Selected Events (04/05) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 04/05/2016 by GregD

Today’s Fab 5 > TUESDAY / APR. 05, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.)

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
Democracy, Elections and the Vote
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West/ 6:30PM, $38
“During the late 18th century, in a world dominated by kings, czars, sultans, and emperors, a small group of Americans embarked on a radical proposal for a land ruled by democracy, elections, and a vote. With the 2016 Presidential Elections on the horizon, two constitutional scholars discuss the history of democracy in the United States and how our election process has shaped America.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

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

“Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with the ’86 Mets”
with author Erik Sherman
Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, 67 E11th St./ 7PM, FREE, RSVP required.
“I’m so proud of what we accomplished in that magical 1986 season and the brotherhood that we still have for one another all these years later. Enjoy this personal portrayal of one of baseball history’s greatest and most charismatic teams.” —Davey Johnson

In 1986, the bad guys of baseball won the World Series.
“What if I actually went out and visited the players where they are today—in their homes, in the dugouts they currently coach or manage in, or in the bars they might frequent? I would interview the men who’d made up this magical team, find out what happened to them after their glory days were behind them, and explore the impact they as individuals and as a team had on the fans and the organization—then and now.” —Erik Sherman

9/11 and the American Landscape
National September 11 Memorial & Museum, 180 Greenwich St./ 7PM, FREE, ticket required
“Photographer Jonathan C. Hyman documented grassroots memorials after 9/11. His archive of over 20,000 images focuses on tributes from the tristate area, beginning just after 9/11 and running through the 10th anniversary. Hyman joins Dr. Jan S. Ramirez, the Museum’s Chief Curator and Vice President of Collections, to discuss the iconography of commemoration and the varieties of popular response to 9/11 captured in his photographs.”

“Sleeping Giant: How the New Working Class Will Transform America”
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway / 7PM, Buy a copy of “Sleeping Giant” or a $15 gift card to attend this event.
“Demos and Strand Books invite you to a timely and lively discussion between Demos’ Tamara Draut, author of the new book Sleeping Giant: How the New Working Class Will Transform America, and Bob Herbert, former New York Times columnist and a Demos fellow as well.

Draut and Herbert will discuss the struggles, politics and burgeoning power of the new working class. With an eye towards our upcoming presidential election, and its impact on America’s working families, Draut and Herbert will explore how these fearless workers are shifting the political landscape.”

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:

“The Bitchy Waiter: Tales, Tips and Trials from a Life in Food Service”
powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St./ 7PM, FREE”
“Creator of the popular blog The Bitchy Waiter Darron Cardosa distills 30 years of food service into dark, funny tales that anyone who worked in the industry will recognize and relate to.

Millions of people have waited tables at some point in their lives. And many remain haunted by nightmare scenarios where they are the sole server in a restaurant packed with complaining customer. For all those disenchanted current and former food service employees, Darron Cardosa has your back.Since 2008 he’s vented his frustrations —about everything from crazy customers, out-of-control egos, and what really goes on in that fancy restaurant—in his popular blog The Bitchy Waiter. A snarky mix of David Sedaris, Anthony Bourdain, Erma Bombeck, and Mo Rocca, Cardosa distills 30 years of food service into dark, funny tales that anyone who worked in the industry will recognize and relate to.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

=====================================================
Bonus – 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 in advance, even if it’s  just on the day of performance.
==============================================================================

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.

Two exhibitions the NewYorkTimes likes:

‘Ellsworth Kelly Photographs’ (through April 30)
“This first exhibition of photographs by Mr. Kelly, who died in December, includes more than 30 gelatin silver prints made over four decades. His straightforward pictures of houses, barns, brick walls and winter branches yield the same distinctive observation of perceptual phenomena so characteristic of his hard-edge paintings, sculpture and prints: Rectangles float; shadows fall into hard-edge shapes; surfaces reveal evenly mottled patterns and unlikely grids. Matthew Marks Gallery, 523 West 24th Street, Chelsea, 212-243-0200, matthewmarks.com.” (Philip Gefter)

 Robert Ryman (through July 29)
“For nearly 60s years, the Minimalist painter Robert Ryman has had few equals when it comes to doing more with less. White has been his primary, if not quite his only, color, the square his typical format. And yet within these seeming limitations a remarkably fecund and resonant body of work has evolved as demonstrated with unusual clarity (and in natural light) by this small but comprehensive exhibition. Dia: Chelsea, 535 West 22nd Street, 212-989-5566, diaart.org.” (Smith)

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 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 04/03 and 04/01.
======================================================

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 Events (04/04) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 04/04/2016 by GregD

Today’s Fab 5 > MONDAY / APR. 04, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.)

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
54 Sings The Music of Chaka Khan
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 9:30PM, $30-$40
“This will be an extremely exciting and dynamic night of music. Featuring some of Chaka Khan’s most notable hits from the 70s and 80’s including “I’m Every Woman,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Tell Me Something Good,” “Through The Fire,” and many more, the evening will feature an 8-piece band consisting of the world’s top musicians music directed by drummer Jared Schonig (Pippin, The Color Purple).” (broadwayworld.com)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Smashing Pumpkins + Liz Phair
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway @ 74th St./ 8PM, $55–$85
“Building off last year’s In Plainsong tour, angsty ’90s icon Billy Corgan is taking his latest Smashing Pumpkins ensemble out on the road. But don’t expect the alt-rock nostalgia to be fuzz-driven—this time, the band is leaving the distortion pedals behind in favor of acoustic explorations of its catalogue. And look out in the upcoming year for a new album—the final LP in its Teargarden by Kaleidyscope cycle—inspired by the stripped-down live sounds.” (TONY)

Miscast 2016
Hammerstein Ballroom (at the Manhattan Center),311 W34th st./ 8:30PM, $99+
“Performers sing numbers that they should never sing anywhere else in this popular annual gala benefit for MCC Theater. Marisa Tomei is the guest of honor; the typically fancy lineup includes Beth Behrs, Tituss Burgess, Cynthia Erivo, Ana Gasteyer, Megan Hilty, Linda Lavin, Lea Salonga, Keala Settle, Aaron Tveit, Ana Villafane and Shanice Williams.” (TONY)

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

An Evening with Oskar Eustis and Neil Murray
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza / 6PM, FREE
“Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater, engages a trans-Atlantic conversation about theater, culture, and community focused arts presentation with Neil Murray, Executive Producer of the National Theater of Scotland.”

Smuggler’s Blues: A True Story of the Hippie Mafia
New York Public Library – Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
“With Richard Stratton, the author of the underground cult classic novel, “Smack Goddess,” and an award-winning writer and filmmaker.

This illustrated lecture is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground and the war on weed.”

Bonus – 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 – 55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:
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, even if just on day of performance.
================================================================================

A PremierPub / Tribeca

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

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

But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Selected Events (04/03) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 04/03/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SUNDAY / APR. 03, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
Tom Harrell (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $
“One of the greatest trumpeters alive, Tom Harrell makes records these days with a widening variety of collaborators and moods. Expect engaging, masterfully arranged postbop here, as Harrell appears with a stellar quintet including pianist David Virelles and trumpeter Ralph Moore, both standout bandleaders in their own right.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
‘1776’
New York City Center, 131 W55th St./ 2PM +8PM, $90-$140,
“So you think “Hamilton” is the first musical to tackle the Founding Fathers in song and dance? The Encores! series of semi-staged revivals re-creates the 1969 musical about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, with John Larroquette as Benjamin Franklin, John Behlmann as Thomas Jefferson and Santino Fontana as John Adams.” (Newsday)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
“Live from Nashville”
St. George Theater on Staten Island / 7PM, $29+
Country music, Bluegrass, Gospel and more.
“Live From Nashville is an incredible production direct from Music City that stars singers and dancers, and a bona fide band of Nashville musicians, dazzling staging and costumes: all designed to celebrate a century of celebrities and treasured songs from Music City!
Twelve musicians, singers, and dancers bring phenomenal fiddling, fancy footwork, and top-flight vocals your way. This theatrical production is truly extraordinary, a trip through America’s greatest music – the music she calls her own!”

This is definitely not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Bklyn’s WestSide, and absolutely also worth the detour. You just have to see these guys perform. Unforgettable!
Streb Extreme Action Company (Thursdays through Sundays, until April 24) / $25
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Williamsburg,
“After a winter hiatus, superheroes are back in the multiplexes. More excitingly, they’re back in Brooklyn, where Elizabeth Streb’s gang of action heroes can be seen in “SEA (Singular Extreme Actions),” a new show that once again tests the boundaries of the human body as it navigates an army of complex, bespoke mechanical contraptions. The soundtrack shifts from show to show as audience members contribute to the playlist.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.,

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

Affordable Art Fair (LAST DAY)
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W18th St./ 11AM-8PM, $18
The Affordable Art Fair, features work from 80 galleries and from over 500 artists from around the world.
“For an $18 ticket, you can shop original paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures from more than 50 galleries, priced at $100 to $10,000. Now you can upgrade your flat without downgrading your wallet.” (TONY)

MoCCA Arts Festival
Ink48, 653 11th Ave. (btw 47/48 St)/ 11AM, $5
“This excellent comics and cartooning festival welcomes more than 300 publishers—major and minor—to display their wares. Hear a lineup of expert cartoonists, illustrators and creators, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl creator Phoebe Gloeckner, Lumberjanes artist Noelle Stevenson and more discuss their creative process and the future of their craft.” (TONY)

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (LAST DAY)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

=======================================================
Bonus – 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 in advance, even if just on day of performance.
================================================================================

WHAT’S ON VIEW
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:

‘Peter Fischli David Weiss: How to Work Better’ (through April 27)
“Presenting more than 300 sculptures, photographs and videos, this marvelously entertaining exhibition demonstrates the power of creative play to invigorate hearts and minds. It includes photographs of doll-scale tableaus made mainly of processed meats; films starring the artists as Rat and Bear in frowzy costumes; more than 160 small, comical clay sculptures representing a harebrained history of the world; and myriad trompe l’oeil sculptures of ordinary objects. Most importantly, there’s the team’s classic movie “The Way Things Go” (1987), the landmark film documenting an apparently continuous series of chain reactions of a Rube Goldberg-type construction. 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org.” (Ken Johnson)

Metropolitan Museum of Art:
‘Wordplay: Matthias Buchinger’s Drawings from Collection of Ricky Jay’ (thru April 11)
“A draftsman, calligrapher, magician and musician, Matthias Buchinger (1674–1739) traveled all over Northern Europe to entertain kings and aristocrats as well as hoi polloi with feats of physical dexterity. He was especially noted for elaborate drawings featuring biblical passages written in letters too small to be read by ordinary naked eyes. This he managed despite having been born without hands or legs: His arms ended at the elbows and his lower extremities were truncated at the upper thighs. Sixteen of his amazing works are featured in this exhibition. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Johnson)

‘A New Look at a Van Eyck Masterpiece’ (through April 24)
“This small show of Flemish art, highly specialized yet not inaccessible, is the latest in an impressive sequence of laser-focused examinations of the Met’s holdings of late medieval and Renaissance painting. A crystalline Crucifixion attributed to van Eyck, and a jam-packed Last Judgment painted by him and his studio, now hang as a diptych — but technical analysis of the frames suggests they were probably side panels for a central painting now lost. Alongside the Met’s van Eycks is a recently resurfaced drawing of the Crucifixion, lent by Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, whose wizened Virgin and writhing thieves rhyme with the painted version. Did van Eyck draw it? Whether he did or not, the drawing grounds these divinely impeccable paintings in the real world of brushes and pencils. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Jason Farago)

‘Celebrating the Arts of Japan: The Mary Griggs Burke Collection’ (continuing)
“This lavish roll out of 160 objects came to the Met from the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation last spring. The Burkes loved Japanese art — all of it — and the collection 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. Some pieces on view now will be rotated out and replaced in February, making this an exhibition to visit at least twice. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

‘Reimagining Modernism: 1900-1950’ (continuing)
“One of the greatest encyclopedic museums in the world fulfills its mission a little more with an ambitious reinstallation of works of early European modernism with their American counterparts for the first time in nearly 30 years. Objects of design and paintings by a few self-taught artists further the integration. It is quite a sight, with interesting rotations and fine-tunings to come. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Smith)

===========================================================
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 04/01 and 03/30.
=============================================================

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 Events (04/02) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 04/02/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Super 7+ > SATURDAY / APR. 02, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
‘1776’ (also Sunday)
New York City Center, 131 W55th St./ 2PM +8PM, $90-$140,
“So you think “Hamilton” is the first musical to tackle the Founding Fathers in song and dance? The Encores! series of semi-staged revivals re-creates the 1969 musical about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, with John Larroquette as Benjamin Franklin, John Behlmann as Thomas Jefferson and Santino Fontana as John Adams.” (Newsday)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Bobby Watson (also Sunday)
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway, (btw 105/106 St)/ 7, 9, 10:30PM, $40
“It’s always good news when the soulful alto saxophonist Watson, currently the director of Jazz Studies at the University Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, hits town again. On this visit, he’ll be joined by the pianist Xavier Davis, as well as key associates like the drummer Victor Lewis and the bassist Curtis Lundy.” (NewYorker)

The Magic Flute in Concert
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium/ 2:30PM, FREE
“As a preview of their upcoming presentation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the Juilliard School’s Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts offers a concert of highlight arias and scenes. Pulling from the Library’s extensive collection of scenic and costume designs, Juilliard students will perform in front of a changing digital backdrop of beautiful images from rarely seen historic productions, including The Metropolitan Opera’s premier version from 1900. Enjoy the talents of opera’s future stars and see a collage of Magic Flute visions from two centuries of designers.”

Melissa Errico: Funny! I’m a Woman with Children
Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 W. 54th St./ 7PM, $35-$80
“The Broadway star who beguiled audiences in “My Fair Lady” and “Dracula” also has played the roles of wife and mother in real life. She sings about those latter roles in her cabaret show “Funny! I’m a Woman With Children,” featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Lerner and Loewe, and more.” (Newsday)

Alvin Ailey II (through April 10)
Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W55th St./ $49
“This company’s two-week spring season offers a welcome glimpse of the next generation of talent in the Ailey family while also introducing a number of unfamiliar choreographic names. New commissions this year include work by Kyle “JustSole” Clark, Jean Emile and Ray Mercer. Also making his choreographic debut is Jamar Roberts, an exquisite dancer with the main company, who contributes “Gêmeos” (Portuguese for “twins”), a duet inspired by his relationship with his brother.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

This is definitely not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Bklyn’s WestSide, and absolutely worth the detour. You just have to see these guys perform. Unforgettable!
Streb Extreme Action Company (Thursdays through Sundays, until April 24) / $25
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Williamsburg,
“After a winter hiatus, superheroes are back in the multiplexes. More excitingly, they’re back in Brooklyn, where Elizabeth Streb’s gang of action heroes can be seen in “SEA (Singular Extreme Actions),” a new show that once again tests the boundaries of the human body as it navigates an army of complex, bespoke mechanical contraptions. The soundtrack shifts from show to show as audience members contribute to the playlist.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.,

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

Affordable Art Fair (through Sunday)
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W18th St./ 11AM-8PM, $18
The Affordable Art Fair, features work from 80 galleries and from over 500 artists from around the world.
“For an $18 ticket, you can shop original paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures from more than 50 galleries, priced at $100 to $10,000. Now you can upgrade your flat without downgrading your wallet.” (TONY)

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sunday until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

===========================================================
Bonus – 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
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:
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

==================================================================================
♦ 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, even if just on day of performance.
=================================================================================

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 Summer 2016).
◊ Order before July 31, 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 Events (04/01) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 04/01/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > FRIDAY / APR. 01, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
Bonnie Raitt (also Saturday)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $
“This invariably classy blues singer-songwriter’s latest and 20th album, “Dig In Deep,” a brisk collection of new material, captures the elusive energy of her concert experience. The rich comfort of her voice has only deepened with time, and the disc’s nod to 1980s rock staples — including a cover of Los Lobos’ “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes” — is a festive complement to her bottleneck guitar skills.” (Anderson-NYT)
Everyone loves Bonnie and this may be a tough ticket. Saturday night looks a little easier.

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Grace McLean
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (at Lincoln Center)/ 8PM, $30
“Lincoln Center continues its American Songbook series with an intimate set by rising singer-songwriter Grace McLean, best known to theater audiences for her gutsy performances in Bedbugs!!! and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.” (TONY)

Alvin Ailey II (through April 10)
Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W55th St./ $49
“This company’s two-week spring season offers a welcome glimpse of the next generation of talent in the Ailey family while also introducing a number of unfamiliar choreographic names. New commissions this year include work by Kyle “JustSole” Clark, Jean Emile and Ray Mercer. Also making his choreographic debut is Jamar Roberts, an exquisite dancer with the main company, who contributes “Gêmeos” (Portuguese for “twins”), a duet inspired by his relationship with his brother.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

This is definitely not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Bklyn’s WestSide, and absolutely worth the detour. You just have to see these guys perform. Unforgettable!
Streb Extreme Action Company (Thursdays through Sundays, until April 24) / $25
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Williamsburg,
“After a winter hiatus, superheroes are back in the multiplexes. More excitingly, they’re back in Brooklyn, where Elizabeth Streb’s gang of action heroes can be seen in “SEA (Singular Extreme Actions),” a new show that once again tests the boundaries of the human body as it navigates an army of complex, bespoke mechanical contraptions. The soundtrack shifts from show to show as audience members contribute to the playlist.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.,

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

Affordable Art Fair
Metropolitan Pavilion; 11AM, $18
The Affordable Art Fair, features work from 80 galleries and from over 500 artists from around the world.
“For an $18 ticket, you can shop original paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures from more than 50 galleries, priced at $100 to $10,000. Now you can upgrade your flat without downgrading your wallet.” (TONY)

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

=======================================================
Bonus – 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 in advance, even if just on day of performance.
=======================================================================

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:
‘Jackson Pollock: A Collection Survey, 1934-1954’ (through May 1)
“The first exhibition devoted to the Modern’s unsurpassed Pollock holding gives a dazzling account of the evolution of his signature poured paintings. Its 58 works on canvas and paper also attest to the Modern’s laserlike focus on accounting fully for the achievements of artists it deems great. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Smith-NYT)

‘Marcel Broodthaers: A Retrospective’ (through May 15)
“The Belgian poet Marcel Broodthaers (1924-1976) supported himself for 40 years as a bookseller before deciding on a new career as an artist. In 1964, he turned some unsold poetry books into a sculpture, and instantly had a debut solo show. Four years later, he appointed himself director of a fictional art museum — his own. Now comes a belated and woozily perplexing first New York survey of one of Europe’s most influential 20th-century trickster-artist-poets, along with a complementary showcase, “Marcel Broodthaers: Ecriture,” at Michael Werner Gallery on the Upper East Side. 212-708-9400, moma.org.”(Cotter-NYT)

Museum of Arts and Design:
Ebony G. Patterson: ‘Dead Treez’ (through April 3)
“Born in Kingston, Jamaica, this young artist focuses her attention on the island’s dance hall culture in a smashing solo show. The centerpiece is a set of monumental tapestries, laid flat on the floor like carpets, their embroidered surfaces sparkling with sequins and dense with sewn-on objects that partially obscure images of urban murder victims. The theme of beauty disguising danger extends to a smaller adjoining installation in which the artist has inserted jewelry from the museum’s permanent collection in vitrines filled with carnivorous-looking fake tropical flowers. 2 Columbus Circle, Manhattan, 212-299-7777, madmuseum.org.” (Cotter-NYT)

 Whitney Museum of American Art:
‘Laura Poitras: Astro Noise’ (through May 1)
“An engrossing first solo museum show by an artist-activist known for films documenting the United States government’s post-Sept. 11 “war on terror,” notably the Oscar-winning “Citizenfour.” Here she pursues her forensic mediation on global surveillance with a suite of dimly lit installations made up of photographs, videos and texts that take us from ground zero to Baghdad, Washington and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and that conclude with a chilling little real-time surprise. 99 Gansevoort Street, at Washington Street, 212-570-3600, whitney.org.” (Cotter-NYT)

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 03/30 and 03/28.
=======================================================

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 Events (03/31) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 03/31/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 31, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
This is definitely not Manhattan’s WestSide, but you just have to see these guys perform.

Streb Extreme Action Company (Thursdays through Sundays, until April 24) / $25
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Williamsburg,
“After a winter hiatus, superheroes are back in the multiplexes. More excitingly, they’re back in Brooklyn, where Elizabeth Streb’s gang of action heroes can be seen in “SEA (Singular Extreme Actions),” a new show that once again tests the boundaries of the human body as it navigates an army of complex, bespoke mechanical contraptions. The soundtrack shifts from show to show as audience members contribute to the playlist.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.,

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The Music of David Bowie
Carnegie Hall; / 8PM, $48–$160
“Concert presenter Michael Dorf, whose past star-studded tribute concerts have feted the likes of David Bryne, Prince and Bob Dylan, celebrates the music of pop legend David Bowie over two nights. The line-ups for each differ, with performers including Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Bettye LaVette, Perry Farrell, Pixes, Mumford & Sons, The Roots, The Mountain Goats, The Flaming Lips and longtime Bowie producer Tony Visconti. You can expect that list to grow, as well as a smattering of surprise guests. In light of Bowie’s recent passing, look for the evening to take on an emotional tone, with collaborators and friends paying tribute to the icon.” (TONY)

Alvin Ailey II (through April 10)
Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W55th St./ $49
“This company’s two-week spring season offers a welcome glimpse of the next generation of talent in the Ailey family while also introducing a number of unfamiliar choreographic names. New commissions this year include work by Kyle “JustSole” Clark, Jean Emile and Ray Mercer. Also making his choreographic debut is Jamar Roberts, an exquisite dancer with the main company, who contributes “Gêmeos” (Portuguese for “twins”), a duet inspired by his relationship with his brother.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Ravi Coltrane: The Void (through April 2)
Jazz Standard, 116 E27th St./ 7:30 +9:30PM, $
“Coltrane may never fully escape the shadow of his iconic father, John—he’s currently instrumental in the restoration of the Coltrane home in Dix Hills, Long Island—but his skill as a canny tenor and soprano saxophone stylist has carried him far beyond the glory of his name. He’s established a strong rapport with another keen modernist, the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, who sets off the leader in a sextet alongside the pianist Glenn Zaleski and others.” (NewYorker)

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

Magic in a New York State of Mind
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts / 6PM, FREE
“Performances join a celebration of the history of magic in New York as conjurors from the local Assembly of the Society of American Magicians (founded in 1902 and counting Harry Houdini, Howard Thurston and David Copperfield among its numbers) come together to confound at a free show.”

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

====================================================
Bonus – 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
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:
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

==================================================================================
♦ 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, even if it’s  just on the day of performance.
==============================================================================

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 Events (03/30) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 03/30/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Super 7+ > WEDNESDAY / MAR. 30, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
Dianne Reeves
Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall / 8PM, $16-$77
“An authoritative and extravagantly gifted jazz singer, Ms. Reeves makes a virtue of her open-mindedness, mingling standards with bossa nova staples and original pop-gospel exhortations. She’ll appear with her usual ace band, featuring musicians like the guitarist Romero Lubambo and the pianist Peter Martin.” (Chinen-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Liz Callaway: The Story Goes On—The Songs of Maltby & Shire
Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (at Lincoln Center)/ 8PM, $45
“The sunny Callaway—whose gleaming Broadway belt has brightened such shows as Cats, Baby and Miss Saigon—joins the American Songbook Series with a set devoted to the urbane songs of Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire (Closer Than Ever).” (TONY)

Carol Woods
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 9:30PM, $30-$40
“Join Broadway powerhouse and legend Carol Woods for an evening of Soul and Song. Ms. Woods’ rendition of the Beatles classic “Let It Be” from Julie Taymor’s 2007 feature film Across the Universe has become a worldwide hit and earned her a reprised performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Now you can hear it live – alongside other treasures like “God Bless The Child” and “Unforgettable.”

Alvin Ailey II (through April 10)
Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W55th St./ $49
“This company’s two-week spring season offers a welcome glimpse of the next generation of talent in the Ailey family while also introducing a number of unfamiliar choreographic names. New commissions this year include work by Kyle “JustSole” Clark, Jean Emile and Ray Mercer. Also making his choreographic debut is Jamar Roberts, an exquisite dancer with the main company, who contributes “Gêmeos” (Portuguese for “twins”), a duet inspired by his relationship with his brother.” (Brian Schaefer-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Ravi Coltrane: The Void (through April 2)
Jazz Standard, 116 E27th St./ 7:30 +9:30PM, $
“Coltrane may never fully escape the shadow of his iconic father, John—he’s currently instrumental in the restoration of the Coltrane home in Dix Hills, Long Island—but his skill as a canny tenor and soprano saxophone stylist has carried him far beyond the glory of his name. He’s established a strong rapport with another keen modernist, the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, who sets off the leader in a sextet alongside the pianist Glenn Zaleski and others.” (NewYorker)

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

A Conversation with Wendy Whelan
Barnard College, 3009 Broadway – Julius Held Lecture Hall/ 7PM, FREE
“Wendy Whelan, the inaugural Lida Orzeck Distinguished Artist-in-Residence, looks back at her 30-year career with the New York City Ballet. She talks frankly about the challenges of performing specially curated projects such as Restless Creature, Hagoromo, and Whelan/Watson: Other Stories, as well as her new collaboration with Brian Brooks, slated to premiere this summer at Jacob’s Pillow. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear one of America’s finest dance artists discuss her experiences during a lifetime of exploration within the dance world.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Elsewhere, but Queens is the epicenter of world cuisine, and makes this worth the detour:
Five Alive: Cooks Kickin’ It In Queens Birthday Party
The Entrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th St., Long Island City/ 6-8PM
“Expect great networking with 250 expected attendees and at least 30 vendors providing spicy, savory, and sweet samples to please all taste buds. Pretzel Man, who makes soft, doughy balls stuffed with ingredients such as cheddar cheese, peanut butter, and chocolate, will give out samples. Ditto for Yu Bakery, which sells healthy, gluten-free snacks with yucca; Gooey & Co., which bakes a St. Louis-style butter cake in various flavors; and Little Bird, which candies jalapeños and covers them in dark chocolate and sea salt. Wash it all down with alcoholic drinks from SquareWine & Spirits, teas from Forest Witch Spells, and caffeinated beverages from Coffeed. There’s a lot to celebrate.”

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

=====================================================
Bonus – 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 in advance, even if it’s  just on the day of performance.
==============================================================================

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.

An exhibition the NewYorkTimes likes:

 Robert Ryman (through July 29)
“For nearly 60s years, the Minimalist painter Robert Ryman has had few equals when it comes to doing more with less. White has been his primary, if not quite his only, color, the square his typical format. And yet within these seeming limitations a remarkably fecund and resonant body of work has evolved as demonstrated with unusual clarity (and in natural light) by this small but comprehensive exhibition. Dia: Chelsea, 535 West 22nd Street, 212-989-5566, diaart.org.” (Smith)

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 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 03/28 and 03/26.
======================================================

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 Events (03/29) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 03/29/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Super 7+ > TUESDAY / MAR. 29, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik:
Marlon Brando in A Street Car Named Desire
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center/ 7:30PM, FREE, but seating is limited; better get there early, no later than 7PM.
“The year is 1951. Marlon Brando unleashes a new “method” of acting on Hollywood. New Yorker essayist Adam Gopnik; Alec Baldwin, who earned a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire in 1992; and filmmaker Andrew Bergman (The Freshman) weigh in on the impact of Brando’s powerful performance.”

This event is part of The History of the World in 100 Performances with Adam Gopnik, where the New Yorker writer and guests lead multimedia investigations into legendary artistic feats.

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Tom Harrell (through April 3)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $
“One of the greatest trumpeters alive, Tom Harrell makes records these days with a widening variety of collaborators and moods. Expect engaging, masterfully arranged postbop here, as Harrell appears with a stellar quintet including pianist David Virelles and trumpeter Ralph Moore, both standout bandleaders in their own right.” (TONY)

Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance (through April 3)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ 2PM, $10-$120
“The company’s three-week spring season offers 14 works from Mr. Taylor’s six-decade career and two new creations: “Dilly Dilly” and “Sullivaniana.” Notable this year is the inclusion of work that Mr. Taylor has commissioned for the first time from handpicked artistic heirs: Larry Keigwin, whose “Rush Hour” is on Sunday’s program, and Doug Elkins, whose “Weight of Smoke” is on Tuesday’s. Honoring Mr. Taylor’s own forebear, the company will perform a Martha Graham work — “Diversion of Angels” — on Wednesday. (Schaeffer-NYT)
Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Ravi Coltrane: The Void (through April 2)
Jazz Standard, 116 E27th St./ 7:30 +9:30PM, $
“Coltrane may never fully escape the shadow of his iconic father, John—he’s currently instrumental in the restoration of the Coltrane home in Dix Hills, Long Island—but his skill as a canny tenor and soprano saxophone stylist has carried him far beyond the glory of his name. He’s established a strong rapport with another keen modernist, the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, who sets off the leader in a sextet alongside the pianist Glenn Zaleski and others.” (NewYorker)

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

Juilliard Public Forum: Character, Culture, and Diplomacy
Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Broadway & W65th St./ 5:30PM, FREE, Resv. required
“A discussion exploring the intersection of the arts, politics, and human experience.
In an ongoing series of presentations that aim to explore the interconnections of international politics, the arts, and the human experience, The Juilliard School will co-host with The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University a discussion with New York Times columnist David Brooks, Fletcher School Dean Admiral James G. Stavridis, and Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi. It is anticipated that the conversation will address the intertwined nature of artistry, empathy, and character development, and its resulting impact on American social and political systems.”

An Evening with Walter Isaacson
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West / 6:30PM, $44
“From the origins of computer programming in the 1840s to the most recent iPhone release, technology has come to infiltrate every aspect of our lives. Yet, despite its constant presence, we often forget how technology innovators’ ideas become realities. Best-selling author Walter Isaacson, in conversation with philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, discusses the historical saga of the digital revolution and the creative visionaries who contributed individually and collaboratively to our contemporary technological culture.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

National Geographic Live
Skirball Center, 566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South/ 7:30PM, $35+
“The final installment of this season of the “National Geographic Live” series brings the Emmy-winning cinematographer Bob Poole to the Skirball Center, where he will talk about his new six-part PBS/National Geographic series on Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. He’ll share examples of his work and tell some of his secrets for filming wildlife and wild scenery. The talk will also touch on the importance of conservation and the enormous undertaking of park preservation in the continuing aftermath of Mozambique’s civil war.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

=====================================================
Bonus – 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
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:
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, even if just on day of performance.
================================================================================

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

 

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Selected Events (03/28) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 03/28/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Sweet 6+ > MONDAY / MAR. 28, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? Do This:
Broadway by the Year: The Broadway Musicals of the 1950s
The Town Hall, 123 W43rd St./ 8PM, $50-60
“Scott Siegel’s invaluable concert series opens another time capsule, this edition returning us to the decade that bequeathed us West Side Story, Gypsy, The Music Man and My Fair Lady, among many other winners. The starry cast includes Karen Akers, John Cariani, Jill Paice, Josh Gisetti and nightclub eminence Marilyn Maye.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Broadway Rocks No Doubt
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM +9:30PM, $30-$45
“Come join some of your favorite Broadway performers as well as fresh new talent you are sure to love as they throw you a crazy evening celebrating No Doubt and Gwen Stefani and their incredible music in ways you’ve never heard before. Broadway Rocks No Doubt is a night you don’t want to miss, covering their chart-topping hits from early days through to their current hits as well as Gwen’s successful solo journey. You are sure to hear all of your favorites in brand new arrangements and orchestrations performed from a fresh perspective by singers you will love.”

Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance (through April 3)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ 2PM, $10-$120
“The company’s three-week spring season offers 14 works from Mr. Taylor’s six-decade career and two new creations: “Dilly Dilly” and “Sullivaniana.” Notable this year is the inclusion of work that Mr. Taylor has commissioned for the first time from handpicked artistic heirs: Larry Keigwin, whose “Rush Hour” is on Sunday’s program, and Doug Elkins, whose “Weight of Smoke” is on Tuesday’s. Honoring Mr. Taylor’s own forebear, the company will perform a Martha Graham work — “Diversion of Angels” — on Wednesday. (Schaeffer-NYT)
Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

“Piano Men”
Starring Brad Simmons, Eric Yves Garcia & Matt Baker
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $30
“Three of New York’s finest Piano Men take the stage together, each bringing down the house in their own charismatic and in imitable style! “Piano Men” was created and premiered in 2015 at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center by Director and Producer, John McDaniel.”

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

Camus: A Stranger in the City
Columbia University, 116th St. & Broadway, 7PM, FREE, RSVP required
“Actor/poet Viggo Mortensen reads “The Human Crisis” 70 years to the day after Albert Camus delivered the speech, and in the exact same place. It turns out the crisis Camus invoked, an indifference to torture and other violence, may still hold some relevance seven decades later. The reading will be in English and followed by a roundtable conversation, as part of the citywide celebration “Camus: A Stranger in the City.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Strand Ovation Series: Fun Home
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 12th St./ 7PM, entry with book, album purchase or $15 strand gift card.
“Fun Home” the book (Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir) is having its 10th birthday, and the playwright-composer team who brought it to Broadway are coming to the Strand to celebrate. Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori will talk about the work, which casts a spotlight on a nontraditional family and explores the spectrum of sexuality.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

=======================================================
Bonus – 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 in advance, even if just on day of performance.
================================================================================

WHAT’S ON VIEW
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:

‘Peter Fischli David Weiss: How to Work Better’ (through April 27)
“Presenting more than 300 sculptures, photographs and videos, this marvelously entertaining exhibition demonstrates the power of creative play to invigorate hearts and minds. It includes photographs of doll-scale tableaus made mainly of processed meats; films starring the artists as Rat and Bear in frowzy costumes; more than 160 small, comical clay sculptures representing a harebrained history of the world; and myriad trompe l’oeil sculptures of ordinary objects. Most importantly, there’s the team’s classic movie “The Way Things Go” (1987), the landmark film documenting an apparently continuous series of chain reactions of a Rube Goldberg-type construction. 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org.” (Ken Johnson)

Metropolitan Museum of Art:
‘Wordplay: Matthias Buchinger’s Drawings from Collection of Ricky Jay’ (thru April 11)
“A draftsman, calligrapher, magician and musician, Matthias Buchinger (1674–1739) traveled all over Northern Europe to entertain kings and aristocrats as well as hoi polloi with feats of physical dexterity. He was especially noted for elaborate drawings featuring biblical passages written in letters too small to be read by ordinary naked eyes. This he managed despite having been born without hands or legs: His arms ended at the elbows and his lower extremities were truncated at the upper thighs. Sixteen of his amazing works are featured in this exhibition. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Johnson)

‘A New Look at a Van Eyck Masterpiece’ (through April 24)
“This small show of Flemish art, highly specialized yet not inaccessible, is the latest in an impressive sequence of laser-focused examinations of the Met’s holdings of late medieval and Renaissance painting. A crystalline Crucifixion attributed to van Eyck, and a jam-packed Last Judgment painted by him and his studio, now hang as a diptych — but technical analysis of the frames suggests they were probably side panels for a central painting now lost. Alongside the Met’s van Eycks is a recently resurfaced drawing of the Crucifixion, lent by Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, whose wizened Virgin and writhing thieves rhyme with the painted version. Did van Eyck draw it? Whether he did or not, the drawing grounds these divinely impeccable paintings in the real world of brushes and pencils. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Jason Farago)

‘Celebrating the Arts of Japan: The Mary Griggs Burke Collection’ (continuing)
“This lavish roll out of 160 objects came to the Met from the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation last spring. The Burkes loved Japanese art — all of it — and the collection 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. Some pieces on view now will be rotated out and replaced in February, making this an exhibition to visit at least twice. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Cotter)

‘Reimagining Modernism: 1900-1950’ (continuing)
“One of the greatest encyclopedic museums in the world fulfills its mission a little more with an ambitious reinstallation of works of early European modernism with their American counterparts for the first time in nearly 30 years. Objects of design and paintings by a few self-taught artists further the integration. It is quite a sight, with interesting rotations and fine-tunings to come. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org.” (Smith)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 03/26 and 03/24.
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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 Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
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Selected Events (03/27) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 03/27/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Sweet 6+ > SUNDAY / MAR. 27, 2016

“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.
(click on links for more complete event info.) Happy Easter!

Have time for only one event today? 
It’s Easter Sunday, so of course, put on your finery and do this:

Easter Parade
“On Sunday, it’s time for a New York institution — the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival, beginning at 10 a.m., on Fifth Avenue, near St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The tradition stretches back to the 1870s and features wild and creative outfits, with special focus on huge hats and funky fascinators.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The Cookers
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St./ 7, 9, +10:30PM, $45
“This group revels in the edgier boundaries of modal hard bop, with peers of a certain age, including the saxophonist Billy Harper, the trumpeter Eddie Henderson, the pianist George Cables, the bassist Cecil McBee, and the drummer Billy Hart, playing alongside admiring younger confederates such as the trumpeter and arranger David Weiss and the alto saxophonist Donald Harrison.” (NewYorker)

Fred Hersch Trio
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30PM + 10:30PM, $30
“The articulate grace of Fred Hersch’s current piano trio, with the bassist John Hébert and the drummer Eric McPherson, found potent expression on “Floating,” one of the finest mainstream jazz albums of the last few years. There isn’t a more rewarding room in which to hear the group than the Village Vanguard, where it appears this week.” (Chinen-NYT)

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos
Jazz Standard, 116 E27th St./ 7:30PM +9:30PM, $30
“The growing resurgence of large ensembles in contemporary jazz owes much to this farsighted Argentinian composer, arranger, and bandleader, who was ahead of the curve in the nineteen-nineties. Now based in upstate New York, Klein brings his bold eleven-piece unit to celebrate the release of a new album, “Los Guachos V,” which is thick with shifting time signatures, dense orchestration, and the delight of the new, in typical Klein fashion.” (NewYorker)

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

National Paella Day
Socarrat Paella Bar, 259 W19th St./12PM-3PM
“Track down the yellow Socarrat-mobile and score a free sample of paella on National Paella Day. The restaurant offers guests three opportunities, at three locations (50th Street and Park Avenue at 12 p.m.; 44th Street and 1st Avenue at 1 p.m.; and Mulberry Street and East Houston Street at 2 p.m.), to enjoy the beloved Spanish dish.” (VillageVoice)

New Directors/New Films (LAST DAY)
See the work of emerging or not-yet-established international filmmakers at New Directors/New Films at Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art.

Celebrating its 45th edition in 2016, New Directors/New Films introduces New York audiences to the work of emerging filmmakers from around the world. Throughout its rich history, New Directors has uncovered talents like Pedro Almódovar, Chantal Akerman, Hou Hsiao–hsien, Christopher Nolan, Laura Poitras, Spike Lee, and Kelly Reichardt.

And for you motorheads:
The New York International Auto Show (thru Apr.03)
at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 10AM-10PM, exc. Sundays until 7PM, $16
This annual convention offers a peek at the newest 2016-7 models, motorcycles, concept vehicles and restored classic cars. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.

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Bonus – 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
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:
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

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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 in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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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 Summer 2016).
◊ Order before July 31, 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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