Selected Events (03/16) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 03/16/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > WEDNESDAY / MAR. 16, 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:
Duchess
55 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S./ 7PM, no cover
DUCHESS kicks off a four-week residency back where it all began, the 55 bar. They will be there March 16, 23, 30, and April 6, working out new material for an upcoming album, which they are set to record this spring! They have played way more upscale places, but Duchess seems to shine best in this basement joint.

“Three fine singers—Melissa Stylianou, Amy Cervini, and Hilary Gardner—join together in swinging harmony to whip up music that traffics in delight. Referencing vocal icons from Peggy Lee to the Boswell Sisters, this fresh-voiced triumvirate plays it straight from the heart, leaving any trace of camp or postmodern irony at the door.” (NewYorker)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance (through April 3)
NYS/DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ 7PM, $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.

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)

LIVE from the NYPL: Nathaniel Kahn | Matt Mountain | Paul Holdengräber
New York Public Library—Main Building, 476 Fifth Ave./ 7PM, $25
“Oscar-nominated documentarian Nathaniel Kahn has set out to tell the story of the James Webb Telescope, a successor to the Hubble Telescope and science’s best chance to see farther into the universe than ever before. Matt Mountain is President of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, the body that oversees the science operations for that very telescope. He joins Kahn to discuss his goals for the project and how the Webb Telescope may change astronomy’s future.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

“Phyllis Galembo: Maske”
Aperture Gallery and Bookstore, 547 W27 St., 4th Fl.,/ 6:30PM, FREE
Phyllis Galembo is a fine art portrait photographer and author of numerous books on Halloween, masquerade, ritual ceremony and fancy dress, for which she has traveled throughout western and central Africa and the Caribbean in search of subject matter.

Her most recent book Maske, published by Aperture Foundation this month, features a selection of more than 100 of the award-winning photographer’s masquerade images, organized by country. Join Ms. Galembo for a talk about her ethnological work, which was shot over a period of 20 years, and pick up a signed copy of her bewitching book.” (the Observer)

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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:
‘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)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 03/14 and 03/12.
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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 (03/15) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 03/15/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Sweet 6+ > TUESDAY / MAR. 15, 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:
Bill Frisell:”When You Wish Upon A Star” (through Mar.20)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $
“This weekend Mr. Frisell, an introspective but expansively creative guitarist, finishes a duo run with Thomas Morgan, a sensitive and grounded bassist. Next 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)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Marta Sánchez Quintet
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St./ 8PM, $
“Marta Sánchez is a Spanish pianist whose most recent album, “Partenika,” also shows her to be an intriguing composer. She draws from the album with her New York quintet, with Roman Filiu on alto saxophone, Jerome Sabbagh on tenor saxophone, Rick Rosato on bass and Colin Stranahan on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)

Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance (through April 3)
DHK Theater, Lincoln Center/ 7PM, $
“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.

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

The Quartet: Stories, Poetry and Dreams (also Wednesday)
Irish Arts Center, 553 West 51st St./ 7:30PM, $20
“Michael Murphy, a 45-year veteran of broadcast news in Ireland, joins some of his colleagues for a reading and performance of some of his literary works. The show, a reflection on love, sex, friendship and family, comes to the United States after receiving strong reviews during its tour of Ireland.”

Panel on Migration Emigration, Migration, and Self-Determination: Italians, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans in Search of an American Dream
John C. Calandra Italian American Institute, 25 West 43rd St./ 6PM, FREE
“This discussion examines the ways in which immigrants from Italy, Mexico and Puerto Rico have found their respective places in American society. Joining the panel are Julian Tamburri, dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College; Edwin Meléndez, director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College; and Alyshia Gálvez, director of the Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute at Lehman College.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

The Price to Play: A Discussion About the NCAA and Its Student Athletes
MainBuilding, New York Public Library / 7PM, FREE
“March Madness is fast approaching, but beneath the exciting surface of sports spectacle loom big questions about how college athletes are compensated in a billion-dollar industry. Jami Floyd, who hosts “All Things Considered” on WNYC, moderates the discussion between Ekow Yankah, who wrote the essay “Why NCAA Athletes Shouldn’t Be Paid” for The New Yorker, and Joe Nocera, a New York Times columnist and an author of the book “Indentured: The Inside Story of the Rebellion Against the NCAA.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

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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

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

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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”
This covers a wide range of food – the traditional pizza, burgers, & hot dogs; but also food trucks & carts, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls, bbq, vegetarian, falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars. 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.

=============================================================
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 (03/14) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 03/14/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > MONDAY / MAR. 14, 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:
The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim
Alice Tully Hall (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30PM, $50-$125
“Frequent Sondheim stager John Doyle directs this benefit for Classic Stage Company, where he will take over as artistic director in July. Among the dames at emotional sea will be Victoria Clark, Cynthia Erivo, Joaquina Kalukango, Judy Kuhn, Marin Mazzie and Alexandra Silber.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Maxine Linehan: One—The Songs of U2
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $30-$50
Maxine Linehan returns to Birdland for the premiere of her new show, “One – The Songs of U2,” as a part of the Broadway at Birdland series. Joined by guest vocalists Brian Charles Rooney (The Threepenny Opera, I Am Harvey Milk) and Tony® Award nominee Jarrod Spector (Beautiful, Jersey Boys), this highly anticipated performance includes U2 hit classics like “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Beautiful Day,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and of course the quintessential “One.”

“Bono she didn’t! Poised and incisive Irish-born singer-actor Linehan gets close to the Edge in a new set devoted to the music of U2. Proceeds benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.” (TONY)

Jim Black Trio
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St./ 10PM, $
“Mr. Black is widely known as a drummer of convulsive intensity and a bandleader rooted in the protocols of noise-rock. But in this group, with the probing Austrian pianist Elias Stemeseder and the intuitive American bassist Thomas Morgan, he spins a deeply sonorous variation on the acoustic piano trio tradition. “The Constant” is the band’s third album, which will provide the bulk of the material here.” (Chinen-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Mark Murphy Memorial Celebration
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Lexington Avenue, at 54th St./ 7PM, FREE
“Mr. Murphy, who died last October at 83, was a jazz singer of mercurial gifts, expansive both in his style and in the influence he left. He will be celebrated, and no doubt emulated, in this memorial concert, whose long list of celebrants includes the pianist Alan Broadbent and the singers Annie Ross, Sheila Jordan, Kurt Elling, Giacomo Gates, Jay Clayton, Tessa Souter and Roz Corral.” (Chinen-NYT)

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

Michael Pollan and Alex Gibney
Directors Guild of America Theater, 110 W57th St./ 6:30PM, SoldOut,
BUT this event will be available on a live webcast. Send your e-mail to register.
“Take a pinch of Michael Pollan (food journalist and author), add some Alex Gibney (director of the new Netflix documentary Cooked, based on Pollan’s book), stir in some Sam Sifton (The New York Times’ Food Editor)—and you have the makings of a tasty TimesTalk indeed. Director’s Guild of America.

From roasting over fire in Western Australia to fermenting in Peru, embark on a journey through world cultures and cuisines with best–selling author and advocate Michael Pollan and Oscar–winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, joined by Sam Sifton, New York Times Food editor and the founding editor of NYT Cooking. Discover the ideas behind the new Netflix original documentary series “Cooked,” from Pollan and Gibney and a cast of all–star filmmakers who travel the world to investigate the primal human need to cook, issuing a clarion call to reclaim lost traditions and restore balance to our lives.”
=======================================================
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 03/12 and 03/10.
=======================================================

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

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Selected Events (03/13) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 03/13/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > SUNDAY / MAR. 13, 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:
Roy Haynes 91st Birthday Celebration
Blue Note, 131 West Third St./ 8PM +10:30PM, $50 – $75
“When Roy Haynes says that he’s played with “everybody,” it’s not just a figure of speech: The 90-year-old drum legend’s former employers include Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Sarah Vaughan, to name only a few. Haynes remains a galvanizing bandleader and garrulous crowd-pleaser, not to mention one of the hardest-swinging percussionists ever to pick up sticks. For this special celebration of his 91st birthday, the drummer teams up here with lyrical guitar superstar Pat Metheny.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Birdland Jazz Party Hosted By Carole Bufford
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 6PM, $40
“Birdland’s very own jazz quartet hits the stage every Sunday to wrap up the weekend with jazz classics featuring jazz vocalist Carole J. Bufford! Carole J. Bufford has become one of the most sought after young performers in the New York cabaret & jazz scene. Her recent shows, “Speak Easy” and “Body & Soul” earned her rave reviews across the board, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She has traveled all over the US and recently made her London debut to great critical acclaim.”

L’Immediat (LAST DAY)
N.Y.U. Skirball Center, 566 LaGuardia Pl./ 3PM, $35-$65
“The French director, artist, and performer Camille Boitel stages the New York première of his kinetic spectacle. The show combines theatre, circus, and acrobatics to create a live experience that swings over the edge of chaos into something barely categorizable: seven aerialists perform soaring stunts and lurching pantomime, interacting with shifting, tangled props that litter the stage, including piles of junk, worn wooden furniture, and clusters of lights.

Boitel is a veteran in the schools of magic and contortionism, who began his work at age twelve, busking in the streets of Montauban. He’s recently toured this unruly production across Europe, Asia, and South America.” (NewYorker)

Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Quiet guitar innovator Bill Frisell, a jazz ace equally enamored with country music, twangy ’50s pop and outré noise, still sounds like no other player on earth. For his latest Vanguard stand, in what is sure to be a stunning showcase of his many talents, Frisell scales down to a duo with eminent young bassist Thomas Morgan.” (TONY)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
“The singer Esperanza Fernández and the jazz musician Gonzalo Rubalcaba perform in “Flamenco Meets Cuba” at Roulette in Downtown Brooklyn. 8PM, $40″ (NYT/Today)

Elsewhere, but this is CLOSING TODAY: Catch the final days of “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland” exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. It is really excellent.
subway: easy 25 minutes from Penn Station.
#2.3 express to Eastern Parkway, right at museum’s doorstep.

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

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 (03/12) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 03/12/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Sweet 6+ > SATURDAY / MAR. 12, 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:
L’Immediat (thru Mar.13)
N.Y.U. Skirball Center, 566 LaGuardia Pl./ 8PM, $35-$65
“The French director, artist, and performer Camille Boitel stages the New York première of his kinetic spectacle. The show combines theatre, circus, and acrobatics to create a live experience that swings over the edge of chaos into something barely categorizable: seven aerialists perform soaring stunts and lurching pantomime, interacting with shifting, tangled props that litter the stage, including piles of junk, worn wooden furniture, and clusters of lights.

Boitel is a veteran in the schools of magic and contortionism, who began his work at age twelve, busking in the streets of Montauban. He’s recently toured this unruly production across Europe, Asia, and South America.” (NewYorker)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Ana Gasteyer: I’m Hip / Music , Cabaret and Standards
Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University / 7:30PM, $29-$55
“Best known for her six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, where she specialized in prisses, Gasteyer has also had a successful stage career on Broadway and elsewhere, including a run as Wicked’s Elphaba. At Pace, she performs tunes from her swinging 2014 album of neostandards, I’m Hip, along with some new selections.” (TONY)

Celtic Appalachian Celebration
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th St./ 8PM, $
“This event, now in its fifth iteration, showcases Irish-influenced American folk music. Led by Mick Moloney, a National Heritage Award winner, the concert blends traditional American music, country and bluegrass with Irish step dance. The Green Fields of America, an Irish-American music group, will headline the concert, which also includes performances by the High Ridge Ramblers of West Virginia; the Murphy Beds, a folk duo; and the dancers Shannon Dunne and Megan Downes.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan (thru Mar.13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Quiet guitar innovator Bill Frisell, a jazz ace equally enamored with country music, twangy ’50s pop and outré noise, still sounds like no other player on earth. For his latest Vanguard stand, in what is sure to be a stunning showcase of his many talents, Frisell scales down to a duo with eminent young bassist Thomas Morgan.” (TONY)

Teklife
Slake, 251 W30th St./ 10PM, $20
“The race to bring dance music back to Manhattan from the bowels of North Brooklyn can make for some curious billings. Fans of the producer collective Teklife might be disoriented to find themselves in midtown for this label showcase, but the crew’s breakneck soul loops are reverberating beyond their usual scene, long blown out of their Chicago origins. Still, Slake is a step up from many venues, and this set is worth the trip across the river: DJ Earl, DJ Spinn, and TASO will man the beats, blending gems from their spread of self-released EPs, while the dance crew the Era will show off the quick, technical steps known as footwork that Teklife’s sound is designed to spur.” (NewYorker)

Marcus Roberts Trio (last day)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“Like many of us these days, the pianist Roberts has politics on his mind, though as a composer, this dexterous, historically minded player can handily translate his thoughts into instrumental music. His nonpartisan song cycle—“Race For The White House”—paints tonal portraits of favored candidates, and is sure to be a highlight of this dectet performance.” (NewYorker)

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

Elsewhere, but this is CLOSING SOON (MAR.13): Catch the final days of “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland” exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. It is really excellent.
subway: easy 25 minutes from Penn Station.
#2.3 express to Eastern Parkway, right at museum’s doorstep.

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

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 03/10 and 03/08.
======================================================

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 (03/11) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 03/11/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > FRIDAY / MAR. 11, 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:
Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan (through March 13)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Quiet guitar innovator Bill Frisell, a jazz ace equally enamored with country music, twangy ’50s pop and outré noise, still sounds like no other player on earth. For his latest Vanguard stand, in what is sure to be a stunning showcase of his many talents, Frisell scales down to a duo with eminent young bassist Thomas Morgan.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The New York Pops: 42nd on 57th—Broadway Today
Carnegie Hall, 57th St. & 7th Ave./ 8PM, $20-$122
In an evening of theater showstoppers, The New York Pops brings the best of Broadway uptown.The New York Pops is the largest independent pops orchestra in the United States and the only professional symphonic orchestra in New York City that specializes in popular music.
“The Pops snap and crackle through a selection of modern Broadway show music. Darren Criss (Glee) and Betsy Wolfe (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) are the guest vocalists; Steven Reineke wields the baton.” (TONY)

Marcus Roberts Trio (through March 12)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“Like many of us these days, the pianist Roberts has politics on his mind, though as a composer, this dexterous, historically minded player can handily translate his thoughts into instrumental music. His nonpartisan song cycle—“Race For The White House”—paints tonal portraits of favored candidates, and is sure to be a highlight of this dectet performance.” (NewYorker)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Village Voice’s 9th Annual Choice Eats
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W18 St./ 7PM – 11PM, $70
“Enjoy a tasting of New York’s top dishes from 65 restaurants selected by the Voice staff. From juicy American bites by Genuine Superette to Cabalito’s Salvadorian style pupusas, tastings will include a variety of cuisines. Don’t forget to visit Choice Sweets — an entire section dedicated to sweets. Beer and wine will also be available. General admission tickets ($70) include a souvenir tasting glass and unlimited bites.” (VillageVoice)

Elsewhere, but this annual feast of ideas is not to be missed:
Seven Days of Genius (through Friday)
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ at various times, $
“This series of events, exhibitions and workshops highlights how leading thinkers and creators make a positive impact on the world. The programs include a panel discussion about industries of the future featuring the innovation and policy expert Alec Ross, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the neurobiologist Dr. Cori Bargmann and Jared Cohen, the founder and director of Google Ideas; a workshop on the science of cooking presented by the former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses; and an interactive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop. Further information and tickets are available at 92y.org/Genius.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Elsewhere, but this is CLOSING SOON (MAR.13): Catch the final days of “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland” exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. It is really excellent.
subway: easy 25 minutes from Penn Station.
#2.3 express to Eastern Parkway, right at museum’s doorstep.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
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Selected Events (03/10) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 03/10/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > THURSDAY / MAR. 10, 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:
Charlie Musselwhite
City Winery, 155 Varick St, nr Spring St./ 8PM, $35-$40
“This electric blues harmonica veteran scored a pop crossover success a few years ago with “Get Up!,” a hot-blooded joint album with the folk and blues singer-songwriter Ben Harper. The record’s pleasantly ramshackle spirit evoked a fruitful jam session with moments of gospel elevation. Mr. Musselwhite has been a prominent solo act since the Sixties, and is long-rumored to have been the inspiration for Dan Aykroyd’s brash, harmonica-wielding character in “The Blues Brothers.” (Anderson-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Flamenco Festival New York 2016 (through March 19)
“The 13th iteration of this festival celebrating all things flamenco brings a bright lineup of music and dance to locations throughout the city. Venerable troupes like Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía make an appearance, as do dynamic stars like Farruquito. Under the banner “Beyond Flamenco” are artists who have roots in flamenco or take inspiration from it but mix in other styles — like Nino de los Reyes, who stirs in jazz and modern dance. At various times and places, flamencofestival.org/eng/.” (Schaefer-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Tammy Faye Starlite: Cabaret Marianne (LAST NIGHT)
Pangea, 178 Second Ave./ 7:30PM, $20-$25
“Every few years, the fascinating Tammy Faye Starlite sheds her skin. She has performed as a country singer and as glacial German chanteuse Nico; now, at East Village boîte Pangea, she channels the distressed glamour and heroin-pierced hauteur of English singer-survivor Marianne Faithfull. Cabaret Marianne summons a world of bygone rock decadence, with a keen edge of wit—“It’s less an impersonation than an interpretation,” Starlite notes— and respect for history: Her band includes guitarist Barry Reynolds, who cowrote Faithfull’s “Broken English.” The mix of brutal pathos and satirical wit makes for a bracing evening.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
H20: Ceremony, Control, Conservation
The Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, betw West Third and Bleecker St./ 6:30PM, FREE, please RSVP
“Water has always had a big impact on architecture, civilization and the development of cities. This panel discusses how water has affected different cultures throughout history and how architecture and design may change in the future to account for factors like the rise in sea level.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Elsewhere, but this annual feast of ideas is not to be missed:
Seven Days of Genius (through Friday)
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ at various times, $
“This series of events, exhibitions and workshops highlights how leading thinkers and creators make a positive impact on the world. The programs include a panel discussion about industries of the future featuring the innovation and policy expert Alec Ross, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the neurobiologist Dr. Cori Bargmann and Jared Cohen, the founder and director of Google Ideas; a workshop on the science of cooking presented by the former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses; and an interactive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop. Further information and tickets are available at 92y.org/Genius.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

=======================================================
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:
‘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)

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

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015).
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 03/08 and 03/06.
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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 (03/09) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 03/09/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Sweet 6+ > WEDNESDAY / MAR. 09, 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:
Leon Bridges
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $
“A retro-soul stylist, Mr. Bridges rents Sam Cooke’s suavity and adds dashes of modern pop and soul on his first studio album, “Coming Home.” A high-profile set on “Saturday Night Live” this season has also buoyed this young Texan artist during his ever-expanding North American headlining tour.” (Stacey Anderson-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Jimmy Heath 90th Birthday Celebration
Blue Note, 131 West Third St./ 8PM +10:30PM, $20-$35
“Jimmy Heath, a tireless saxophonist, educator, composer and National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, won’t technically be 90 until late October. That hasn’t prevented him from embracing the premise of this engagement, featuring his smartly honed big band.” (Chinen-NYT)

Marcus Roberts Trio (through March 12)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“Like many of us these days, the pianist Roberts has politics on his mind, though as a composer, this dexterous, historically minded player can handily translate his thoughts into instrumental music. His nonpartisan song cycle—“Race For The White House”—paints tonal portraits of favored candidates, and is sure to be a highlight of this dectet performance.” (NewYorker)

Flamenco Festival New York 2016 (through March 19)
“The 13th iteration of this festival celebrating all things flamenco brings a bright lineup of music and dance to locations throughout the city. Venerable troupes like Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía make an appearance, as do dynamic stars like Farruquito. Under the banner “Beyond Flamenco” are artists who have roots in flamenco or take inspiration from it but mix in other styles — like Nino de los Reyes, who stirs in jazz and modern dance. At various times and places, flamencofestival.org/eng/.” (Schaefer-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Elsewhere, but this annual feast of ideas is not to be missed:
Seven Days of Genius (through Friday)
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ at various times, $
“This series of events, exhibitions and workshops highlights how leading thinkers and creators make a positive impact on the world. The programs include a panel discussion about industries of the future featuring the innovation and policy expert Alec Ross, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the neurobiologist Dr. Cori Bargmann and Jared Cohen, the founder and director of Google Ideas; a workshop on the science of cooking presented by the former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses; and an interactive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop. Further information and tickets are available at 92y.org/Genius.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Briefly Seen, New York Street Life
Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th ave @ 40th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
with Harvey Stein, a professional photographer, teacher, lecturer, and author.
“This illustrated lecture documents the iconic areas of Midtown and Downtown Manhattan in 172 beautiful black-and-white photographs taken over 41 years, from 1974 through 2014.”

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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
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 2015.  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.

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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”
This covers a wide range of food – the traditional pizza, burgers, & hot dogs; but also food trucks & carts, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls, bbq, vegetarian, falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars. 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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Selected Events (03/08) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 03/08/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > TUESDAY / MAR. 08, 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:
‘The History of the World in 100 Performances’
Rubinstein Atrium, Lincoln Center, Broadway, btw 62/63 St./ 7:30PM, FREE
“This installment in the ongoing series focuses on Judy Garland’s 1961 performance at Carnegie Hall. Adam Gopnik, a columnist and cultural commentator for The New Yorker — with the help of WNYC’s Jonathan Schwartz and the actress and singer Melissa Errico — leads a multimedia exploration of the show, which is widely considered one of the greatest in showbiz history.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Marcus Roberts Trio (through March 12)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“Like many of us these days, the pianist Roberts has politics on his mind, though as a composer, this dexterous, historically minded player can handily translate his thoughts into instrumental music. His nonpartisan song cycle—“Race For The White House”—paints tonal portraits of favored candidates, and is sure to be a highlight of this dectet performance.” (NewYorker)

Flamenco Festival New York 2016 (through March 19)
“The 13th iteration of this festival celebrating all things flamenco brings a bright lineup of music and dance to locations throughout the city. Venerable troupes like Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía make an appearance, as do dynamic stars like Farruquito. Under the banner “Beyond Flamenco” are artists who have roots in flamenco or take inspiration from it but mix in other styles — like Nino de los Reyes, who stirs in jazz and modern dance. At various times and places, flamencofestival.org/eng/.” (Schaefer-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Fifth Annual N.Y. Drinks N.Y. Grand Tasting
Altman Building 18th St. (btw 7/6 ave in Chelsea) / 6PM, $45
Sip New York wines at “NY Drinks NY” which celebrates New York wine during a month-long promotion in March, organized by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

Elsewhere, but this annual feast of ideas is not to be missed:
Seven Days of Genius (through Friday)
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ at various times, $
“This series of events, exhibitions and workshops highlights how leading thinkers and creators make a positive impact on the world. The programs include a panel discussion about industries of the future featuring the innovation and policy expert Alec Ross, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the neurobiologist Dr. Cori Bargmann and Jared Cohen, the founder and director of Google Ideas; a workshop on the science of cooking presented by the former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses; and an interactive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop. Further information and tickets are available at 92y.org/Genius.” (NYT-SpareTimes)
Today:
7:00PM / Dr. Martin Chalfie: GFP – Lighting Up Life
8:15PM / Unravelling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind

+ Tuesday’s FREE events
These events did not quite make the cut for today’s Fab 5
but they are worthy, and they are FREE.
>9/11 Memorial Museum; FREE, 5-8PM, (line closes 6PM)
>Talk: actress Sally Field discusses her new film “Hello, My Name Is Doris”; @Apple Store, 103 Prince St./ 6PM, reservations required
>Concert: ensemble ACJW performs works by Villa-Lobos, Shostakovich, Golijov; @Juilliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, Paul Hall / 7:30PM, tickets required.
=======================================================
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 2015.  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 03/06 and 03/04.
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This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: 
Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

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

Subway Time 
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Train and Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
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Selected Events (03/07) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 03/07/2016 by GregD

 Today’s Fab 5+ > MONDAY / MAR. 07, 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:
Leon Bridges (also Wednesday)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $
“A retro-soul stylist, Mr. Bridges rents Sam Cooke’s suavity and adds dashes of modern pop and soul on his first studio album, “Coming Home.” A high-profile set on “Saturday Night Live” this season has also buoyed this young Texan artist during his ever-expanding North American headlining tour.” (Stacey Anderson-NYT)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Flamenco Festival New York 2016 (through March 19)
“The 13th iteration of this festival celebrating all things flamenco brings a bright lineup of music and dance to locations throughout the city. Venerable troupes like Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía make an appearance, as do dynamic stars like Farruquito. Under the banner “Beyond Flamenco” are artists who have roots in flamenco or take inspiration from it but mix in other styles — like Nino de los Reyes, who stirs in jazz and modern dance. At various times and places, flamencofestival.org/eng/.” (Schaefer-NYT)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Drive-By Truckers
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn/ 8PM, $35
“Dark waters threaten to overwhelm these Southern country-rockers on “English Oceans,” their latest and 12th album. Slumped under a heavy fog of malaise, the singer-guitarists Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley caution against soul-draining jobs, suffocating relationships and counterproductive idealism. A live album, “It’s Great to Be Alive!,” was released in the fall.” (Anderson-NYT)

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

Armory Week
Spring/Break Art Show (LAST DAY)
Skylight at Moynihan Station, (Main Post Office Entrance),
421 Eighth Avenue, (btw34/32St.) / 12PM, $15
“A renegade art fair occupying two abandoned floors above the city’s main post office in Hell’s Kitchen, the Spring/Break Art Show presents a wide variety of work from emerging art galleries, publishers and do-it-yourself artists. Featuring more than 100 curators and 800 artists, the fair is a creative free-for-all event that’s unlike any of the other more serious art fairs in the city this week. With a theme of “CopyPaste,” expect this year’s show—the fifth edition since the fair got its start in an old school house in Nolita in 2012—to be chock full of appropriation art in a fascinating assortment of shapes, styles and substance.” (the Observer)

Elsewhere, but this annual feast of ideas is not to be missed:
Seven Days of Genius (through Friday)
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ at various times, $
“This series of events, exhibitions and workshops highlights how leading thinkers and creators make a positive impact on the world. The programs include a panel discussion about industries of the future featuring the innovation and policy expert Alec Ross, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the neurobiologist Dr. Cori Bargmann and Jared Cohen, the founder and director of Google Ideas; a workshop on the science of cooking presented by the former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses; and an interactive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop. Further information and tickets are available at 92y.org/Genius.” (NYT-SpareTimes)
Today:
12:00PM / Psychobiography with Gail Saltz: On the Genius of Theodore Roosevelt with Eric Burns
7:30PM / Ray Kurzweil with Neil deGrasse Tyson: Invention and Immortality

+ Monday’s FREE events
These events did not quite make the cut for today’s Sweet 6
but they are worthy, and they are FREE.
>National Museum of the American Indian – FREE all day
> Slide Lecture | A Guest at the Shooters’ Banquet: My Grandfather’s SS Past, My Jewish Family, A Search for the Truth @Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Ave. & 40th St./6:30PM
>Animated Shorts: Concert Featuring Dvorak, Prokofiev, Adams, Penderecki @Advent Lutheran Church, 2504 Broadway & 93rd St./7:30PM
this monthly series will feature Ute Lemper in April – you heard it here first!

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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
Special Mention:
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones St. nr Bleecker St. — caffevivaldi.com / 212-691-7538
a classic, old jazz club in the Village, Caffe V often surprises with a wonderfully eclectic lineup. It’s my favorite spot for an evening of listening enjoyment and discovery.

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of  8.5 million, had a record 58 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2015.  Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places

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

IMG_2083Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest”, Ali.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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