NYCity 1-2-3 : What's Happening / Manhattan's WestSide

Selected Events (03/26) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 03/26/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SATURDAY / MAR. 26, 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:
Fred Hersch Trio (through Mar.27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30PM + 10:30PM, $
“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)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
A Benefit for The Drama Book Shop
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM, $45-55
“The Tony Award-winning Drama Book Shop has been helping theatre artists for 99 years. Now, it needs their help, after a recent water pipe burst causing extensive damage to the shop and half of its inventory. Together, stars of stage and shop employees will gather for a night of stories and songs to celebrate and benefit the legendary Drama Book Shop. The evening will feature many of the all-star Broadway talent who frequent the shop on a daily basis.” (broadwayworld.com)

The Cookers (through Sunday)
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)

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos (through Sunday)
Jazz Standard, 116 E27th St./ 7:30PM +9:30PM, $
“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)

New Directors/New Films (thru Mar.27)
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.
Tonight: try to find a ticket for “Neon Bull,” a movie that has won all sorts of festival awards this year. We’ll be there.

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.

Elsewhere, but a craft beer fest is always worth the detour:
NYC Craft Beer Festival 2016
Lexington Avenue Armory / 1PM, $55–$75
“Ring in spring at this two-day, 75-brewery bacchanal offering beer buffs unlimited samples of 150 rare and seasonal brews, ciders and meads from outfits like Oklahoma’s Prairie Artisan Ales, New York’s Radiant Pig and Massachusetts’ Bantam Cider. Geek out at seminars led by Sense Lab and others. Still thirsty? Spring for VIP tickets to get an extra hour of boozing. Balance your liquid intake with for-purchase snacks such as links from Rosamunde Sausage Grill and empanadas from Jessy’s Pastries.” (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)

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 03/24 and 03/22.
=======================================================

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.
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Selected Events (03/25) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 03/25/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > FRIDAY / MAR. 25, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
The Cookers (through Sunday)
Smoke, 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)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Ches Smith, Craig Taborn, Mat Maneri
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W17th St./ 7PM, $20
“On his new album, “The Bell,” Ches Smith subverts expectations at every turn, starting with the idea that a drummer’s album might prioritize drumming. It’s an interior, enveloping, enigmatic experience — and the same should be true of this concert, with Mr. Taborn on piano, Mr. Maneri on viola and Mr. Smith on drums, vibraphone and timpani.” (Chinen-NYT)

Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe (through March 27)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th St./ $
“This company from New Mexico, founded in 2007, makes its New York debut with an evening of short works. Mr. Siddi’s style arises from the Spanish roots of flamenco combined with influences from the American Southwest, evident in both his choreography and the music, which will be offered live by the troupe’s singers and instrumentalists.”(Burke-NYT)
Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday and March 25 at 8 p.m., March 26 at 2 and 8 p.m., March 27 at 2 p.m.

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Parlor Chats: How has the internet changed us?
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, @12th St. / 7PM, $12, incl FREE drink
An expert in global internet culture and a social media theorist come together to ask How Has the Internet Changed Us?, the final installment of this week’s Parlor Chats at The Strand.

Will the second generation to grow up with the internet be different from the first? Is the real you the one on Facebook, the one on Twitter, or the one Snapchat? And what happens to the one with flesh and bones? In this discussion, Tricia Wang and Nathan Jurgenson will shed light on culture after the digital revolution.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

New Directors/New Films (thru Mar.27)
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.

And for 10 days thru Apr 03
The New York International Auto Show 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 / Midtown West.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ches Smith, Craig Taborn, Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos, Mat Maneri, New York International Auto Show, Parlor Chats: How has the internet changed us?, The Cookers | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/24) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 03/24/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 24, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Loser’s Lounge: Studio 63 Dance Party
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center/ 7:30PM, FREE
These free events in the atrium are always popular, so better get there early for their limited seating, no later than 7PM.
“The Loser’s Lounge is New York City’s most entertaining house band, always throwing the best parties and filling the dance floor with great music and interesting people. Founded in 1993 by former Psychedelic Furs Keyboardist Joe McGinty, The Loser’s Lounge canonizes the great songwriting catalogues of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, honoring artists from Abba and Bowie to XTC and The Zombies. Their sold-out public shows validate the love of music fans everywhere, and their enthusiasm is exhilarating. So dress up like you’re going to your favorite night club from the past and dance your way to the future with The Loser’s Lounge!”

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe (through March 27)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th St./ $
“This company from New Mexico, founded in 2007, makes its New York debut with an evening of short works. Mr. Siddi’s style arises from the Spanish roots of flamenco combined with influences from the American Southwest, evident in both his choreography and the music, which will be offered live by the troupe’s singers and instrumentalists.”(Burke-NYT)
Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday and March 25 at 8 p.m., March 26 at 2 and 8 p.m., March 27 at 2 p.m.

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Parlor Chats: Should We Re-Engineer Humanity?
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, @12th St. / 7PM, $12, incl. FREE drink
“2015 saw a revolution in genetic science. New techniques have drastically simplified bioengineering, raising urgent questions about what genes we should and shouldn’t modify. In this conversation, Carl Zimmer (award winning science writer) and Daniel Kevles (Historian of Science at Yale University) will explore the past, present and future of biotech ethics.”the general election this fall.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Gotham’s Garden of Eden
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, $30, includes museum admission
“New York City is unimaginable without Central Park (and we don’t say that just because it’s our home!) but how did it become the city’s own Garden of Eden? In a captivating talk, architectural historian Barry Lewis explains how the Park civilized New York, giving all residents, no matter what their class, their own “private country estate,” enabling them to escape the less desirable side of urban living and commune with nature. Learn how the Park’s brilliant designers, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead, used all their enormous talents to create a completely artificial yet stunningly naturalistic place we all share and enjoy more than 150 years after its creation.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Our Common Home: Artists, Poets and Scientists Discuss Climate Change
The Cooper Union – The Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St./ 7PM, FREE
“The Pope’s encyclical on climate change, Laudato Si, galvanized a new level of awareness on the moral necessity of addressing the climate crisis. In recognition of this global leadership, we invite you to join musicians, artists, poets and scientists to share perspectives on a multifaceted and holistic path forward in protecting our planet. This free public gathering at The Cooper Union will be an important moment in recognizing the role of values, ethics, science and spirit in addressing the complex tasks facing Our Common Home.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

New Directors/New Films (thru Mar.27)
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.

=====================================================
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 03/22 and 03/20.
======================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Gotham’s Garden of Eden, Loser's Lounge: Studio 63 Dance Party, Our Common Home: Artists, Parlor Chats: Should We Re-Engineer Humanity?, Poets and Scientists Discuss Climate Change | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/23) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 03/23/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > WEDNESDAY / MAR. 23, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
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 and Doug Elkins. Honoring Mr. Taylor’s own forebear, the company will perform a Martha Graham work — “Diversion of Angels” — for the first time, on Wednesday. Donald McKayle’s “Rainbow ’Round My Shoulder” also enters the repertory this week, having its company premiere on Tuesday.” (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.

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The Tristano Project (through March 26)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“The influence of the pianist, composer, and jazz conceptualist Lennie Tristano ebbed and flowed even before his death in 1978, but his cool jazz imaginings remain an object of fascination for inquisitive players. A multi-generational unit, headed by the veteran pianist Steve Kuhn and the saxophonist Greg Osby, will reëxamine the legacy of this hidden-in-plain-sight figure.” (NewYorker)

Fred Hersch Trio (through March 27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30PM + 10:30PM, $
“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 next week.” (Chinen-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus
Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $
“This chamber-esque big band — led by Mr. Formanek, an authoritative and intrepid bassist — has an excellent new album, “The Distance,” that heaves with composerly ambition. Drawing from the album, this engagement will similarly feature an all-star cohort including the saxophonists Tim Berne and Chris Speed; the trumpeters Ralph Alessi and Dave Ballou; the guitarist Mary Halvorson; and the drummer Tomas Fujiwara.” (Chinen-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Parlor Chats: What is America’s role in the world?
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, @12th St. / 7PM, $12, incl. FREE drink
Michèle Flournoy, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2009 to 2012 and advisor to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on national security and defense policy, and Bret Stephens, foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal, dive into the 250 year-old debate about how America should influence the lives and politics of people around the globe—a substantive preview of the discussion to come in the general election this fall.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Mark Morris and Surupa Sen
Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 W37th St./ 7PM, $25
“The Baryshnikov Arts Center continues its “Words on Dance” series with a conversation between Mr. Morris, one of today’s most celebrated modern dance makers, and Ms. Sen, who leads the classical Indian dance ensemble Nrityagram. The two met 20 years ago when Mr. Morris visited Nrityagram’s commune-like “dance village” near Bangalore, India. Their histories of both challenging and honoring their respective traditions should make for a compelling discussion.” (Burke-NYT)

New Directors/New Films (thru Mar.27)
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.

=====================================================
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 + 3 Good Eating places

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest”, Ali.

Jimmy’s is a sort of time machine, taking you back to a time and place that no longer exists. All around you Times Square has cleaned up, grown up, assumed a new identity. Jimmy’s probably hasn’t changed a bit since it first opened in 1971. Certainly the bar itself looks original and the prices haven’t changed much either. When I brought a friend, who owns her own bar, she was surprised when she got the small tab for a round of drinks. Figured there must be a mistake, that maybe they forgot to charge for all the drinks.

Times Square today is filled with neon glitz and wandering tourists from Dubuque, but not Jimmy’s. You’ll likely find some old timer’s at the bar nursing their drinks, some younger locals at tables in the back, and maybe a few adventuresome tourists clutching their trusty guidebooks. There’s no food served here because this is just a bar, and sometimes that’s all you need.

On nights when no local team is playing, it’s a fine place to sip some drafts and listen to a great old time jukebox (40s, 50s, R&B, and soul). On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
————————————————————————————————————————
Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

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

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

3 Good Eating Places

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

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

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

Xi’an Famous Foods – 24 W45th St. (Btw 5th/6th ave)
Try to avoid long lunch lines. Order lamb hand ripped noodles and warm your insides at one of the tables in the back. You’ll return, just remember that even mild is pretty spicy.
==============================================================
“3 Good Eating Places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 Premier Pubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Summer 2016).
◊ Order before July 31, 2016 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
==============================================================

Subway Time
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station.
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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Fred Hersch Trio, Mark Morris and Surupa Sen, Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus, New Directors/New Films, Parlor Chats: What is America's role in the world?, Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance, The Tristano Project | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/22) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 03/22/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > TUESDAY / MAR. 22, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Fred Hersch Trio (through March 27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30PM + 10:30PM, $
“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 next week.” (Chinen-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe (through March 27)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th St./ $
“This company from New Mexico, founded in 2007, makes its New York debut with an evening of short works. Mr. Siddi’s style arises from the Spanish roots of flamenco combined with influences from the American Southwest, evident in both his choreography and the music, which will be offered live by the troupe’s singers and instrumentalists.” (Burke-NYT)
Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday and March 25 at 8 p.m., March 26 at 2 and 8 p.m., March 27 at 2 p.m.

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus (also Wednesday)
Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th St./ 7:30PM, +9:30PM, $
“This chamber-esque big band — led by Mr. Formanek, an authoritative and intrepid bassist — has an excellent new album, “The Distance,” that heaves with composerly ambition. Drawing from the album, this engagement will similarly feature an all-star cohort including the saxophonists Tim Berne and Chris Speed; the trumpeters Ralph Alessi and Dave Ballou; the guitarist Mary Halvorson; and the drummer Tomas Fujiwara.” (Chinen-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Parlor Chats: What Don’t We Know About Zika (and All Viruses)?
The Strand, 828 Broadway,/ 7PM, $12, includes free drink
“An expert in ignorance and failure (aren’t we all?) sits down with a professor of microbiology to talk about Zika, and the many, many things we don’t know about viruses. It’s the first in a series of four “Parlor Chats” at the Strand next week, and price of admission includes a free drink.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

New Directors/New Films (thru Mar.27)
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.

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
How Japanese Cars Changed the World: An Insider’s Look
Japan Society, 333 E47th St./ 6:30PM, $13
“Tokyo-based motor journalist and host of the international car show Samurai Wheels Peter Lyon visits Japan Society to look at the highlights of Japan’s car industry, focused on the latest technologies including artificial intelligence, pedestrian safety and autonomous driving.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

==================================================================================
♦ 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:
‘Photo-Poetics: An Anthology’ (through March 27)
“Formally complex and expressively reserved, even hermetic, the work by 10 photographers in this stimulating show has roots in Conceptualism and takes language, history and speculative thinking as its raw materials. Photographs are structured with the equivalent of poetry’s metrical cadences and internal rhymes, and treated less as generators of translatable ideas than of suggestive metaphors. 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org.” (Cotter)

‘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 03/20 and 03/18.
=============================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Fred Hersch Trio, How Japanese Cars Changed the World, Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe, Michael Formanek Ensemble Kolossus, New Directors/New Films, Parlor Chats: What Don’t We Know About Zika | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/21) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 03/21/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > MONDAY / MAR. 21, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Sondheimas
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM +9:30PM, $30-$50
“Sondheimas is the annual quasi-religious celebration of the birth of the savior of musical theater, Stephen Sondheim. The team that brought you last year’s sold-out show at 54 Below is back with another raucous celebration of the man, the music, and the mythos. Expect songs familiar and obscure, irreverent schtick, and a warm holiday feeling that can only come from a gathering of the faithful celebrating together. Produced by David Levy and Maggie Larkin. Musical Direction by Andrei Strizek.”

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Natalie Douglas CD Release “Human Heart”
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $30
“The Broadway at Birdland concert series is pleased to welcome Natalie Douglas back to her musical home with a concert celebrating her new CD, “Human Heart.”
Called “a true force of nature” by The Times (UK), “sensational” by Time Out New York, “a monstrous talent” by Next Magazine and simply “everything” by The Daily News, her third album, weaves a tapestry of Jazz , Standard and Musical Theatre genres with Ms. Douglas’ emotional force and incomparable vocal stylings.” (broadwayworld.com)

Captain Black Big Band – Conducted by Orrin Evans
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway (btw 105/106 St.) / 7PM, + 9PM, $9
A big band (a very big band) with attitude. plays funky blues, avant-garde, even swing.

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

“Shadowboxing with History: The Conundrum of Fiction vs. Non-Fiction”
a panel discussion with Jerome Charyn, prolific chronicler of American life, Jay Neugeboren, author of 22 books, and moderator, Paul Hond, associate editor for COLUMBIA Magazine
Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th Ave @ 40th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“In this moderated dialogue, acclaimed authors and two friends of six decades, Jay Neugeboren (Max Baer and the Star of David: A Novel ) and Jerome Charyn (A Loaded Gun: Emily Dickinson for the 21st Century) talk about the interplay of history and art in the writing of fiction and non-fiction, about the necessary “lies” of non-fiction, and the reshaping of certain truths in the writing of historical fiction. What do all historical figures, re-imagined or not, have in common? How does language itself reinvent history? Their two fascinating books and the two fascinating historical figures, Max Baer and Emily Dickinson are showcased.”

Seasonal Jewish Cooking: A Talk and Tasting
92 Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 7PM, $25
“Explore the history of Jewish cuisine — from its inception to its modern focus on seasonality and sustainability — during this discussion featuring The Seasonal Jewish Kitchen author Amelia Saltsman. Saltsman will discuss the six mini-seasons central to Jewish cooking traditions, with samples of select recipes provided.”

===========================================================
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’. ”

Each 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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "Shadowboxing with History: The Conundrum of Fiction vs. Non-Fiction", Captain Black Big Band, Natalie Douglas CD Release "Human Heart", Seasonal Jewish Cooking: A Talk and Tasting, Sondheimas | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/20) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 03/20/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SUNDAY / MAR. 20, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Harold Mabern Trio
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St./ 7, 9 and 10:30PM, $
“A soulful hard-bop pianist with acres of experience, Mr. Mabern devoted his most recent album, “Afro Blue,” to the support and celebration of singers. This weekend, to celebrate a deluxe vinyl release of the album, he revisits the premise with guests including the singer Kurt Elling (Friday); the drummer Jimmy Cobb (Saturday); and the tenor saxophonist George Coleman (Sunday).’ (Chinen-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
In Transit The Musical In Concert
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM +9:30PM, $35-$45
“Join Feinstein’s/54 Below for a sneak peek performance of songs from In Transit! This groundbreaking and “optimism-oozing” new musical is a love song to NYC, written by Academy Award-winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Disney’s Frozen),James-Allen Ford, Russell Kaplan, and Sara Wordsworth. Inspired by the vibrant rhythms of the subway – and performed by its incredible ensemble – In Transit follows the intertwining journeys of an aspiring actress, a street-savvy beatboxer, a down-on-his-luck investment banker, an obsessive marathon runner, and others as they find their way in New York City. Featuring mind-blowing vocal arrangements by Deke Sharon(Pitch Perfect, The Sing-Off), prepare yourself for a belty blend of Broadway voices.” (broadwayworld.com)

Ron Carter Quartet Featuring Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM, +10:30PM, $
“The bassist Ron Carter, now in his late 70s and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, has come to project a professorial erudition along with his steady virtuosity. He’ll augment his quartet at the Blue Note this weekend with Mr. Scott, a slashing young New Orleans trumpeter who just finished his own three-day stint in the club.” (Chinen-NYT)

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 plus two new creations: “Dilly Dilly” (premiering Tuesday) and “Sullivaniana” (premiering Wednesday). Notable this year is the inclusion of work that Mr. Taylor has commissioned for the first time from handpicked artistic heirs — Larry Keigwin and Doug Elkins. Wednesday’s gala introduces Mr. Keigwin’s contribution; Thursday brings Mr. Elkins’s. Honoring Mr. Taylor’s own forbearer, the company will perform a Martha Graham work — “Diversion of Angels” — for the first time.” (Schaeffer-NYT)
Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7 p.m. (except Wednesday’s gala, which is at 6:30 p.m.), Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 9PM +11PM, $30
“Grammy Award winning pianist, composer and educator Arturo O’Farrill — leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (NY Times) — was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City.
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra is the resident large format ensemble of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA) founded by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007 and dedicated to preserving the music and heritage of big band Latin jazz.”

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

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Coffee and Tea Festival
Brooklyn Expo Center, 72 Noble St. Brooklyn / 12-5PM, $25
“More than sixty coffee and tea specialists will gather in Greenpoint to pour guests the perfect cup of caffeine. Seminars will include discussions about Turkish coffee, cold brew, and matcha. There’s a latte-art contest scheduled for Saturday, and food will be available for purchase throughout the weekend. Tickets start at $25 and include tastings, but additional fees apply for select seminars. Reserve your spot here.” (VillageVoice)

=======================================================================
♦ 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.
=======================================================================

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right sidebar dated 03/18 and 03/16.
=======================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Coffee and Tea Festival, Harold Mabern Trio, In Transit The Musical In Concert, Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance, Ron Carter Quartet Featuring Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/19) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 03/19/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SATURDAY / MAR. 19, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Bill Frisell: ”When You Wish Upon A Star” (through Mar.20)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“As Mr. Frisell, an introspective but expansively creative guitarist, finishes this second week of his residency, the focus turns to his new movie-themed album, “When You Wish Upon a Star,” with a group that includes Mr. Morgan, the singer Petra Haden, the violist Eyvind Kang and the drummer Rudy Royston.” (Chinen-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Randy Weston’s African Rhythms
Zankel Hall, Seventh Ave. at 57th St./ 9PM, $44-$52
Imposing in stature and influence, this Brooklyn-born pianist and composer has been mining the common ground between homegrown jazz and African musical idioms since the early sixties. Here he celebrates ninety in style, alongside some trusted associates, including the saxophonist and flautist T. K. Blue, the bassist Alex Blake, and the trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater.” (NewYorker)

Aaron Diehl
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St./ 7PM +9:30PM, $55-$75
“Sounding just as sharp as he looks in his tailored suits, the pianist Diehl has been lately recognized as the right-hand man for the vocal sensation Cécile McLorin Salvant. Taking hold of the spotlight, Diehl will exhibit his sleek mainstream chops alongside special guests including the saxophonist Joe Temperley, the vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and the trumpeter Dominick Farinacci.” (NewYorker)

Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $ (maybe a tough ticket, may have to StubHub it)
“The citywide Flamenco Festival continues with this Spanish company directed by Rafaela Carrasco. “Images: 20 Years” celebrates the troupe’s 20th anniversary with reinventions of its most popular repertory, including works by Mario Maya, Maria Pagés, Cristina Hoyos and Rubén Olmo.” (Siobhan Burke-NYT)

OR, if that ticket proves unavailable, here’s another Flamenco Festival event:
Nino de los Reyes
Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St./ 7PM, $25
“INSIDE” features flamenco dance sensation Nino de los Reyes with bassist Alain Pérez, singer Ismael Fernández & guitarist Juan José Suarez “Paquete”. Nino de los Reyes will be the “master of ceremonies” of this project that takes us to perceive music from inside, an intimate journey to these performer’s inner emotions. In “INSIDE”, flamenco and other musical trends come together naturally to show the core of a common path.”

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin, and the Making of the Grand Alliance
Where: New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West/ 9:30AM, $44
“Seventy-five years ago, the Grand Alliance that would defeat Nazi Germany was forged. Three towering world leaders—Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin—stood at the center of this unfolding drama. Their decisions and actions would change the course of the Second World War. Historian and strategic analyst John H. Maurer examines the role played by Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin in confronting the horrific menace of Nazi-dominated Europe during the crisis year of 1941.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Coffee and Tea Festival (also Sunday)
Brooklyn Expo Center, 72 Noble St. Brooklyn / 12-5PM, $25
“More than sixty coffee and tea specialists will gather in Greenpoint to pour guests the perfect cup of caffeine. Seminars will include discussions about Turkish coffee, cold brew, and matcha. There’s a latte-art contest scheduled for Saturday, and food will be available for purchase throughout the weekend. Tickets start at $25 and include tastings, but additional fees apply for select seminars. Reserve your spot here.” (VillageVoice)

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))

There 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

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

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

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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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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged and the Making of the Grand Alliance, Bill Frisell:”When You Wish Upon A Star”, Churchill, Coffee and Tea Festival, Nino de los Reyes, Randy Weston's African Rhythms, Roosevelt, Stalin | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/18) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 03/18/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > FRIDAY / MAR. 18, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía (also Saturday)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 8PM, $
“The citywide Flamenco Festival continues with this Spanish company directed by Rafaela Carrasco. “Images: 20 Years” celebrates the troupe’s 20th anniversary with reinventions of its most popular repertory, including works by Mario Maya, Maria Pagés, Cristina Hoyos and Rubén Olmo.” (Siobhan Burke-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Aaron Diehl (also Saturday)
The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St./ 7PM +9:30PM, $
“Sounding just as sharp as he looks in his tailored suits, the pianist Diehl has been lately recognized as the right-hand man for the vocal sensation Cécile McLorin Salvant. Taking hold of the spotlight, Diehl will exhibit his sleek mainstream chops alongside special guests including the saxophonist Joe Temperley, the vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and the trumpeter Dominick Farinacci.” (NewYorker)

Hong Kong Ballet (through March 20)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th St./ $10+
“For its Joyce Theater debut, this company presents a trio of works by three choreographers, each a formidable voice in their respective countries. Fei Bo, resident choreographer of the National Ballet of China, contributes “A Room of Her Own,” inspired by Virginia Woolf’s similarly named feminist tract. Krzysztof Pastor, director of the National Polish Ballet, offers “In Light and Shadow,” which nods to the paintings of Rembrandt and Vermeer. The Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato is represented by “Castrati,” danced by nine men.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Friday at 8PM, March 19 at 2 and 8PM, March 20 at 2PM

Judy Gold
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 7PM, $35-45
“Judy Gold, the acclaimed comedian known for her work on television, film, and Off-Broadway, will be making her Feinstein’s/54 Below debut this spring! Judy has written and starred in two critically acclaimed long-running Off-Broadway hit shows: The Judy Show – My Life As A Sitcom (New York Timescritic’s pick) and 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother.

She hosts a variety of stand-up performances on Comedy Central in addition to her guest appearances on popular television shows (can you name a few?). Don’t miss this exciting evening of laughter and story-telling with the one and only Judy Gold!”

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Brainwave: Jacqueline Novak + Douglas Mennin | Depression
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W17th St./ 7PM, $25
“Stand-up comedian Jacqueline Novak marks the launch of her book How to Weep in Public: Feeble Offerings from One Depressive to Another with a deep conversation on depression with an expert. A book signing will follow the program.”

400 Years Later: Shakespeare and “What He Hath Left Us”
Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave./ 4PM, FREE
“To commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the CUNY Graduate Center and Theatre for a New Audience present a two-day symposium on Shakespeare’s legacy on the stage and the page.”

Free symposium. For more information and to reserve seats to individual talks, visit http://www.tfana.org/Symposium. Some talks will be held at CUNY Graduate Center, and some will be held at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217.

==================================================================================
♦ 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*

An exhibition the NewYorkTimes likes:

*Now plan your own gallery crawl, but plan your visits for Tuesday through Saturday; most galleries are closed Sunday and Monday.

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see recent posts in right sidebar dated 03/16 and 03/14.
======================================================

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 400 Years Later: Shakespeare and “What He Hath Left Us”, Aaron Diehl, Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, Brainwave: Jacqueline Novak, Judy Gold | Leave a comment

Selected Events (03/17) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 03/17/2016 by GregD

Today’s Sweet 6+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 17, 2016

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
Hong Kong Ballet (through March 20)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th St./ $10+
“For its Joyce Theater debut, this company presents a trio of works by three choreographers, each a formidable voice in their respective countries. Fei Bo, resident choreographer of the National Ballet of China, contributes “A Room of Her Own,” inspired by Virginia Woolf’s similarly named feminist tract. Krzysztof Pastor, director of the National Polish Ballet, offers “In Light and Shadow,” which nods to the paintings of Rembrandt and Vermeer. The Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato is represented by “Castrati,” danced by nine men.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Thursday and Friday at 8PM, March 19 at 2 and 8PM, March 20 at 2PM

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Leon Parker
Mezzrow, 163 W10th St./ 9;30PM, $20
“This percussionist first gained notoriety in the nineties, as the ultimate jazz minimalist: he notoriously reduced his entire drum set down to a single cymbal to back the seasoned pianist Kenny Barron. Parker’s beefed up his kit since then, but could probably swing a band with just a fork and a knife. The pianist Kevin Hays and the bassist Sean Smith join him.” (NewYorker)

Bill Frisell:”When You Wish Upon A Star” (through Mar.20)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“In his second week the focus turns to Mr. Frisell’s new movie-themed album, “When You Wish Upon a Star,” with a group that includes Mr. Morgan, the singer Petra Haden, the violist Eyvind Kang and the drummer Rudy Royston.” (Chinen-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Fast Food: The Good, Bad and Hungry
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave. @ 40th St./6:30PM, FREE
With Andrew F. Smith, a writer and lecturer on food and culinary history and the general editor for the “Edible Series.”

“This talk explores why the fast food industry has been so successful and examines the myriad ethical lines it has crossed to become so. It shows that fast food—plain and simple—devised a perfect retail model, one that works everywhere, to provide highly flavored calories with speed, economy and convenience.”

“Amazin’ Again” with Author Greg Prince
Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, 67 E. 11th St./ 7PM, FREE withRSVP
“The Mets are gonna be amazing.”—Casey Stengel, circa 1975
“They were coming off a seemingly endless string of losing records. They were considered years away from legitimate contention. They were derided and disregarded as a matter of course. But in 2015, the New York Mets changed their course and changed their story. The result was the best kind of amazin’. They proceeded to capture a division title, raise a pennant, and lay claim to the heart of their city.

Author Greg Prince—cocreator of “Faith and Fear in Flushing”—traces the trajectory of this championship season and recreates the emotions of a year that culminated in the Mets making New York their kind of town once again.”

Reel Pieces with Annette Insdorf:
Preview of “Born to Be Blue” and Conversation with Ethan Hawke
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 8PM, $37
“In a recent Brooklyn Magazine profile, an officer waves to the actor Ethan Hawke from the driver’s seat of his squad car—with a perp in the back. “Happens all the time,” Hawke remarks from his stoop perch, before asking the stunned interviewer if she’s seen “Training Day.” The scene is a minor one, but it speaks to the perseverance of Hawke’s performances, even in supporting roles. This spring, Hawke will take on the role of Chet Baker in the bio-pic “Born to Be Blue,” set in the nineteen-fifties, Baker’s breakout period, and chronicling his struggles with heroin addiction amid growing fame. Hawke joins the professor and author Annette Insdorf for a preview screening and discussion of the film and his acting career, as part of the long-running “Reel Pieces” series.” (NYT-SpareTimes)
====================================================
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.

No 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.

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged “Amazin’ Again” with Author Greg Prince, Bad and Hungry, Fast Food: The Good, Hong Kong Ballet, Leon Parker | Leave a comment

	Darin on October NYC Events + NYC Weeke…
	Darin on Selected Events (10/13) + Toda…

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SATURDAY / MAR. 26, 2016

Today’s Sweet 6+ > FRIDAY / MAR. 25, 2016

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A PremierPub / Midtown West.

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

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

Today’s Sweet 6+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 24, 2016

Chelsea Art Gallery District*

Today’s Sweet 6+ > WEDNESDAY / MAR. 23, 2016

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

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

Today’s Sweet 6+ > TUESDAY / MAR. 22, 2016

Today’s Sweet 6+ > MONDAY / MAR. 21, 2016

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

3 Good Eating places

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SUNDAY / MAR. 20, 2016

Today’s Sweet 6+ > SATURDAY / MAR. 19, 2016

A PremierPub / Tribeca

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

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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Today’s Sweet 6+ > FRIDAY / MAR. 18, 2016

Chelsea Art Gallery District*

Today’s Sweet 6+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 17, 2016

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

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

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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