant young Chopin Competition winner in his New York concerto debut.”

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

When Paris Sizzled: The 1920s Paris of Hemingway, Chanel, Cocteau, Cole Porter, Josephine Baker, and Their Friends
Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th Ave & 40th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
with Mary McAuliffe, author of “Dawn of the Belle Epoque,” “Twilight of the Belle Epoque,” “Clash of Crowns,” and “Paris Discovered.”
“This lecture portrays the City of Light during the fabulous 1920s, les Annees folles, when Parisians emerged from the horrors of war to find that a new world greeted them one that reverberated with the hard metallic clang of the assembly line, the roar of automobiles, and the beat of jazz. It traces a decade that saw seismic change on almost every front, from art and architecture to music, literature, fashion, entertainment, transportation, and, most notably, behavior.”

Public Lecture Series with Jason Kendall
The Explorers Club, 6 E. 70th St./ 7PM, $25
“The Hubble Space Telescope may have pulled off its neatest trick: discovering a galaxy that dates back to just 400 million years after the beginning of time. Before the next-generation space telescope comes on line, learn more about the expansion of the universe and how it’s measured, including how to perceive “the stretching of the fabric of space and time itself over the entire cosmos.” (ThoughtGallery..org)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: National September 11 Memorial & Museum / 12PM
The Stories They Tell: Trees of Steel
“Every Monday in October, 9/11 Memorial staff will present a short talk about the architectural history of the World Trade Center site as exemplified by the tridents, iconic forked beams that withstood the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11. These talks will take place in the Museum Auditorium and are free with Museum admission.”

OPERA IN POP CULTURE
Opera Learning Center, Rose Building at Lincoln Center, 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue/ 5:30PM, $22
“With its history of four centuries, the operatic art form has found its way into many aspects of pop culture. From TV commercials to bestselling books to heavy metal music, opera and its themes are part of our lives in ways we may not always realize. Join William Berger as he explores these familiar and unexpected connections.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

A three-part series of talks hosted by the Metropolitan Opera Guild and led by William Berger, the author and co-host of the Met’s radio broadcasts. It began with Opera and Literature, and Opera in Pop Music; finishes tonight with Opera in Film.

HOT TKT – OCT.27
PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (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)
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)
“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 10/22 and 10/20.
=============================================================

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 (10/23) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 10/23/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

AMERICAN BALLET THEATER (through Oct. 30)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ at various times, $
“Ballet Theater’s fall season continues with the premiere of “Her Notes,” by the choreographer Jessica Lang, to the music of Fanny Mendelssohn, Felix’s talented but stifled sister. The coming week offers more performances of Alexei Ratmansky’s handsome portrait of male camaraderie, “Serenade After Plato’s Symposium”; Frederick Ashton’s intimate midcentury study in pure classicism, “Symphonic Variations,” and his delicate “Monotones I and II”; Twyla Tharp’s large-scale “The Brahms-Haydn Variations”; Benjamin Millepied’s Greek-inspired “Daphnis and Chloe”; and George Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Polly Ferman’s GlamourTango
(Le) Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St./ 7PM, $25
“Uruguayan pianist Polly Ferman presents her sumptuous GlamourTango, a multi-media music and dance show with an all-female cast; a tribute to the women of early Tango. The stylish production features dancers, musicians, and vocalist – most of the cast is from Argentina and Uruguay – in a stylish presentation of tangos by Piazzolla, Salgan, and many more, from South America’s Rio de la Plata region.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

TOM HARRELL (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM +10:30PM, $30
“Drawing from the Miles Davis rule book, the trumpeter Harrell pairs himself with a saxophonist who will both inspire and challenge him: the inventive tenor stylist Mark Turner. A lean quartet bolstered by Ugonna Okegwo’s bass and Adam Cruz’s drums offers plenty of open terrain for creative jostling.” (NewYorker)

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

America at the Polls: Election Countdown
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 5PM, $32
“For more than 15 years, 92Y audiences have relished the clarity and thoughtfulness Professor Ralph Buultjens brings to discussions of foreign affairs.

Drawing on his vast knowledge and understanding of how conflicts in one part of the world affect peace in another, Buultjens offers insight you can’t find anywhere else. In this timely discussion, Buultjens explores several pressing questions about the upcoming presidential election: Is the old order of American politics collapsing? Is this reform by another name? If this is the first President in a new political era, what does it tell us about America today? How will the outcome of the election affect America’s position in the world?” (ThoughtGallery.org)

NYC Food Film Festival (LAST DAY)
AMC Empire 25, 234 W42nd St../ 7PM, $75–$95
“Feast your eyes—and belly—at this tenth annual fest showcasing more than 20 gastro-minded flicks and serving up those same dishes seen on screen. Opening night revisits the best films from the fest’s ten years and offers treats from Amanda Cohen’s Dirt Candy, The Brooklyn Star, Max & Mina’s Ice Cream and more. Fri 21 explores the flavors of Louisiana with films like How the Taste of Louisiana was Born and eats including Louisiana black pot gumbo and boucherie; the Food Porn Party commences on Sat 22, featuring an after party with food-burlesque performances; Sun 23 touches down in Japan, welcoming Brooklyn’s own Ramen Master, Chef Keizo Shimamoto, and takoyaki authority Chef Karl Palma. One thing’s for sure, this will be the tastiest film fest you’ve ever attended.” (TONY)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: South Street Seaport Museum / 3PM
Typography and Job Printing in the 19th century Seaport
“Most printers in early 19th century New York were located where the action was: near the city’s main port of entry at South Street. Walk with us to discover where passenger and shipping services printed their tickets, timetables, and posters, and learn about the typography of the remaining signage on these historic buildings. Registration required.”

PLUS for your SWEET TOOTH:
Artisanal Sweet Treats Bazaar
Grand Bazaar NYC, 100 W77th St./ 10AM, FREE admission
“With Halloween just around the corner, it’s pretty hard not to think about all the delicious candy (walking into Duane Reade has never been more dangerous). So consider Grand Bazaar’s artisanal treats market the grown-up version of trick or treat—no costumes required. Devour sweets from 25 vendors including mouthwatering macarons, cupcakes and pies from spots such as HunnyBon, Lagusta’s Luscious, Harlem Chocolate Factory and more. Hell, we’re getting a toothache just thinking about it.” (TONY)

HOT TKT – OCT.27
PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

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

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 Winter 2016).
◊ Order before Nov. 30, 2016 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 (10/22) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 10/22/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

STEELY DAN (also Tuesday and Wednesday)
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $60+
“During their most prolific period, in the 1970s, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the founders of Steely Dan, shunned performing live to focus on making records. But in recent years, the duo’s studio output has slowed and they have embraced live shows instead. For this week’s run of performances at the Beacon Theater, part of an October residency, Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen — backed by some of the best session players around — will give full-album performances of “Gaucho” (1980), on Saturday, and “Aja” (1977), on Wednesday. On Tuesday, they will perform a set of greatest hits, with a guest appearance by Rickie Lee Jones.” (O’Donnell – NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

JIMMY HEATH
Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St./ 7PM, +9:30PM, $65-$85
“Never a star, yet long an honored lodestar to his fellow-musicians, Heath has attained reverential stature in the jazz community as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator. This diminutive polymath will celebrate his ninetieth birthday in the company of a big band and prized collaborators including Jon Faddis, Stanley Cowell, and his brother, the drummer Albert (Tootie) Heath.” (NewYorker)

JANE MONHEIT (Oct. 18-22.)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
On her latest album, “The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald,” the jazz vocalist Monheit gets to pay homage to a major influence while having her pick of choice material from the likes of Rodgers and Hart, Arlen, and Porter—a win-win situation. While the album benefits from the work of the guest trumpeter Nicholas Payton, here this congenial stylist will be flanked by her supportive trio.” (NewYorker)

THE APOLLO CELEBRATES ELLA
Apollo Theater, 253 W125th St./ 8PM, $45+
“OK, this centennial celebration of Ella Fitzgerald seems a bit premature (she would have turned 100 on April 25), but the Apollo is getting the party started early. Jazz and R&B vocalists including Patti Austin, Andra Day and Lizz Wright will perform classics made famous by the First Lady of Song, from “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” to “Satin Doll.” (Newsday)

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

NYC Food Film Festival (Oct.20-23)
AMC Empire 25, 234 W42nd St../ 7PM, $75–$95
“Feast your eyes—and belly—at this tenth annual fest showcasing more than 20 gastro-minded flicks and serving up those same dishes seen on screen. Opening night revisits the best films from the fest’s ten years and offers treats from Amanda Cohen’s Dirt Candy, The Brooklyn Star, Max & Mina’s Ice Cream and more. Fri 21 explores the flavors of Louisiana with films like How the Taste of Louisiana was Born and eats including Louisiana black pot gumbo and boucherie; the Food Porn Party commences on Sat 22, featuring an after party with food-burlesque performances; Sun 23 touches down in Japan, welcoming Brooklyn’s own Ramen Master, Chef Keizo Shimamoto, and takoyaki authority Chef Karl Palma. One thing’s for sure, this will be the tastiest film fest you’ve ever attended.” (TONY)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: AIANY/Walking Tour: Battery Park City: Creating a New Neighborhood / 1:45-4:30pm
“After more than four decades of planning and construction, Battery Park City has been built out. Learn about its planning and discover its distinctive residential neighborhoods, distinguished parks and plazas, public art works, and signature commercial center.”

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS – CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.”

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com. (Newsday)

HOT TKT – OCT.27
PULITZER CENTENNIAL POETRY CELEBRATION
The Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 E7th St./ 7PM, $15
They say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“In recognition of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prizes, thirteen recipients of the poetry award will gather to share original works as well as selections from other winners. The poets presenting are Rae Armantrout, Peter Balakian, Carl Dennis, Stephen Dunn, Jorie Graham, Yusef Komunyakaa, Sharon Olds, Gregory Pardlo, Philip Schultz, Vijay Seshadri, Natasha Trethewey, and Charles Wright; music by the composer David Lang will be performed by the violinist Johnny Gandelsman and the pianist Pedja Muzijevic.”

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

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)

 Whitney Museum of American Art:

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

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 10/20 and 10/18.
=======================================================

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 (10/21) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 10/21/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

¡VAYA! 63: Homemaje a la Guarachera del Mundo
with The Palladium Mambo All-Stars under the direction of Jose Madera and Johnny Rodriguez, featuring Yoko la Japonesa Salsera, Nayibe La Gitana, and Anissa Gathers / Opening set by DJ Brian
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center/ 7:30PM, FREE
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis; better get there early
“Artists from Colombia, Cuba, and Japan join the high-octane vibrant New York salseros of The Palladium Mambo All-Stars to celebrate the life and the global legacy of Celia Cruz on what would have been the Queen of Salsa’s 91st birthday.
DJ Brian kicks of the night at 7:00 pm and plays between and after the band’s two sets.”

OR Do This:

The New York Cabaret Convention 2016 (thru Oct.21)
Rose Theater, Broadway @ 60th St./ 6PM, $25+
“The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s 27th annual cabaret fest brings together some of the genre’s top artists to celebrate the Great American Songbook over 4 nights.
Tonight: The convention wraps up with a tribute to Broadway greats Sheldon Harnick and Charles Strouse, hosted by Klea Blackhurst and featuring Eric Comstock, Scott Coulter, Liam Forde, Penny Fuller, Anita Gillette, Marieann Meringolo, Shawn Ryan and Amra-Faye Wright.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

JIMMY HEATH
Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St./ 7PM, +9:30PM, $65-$85
“Never a star, yet long an honored lodestar to his fellow-musicians, Heath has attained reverential stature in the jazz community as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator. This diminutive polymath will celebrate his ninetieth birthday in the company of a big band and prized collaborators including Jon Faddis, Stanley Cowell, and his brother, the drummer Albert (Tootie) Heath.” (NewYorker)

TOM HARRELL
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM +10:30PM, $30
“Drawing from the Miles Davis rule book, the trumpeter Harrell pairs himself with a saxophonist who will both inspire and challenge him: the inventive tenor stylist Mark Turner. A lean quartet bolstered by Ugonna Okegwo’s bass and Adam Cruz’s drums offers plenty of open terrain for creative jostling.” (NewYorker)

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

NYC Food Film Festival (Oct.20-23)
AMC Empire 25, 234 W42nd St../ 7PM, $75–$95
“Feast your eyes—and belly—at this tenth annual fest showcasing more than 20 gastro-minded flicks and serving up those same dishes seen on screen. Opening night revisits the best films from the fest’s ten years and offers treats from Amanda Cohen’s Dirt Candy, The Brooklyn Star, Max & Mina’s Ice Cream and more. Fri 21 explores the flavors of Louisiana with films like How the Taste of Louisiana was Born and eats including Louisiana black pot gumbo and boucherie; the Food Porn Party commences on Sat 22, featuring an after party with food-burlesque performances; Sun 23 touches down in Japan, welcoming Brooklyn’s own Ramen Master, Chef Keizo Shimamoto, and takoyaki authority Chef Karl Palma. One thing’s for sure, this will be the tastiest film fest you’ve ever attended.” (TONY)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the Beaux-Arts landmark Gould Memorial Library, at Bronx Community College (Wednesday at noon). Other highlights include the panel discussion “Authenticity and Innovation: The Inherent Value of Older Buildings,” with the speakers Contantine Kontakosta, a professor at New York University; Charles Bendit, the co-chief executive of Taconic Investment Partners; and Claire Weisz, principal-in-charge at WXY architecture + urban design (Tuesday at 6 p.m., at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: AIANY/Classic Harbor Line – 10AM +1:45PM
Around Manhattan Architecture Boat Tour
“The “Around Manhattan” tour narration, provided by members of the American Institute of Architects’ NYC chapter, is general enough for visitors yet detailed enough for the locals. On this 2.75-hour cruise, you will circumnavigate the island of Manhattan (passing under all 18 bridges) while taking in monuments, architecture, parks and infrastructure.”

Leonard Zax on “Hamilton in Paterson: America’s First Tech Incubator”
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall St./ 12:30PM, FREE
“Everyone now knows that Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton inspired a hit musical on Broadway, but not many know that it also inspired a new national park at the Paterson Great Falls. Hamilton chose the Great Falls — 15 miles west of Manhattan — as the place to begin implementing his ambitious manufacturing plan. He founded Paterson as the world’s first city planned from the start to stimulate manufacturing and innovation. In Paterson, people would invent and produce goods that forever changed our relationship with the world: the Colt revolver, locomotives, submarines, aircraft engines and silk. Ron Chernow called Paterson the “city of the future.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

PLUS FOR CIDER FANS

CIDER WEEK
“Spend a week flitting about Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Hudson Valley sipping on dozens of hard ciders from makers including Original Sin, Eve’s Cidery, Foggy Ridge Cider, Steampunk Cider and more. The cider celebration includes tastings, dinners and classes (like a cider and cheese pairing class), as well as centerpiece events like the Lower East Cider Fest on Sunday and the Cider Revival on Monday.

WHEN | WHERE Friday, Oct. 21, to Sunday, Oct. 30, at various venues including the Lower East Cider Fest on Orchard Street between Houston and Delancey streets INFO Free-$250; ciderweeknyc.com.” (Newsday)

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

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

A PremierPub / Midtown West.

Russian Vodka Room / 265 W 52nd St (btw 7th/8th ave)

Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.

From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys,” just down the block.

lThose in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.

Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.

But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.

Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room near the piano man; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).
========================================================
Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music now includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man. “Tiny” we miss you.

==================================================================================
“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 (10/20) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 10/20/2016 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 / Oct.”

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

The New York Cabaret Convention 2016 (thru Oct.21)
Rose Theater, Broadway @ 60th St./ 6PM, $25+
“The Mabel Mercer Foundation’s 27th annual cabaret fest brings together some of the genre’s top artists to celebrate the Great American Songbook over 4 nights.
Tonight: Rex Reed hosts a salute to the late Sylvia Syms, featuring Joyce Breach, Ann Hampton Callaway, Barbara Carroll, Tedd Firth, Marilyn Maye, Billy Stritch, Carol Woods and Tom Wopat.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

JANE MONHEIT (Oct. 18-22.)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $40
On her latest album, “The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald,” the jazz vocalist Monheit gets to pay homage to a major influence while having her pick of choice material from the likes of Rodgers and Hart, Arlen, and Porter—a win-win situation. While the album benefits from the work of the guest trumpeter Nicholas Payton, here this congenial stylist will be flanked by her supportive trio.” (NewYorker)

TOM HARRELL
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM +10:30PM, $30
“Drawing from the Miles Davis rule book, the trumpeter Harrell pairs himself with a saxophonist who will both inspire and challenge him: the inventive tenor stylist Mark Turner. A lean quartet bolstered by Ugonna Okegwo’s bass and Adam Cruz’s drums offers plenty of open terrain for creative jostling.” (NewYorker)

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

NYC Food Film Festival (Oct.20-23)
AMC Empire 25, 234 W42nd St../ 7PM, $75–$95
“Feast your eyes—and belly—at this tenth annual fest showcasing more than 20 gastro-minded flicks and serving up those same dishes seen on screen. Opening night revisits the best films from the fest’s ten years and offers treats from Amanda Cohen’s Dirt Candy, The Brooklyn Star, Max & Mina’s Ice Cream and more. Fri 21 explores the flavors of Louisiana with films like How the Taste of Louisiana was Born and eats including Louisiana black pot gumbo and boucherie; the Food Porn Party commences on Sat 22, featuring an after party with food-burlesque performances; Sun 23 touches down in Japan, welcoming Brooklyn’s own Ramen Master, Chef Keizo Shimamoto, and takoyaki authority Chef Karl Palma. One thing’s for sure, this will be the tastiest film fest you’ve ever attended.” (TONY)

“NEW YORK LOVES ITALY”
Consulate General of Italy, 690 Park Ave./ 6PM, FREE
“The history of Italian culture in New York City gains a new chapter with this series of events, hosted by the Consulate General of Italy. “New York Loves Italy” aims to foster exchange and dialogue between Italians and New Yorkers, local and abroad, across sectors including food, athletics, fashion, and art. The inaugural talk, “Digital Challenges Between Tradition and Innovation,” features Gianni Riotta, a journalist and professor at Princeton University, and Sreenath (Sree) Sreenivasan, the chief digital officer of New York City, sharing personal anecdotes.” (NewYorker)

ARCHTOBER (through Oct. 31)
“Tours, talks, exhibitions — it’s difficult to keep track of all the events going on during New York’s annual monthlong celebration of architecture and design. Each day features a building of the day, with a tour. Make reservations early; coveted tours sell out quickly. Among the options for the coming week is the edible schoolyard at P.S. 7 in East Harlem (Tuesday at noon). Other highlights include a tour of the Steinway piano factory in Astoria, Queens (Saturday at 1 p.m.). More information at archtober.org.” (NYT-AroundTown)

TODAY’S events include: Parsons School of Design / 6PM
Behind the Slice
“What goes into making a single slice of pizza, on an industrial level? Share a slice with a panel of pizza industry experts as they discuss their work as it relates to materials and manufacturing, history, design, environmental impact, as well as current and future pizza culture. Guest Speakers: Mike Brockman, Mike Madan, Scott Wiener, & Jennifer Wright-Laracy. Hosted by: Stephanie Mantis. Location: The Glass Corner, E206, 25 E 13th Street”

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

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 the NYT likes:
RICHARD SERRA (through Oct.22)
“New works occupying one of Gagosian Gallery’s Chelsea display spaces reveal Mr. Serra to be, at 76, still wrangling sculptural fundamentals into objects and installations of thrilling severity. The space, on West 24th Street, hosts three works made of solid steel slabs as well as a drawing installation.”
Gagosian Gallery, 555 West 24th Street, 212-741-1111, gagosian.com. (Johnson)

One exhibition TimeOutNewYork likes:
Random International (thru Oct.22)
Pace Gallery, 537 W24th St./ 10AM-6PM, FREE
“The the art and design studio behind the hugely popular Rain Room at MoMA in 2013 returns with more examples of digitally-aided legerdemain, including an interactive, full-length “mirror” that blurs your refection.”

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 10/18 and 10/16.
======================================================

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