Selected Events (11/27) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 11/27/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > FRIDAY / NOV. 27, 2015

“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:
My Morning Jacket
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $
“This band, which came out of Kentucky around the turn of the century, is one of the few rock groups that can sell out arenas, so four nights in the relatively intimate confines of the Beacon Theatre is a real gift. Since the beginning, Jim James, the leader and chief songwriter of the country-rock group, has broadened the style and the range of his compositions—making open-ended, free-floating pieces that give the quintet the opportunity to explore vistas that incorporate the symphonic and the psychedelic. At the core, though, is the power of the human voice, James’s main component of connectivity.” (NewYorker)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Wycliffe Gordon & Friends (also Nov. 28)
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St/Broadway / 7:30PM +9:30PM, $
“Mr. Gordon, a trombonist, trumpeter, singer and one-man jubilation engine, settles in for a Thanksgiving-week engagement at his second home. He’ll be in good company, with the pianist Ehud Asherie, the bassist Yasushi Nakamura and the drummer Alvin Atkinson Jr.” (NYT-Chinen)

Jason Moran and the Bandwagon (thru Nov. 29)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, $30
The pianist Jason Moran may tip his hat to the jazz tradition—his latest album, “All Rise,” was a shape-shifting tribute to Fats Waller—but he generally stays focussed on the music’s genre-inclusive future. The Bandwagon trio, with the bassist Tarus Mateen and the drummer Nasheet Waits, can favor rhythmic interaction at the expense of reflection, but the group’s fervor is hard to deny or resist.” (NewYorker)

Ann Hampton Callaway: Feminine Persuasion (thru Nov. 28)
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 8PM, $60-$115
“A swinging fixture of the cabaret world, Ann Hampton Callaway has also branched into jazz and TV theme songs (The Nanny). She has a reassuringly mellow way with the standards, sung in a wry, coffee-voiced contralto. Her latest set is devoted to songs by women, including Carole King, Dorthy Fields, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee.” (TONY)

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

Justice in Film: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West /7PM, FREE with pay-as-you-wish Friday admission
“Join us for the New-York Historical Society’s film series, featuring opening remarks by notable directors, writers, actors, and historians. This series explores how film has tackled social conflict, morality, and the perennial struggles between right and wrong that are waged from the highest levels of government to the smallest local communities.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Celebrate the holiday season with one of the most enduring films of all time. Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a man who finds meaning in his life on Christmas Eve. Directed by Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore.”

Barclays Center Classic (November 27 and 28)
Cincinnati, Tennessee, Nebraska and George Washington will come to Brooklyn for the fourth annual Barclays Center Classic.

Coming off a 20-win season, Cincinnati will take on a rising Nebraska squad expecting a boost from a deep recruiting class. Coach Rick Barnes brings his 604 career wins along for his first season at Tennessee, while George Washington is powered by a trio of four-year starters.
TIP-OFF TIMES:
November 27
6:30PM – Cincinnati vs. Nebraska
9:00PM – George Washington vs. Tennessee
November 28
12:00PM – Consolation Game
2:30PM – Championship Game

Bonus – Music Picks:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are a few of my favorite music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:
City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St. joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd dSt. bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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:
‘Picasso Sculpture’ (through Feb. 7)
“Nearly a work of art in its own right, this magnificent show redefines Picasso’s achievement with the first full view here in 50 years of his astoundingly varied forays into sculpture. His materials, not his female loves, become the muses, and are different each time out. The basic plotline: After introducing sculptural abstraction and space, he spent about 50 years counting the ways that the figure was far from finished. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Smith-NYT)

‘Transmissions: Art in Eastern Europe and Latin America, 1960-1980’ (through Jan. 3) “Visiting this big, spirited group show is like walking into a party of intriguing strangers. For every person you recognize, there are 10 you don’t know. One topic everyone’s talking about, at different intensities, is the anti-institutional politics that swept Europe and the Americas in the 1960s, and almost everyone speaks the language of Conceptualism. A product of an in-house research initiative called Contemporary and Modern Art Perspectives, or C-MAP, intended to expand MoMA’s narrow Paris-New York view of modernism, the show is very much the beginning rather than the end of a learning curve. But with curators exploring material new to them — just steps ahead of their audience — the show has a refreshing buzz of surprise as it takes the museum in a realistic new directions. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Cotter-NYT)

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/25 and 11/23.

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Selected Events (11/26) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 11/26/2015 by GregD

Today’s FAB 4 > THURSDAY / NOV. 26, 2015

“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 (of course):
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
starts W 77th St at Central Park West; 9:30AM, FREE
“It’s time for Snoopy’s fall trek to Herald Square. The beloved balloon beagle will soon be joined in the sky by inflatable friends like SpongeBob SquarePants and on street level by performers like Mariah Carey and the cast of Broadway’s “School of Rock” for the 89th edition of Macy’s seasonal spectacle.

The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at 77th Street and proceeds south along at Central Park West to Columbus Circle. From there, it moves east on 59th Street to Avenue of the Americas, where it heads downtown to Macy’s on Herald Square. Macy’s recommends arriving along the first stretch at 6 a.m.; late risers are advised to find spots along Avenue of the Americas.More tips for attending the parade, as well as the lineup and information are at social.macys.com/parade. NBC will air a live television broadcast from 9 a.m. to noon.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Jason Moran and the Bandwagon (thru Nov. 29)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St./ 8:30PM, $30
The pianist Jason Moran may tip his hat to the jazz tradition—his latest album, “All Rise,” was a shape-shifting tribute to Fats Waller—but he generally stays focussed on the music’s genre-inclusive future. The Bandwagon trio, with the bassist Tarus Mateen and the drummer Nasheet Waits, can favor rhythmic interaction at the expense of reflection, but the group’s fervor is hard to deny or resist.” (NewYorker)

Ann Hampton Callaway: Feminine Persuasion (thru Nov. 28)
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 8PM, $60-$115
“A swinging fixture of the cabaret world, Ann Hampton Callaway has also branched into jazz and TV theme songs (The Nanny). She has a reassuringly mellow way with the standards, sung in a wry, coffee-voiced contralto. Her latest set is devoted to songs by women, including Carole King, Dorthy Fields, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee.” (TONY)

Christine Ebersole & Billy Stritch in “Our Favorite Things”
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 6PM, $40
“The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce the return of Tony Award-winning actress/singer CHRISTINE EBERSOLE and Grammy Award-winning composer/pianist/singer BILLY STRITCH in “Our Favorite Things”

“Our Favorite Things” will celebrate songs from the duo’s past concerts and recordings, including “Surrey With The Fringe on Top,” “Small Hotel,” “My Favorite Things.” Ebersole and Stritch will also introduce a few tunes to kick off the holiday season, complete with their signature tight harmonies, luxurious vocals and snappy conversation.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Bonus – Jazz Picks:
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:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South — villagevanguard.com / 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St., nr 6th ave. — bluenotejazz.com / 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St., nr 7th ave.S. — 55bar.com / 212-929-9883
Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9 ave) — 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 56 million visitors last year and is 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 / 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.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Selected Events (11/25) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 11/25/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > WEDNESDAY / NOV. 25, 2015

“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:
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation
W 79th St at Columbus Ave; 3–10PM, FREE
“A longtime New York City tradition, watching the great balloons come to life is now a tourist attraction as well. Pop by after dark for the best experience—the crowds have usually died down a bit, and the characters look really cool beneath the street lights.” (TONY) / I like this almost as much as the parade itself, especially love the wide eyes of the young kids seeing the balloons for the first time.

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
My Morning Jacket (also Friday and Nov. 28)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St./ 8PM, $
“The psychedelic rock-and-country showmen turned to naturalistic themes on “The Waterfall,” the group’s seventh album. That effort, released in May, trod panoramic paths and failed relationships atop jam-heavy melodies that ultimately swelled with hope.” (Anderson-NYT)

Roy Haynes
Blue Note, 131 West Third St./ 8PM +10:30PM,
“At 90, Mr. Haynes has lost remarkably little of his crisp pugnacity as a drummer, even less of his cavalier swagger as a bandleader and virtually none of his sartorial flash. He appears, as usual, with diligent musicians many years his junior.” (Chinen-NYT)

Elsewhere, but these two look worth the detour:
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Jazz Standard,116 E. 27th St./ 7:30pm, 9:30pm; $40
“Moving effortlessly from one acclaimed masterpiece to another, the composer, arranger, and bandleader Maria Schneider this year offered up “The Thompson Fields,” a deeply lyrical and elegiac work. Expect to hear selections from the album at Schneider’s annual Thanksgiving residency at Jazz Standard, as she conducts a band bursting with exceptional players, including the pianist Frank Kimbrough and the saxophonist Steve Wilson.” (NewYorker)

Daryl Sherman Trio
Jazz at Kitano, 66 Park Ave., at 38th St./ 8PM +10PM, $15
A witty and knowing singer and a sure pianist who has been honing her art since the early seventies, Sherman looks to mostly forgotten giants such as Mildred Bailey to shape her understated but eminently swinging style. She has an authenticity and a confidence that come with experience, allowing her to regularly investigate nooks and crannies of the standard repertoire which are typically left unexplored.” (NewYorker)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Central Park Tour: Belvedere’s Kingdom
Belvedere Castle (mid-park at 79th St./ 11AM – 12:30PM, $15
Built as a folly and completed in 1872, Belvedere Castle offers grand views of the landscape it dominates just west of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Join Central Park Conservancy guides on this tour of the area’s best-loved highlights, including Belvedere Castle, Shakespeare Garden, the Great Lawn, Turtle Pond, and the 3,500-year-old Obelisk, commonly known as Cleopatra’s Needle.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Bonus – Music Picks:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are a few of my favorite music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:
City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St. joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd dSt. bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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.
==================================================================================

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.

Here is one TimeOutNewYork likes:
Camille Henrot (Nov 5- Dec 12)
“Stylistically, this French artist manages to find the unlikely nexus between conceptualist rigor and Art Deco languor. Her theme, in a word, is everything or at least how it’s manifested as a ceaseless flow of information. Whether this adds up to something intelligible is probably besides the point, as the real attraction of her work is its melding of organized chaos with soigné formalism. She marshals drawing, sculpture and video to create elegant installations that are as hermetic as they are easy on the eyes.” (TONY)
Metro Pictures, 519 W 24th St.(between Tenth and Eleventh Aves)
Opening hours: Tue–Sat 10am–6pm

And one that NY Magazine likes:
Matthew Weinstein’s “E Lobro” / One fabulous fish.
Jacob Lewis Gallery, (through December 12)
“Weinstein, the underground love of numerous artists, has unveiled a new video of a sexy tangerine koi swimming through digitized miasmas of opalescent space, ever winding at us like some otherworldly deity. Accompanying paintings give us ravishing starbursts that seem to emanate from the artist’s own subterranean consciousness.“ (NYMAG-Jerry Saltz)

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 11/22 and 11/20.

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

Selected Events (11/24) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 11/24/2015 by GregD

Today’s SPLENDID 6 > TUESDAY / NOV. 24, 2015

“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:
Stevie Wonder
Madison Square Garden; 8PM; $49.50–$165
“The man, the myth, the living legend, Stevie Wonder ascends to the MSG stage for a one-night-only trip through his greatest hits—which means you’ll probably be hoarse from singing along by the end of the show.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Christine Ebersole & Billy Stritch in “Our Favorite Things” (thru Nov.26)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $40
“The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce the return of Tony Award-winning actress/singer CHRISTINE EBERSOLE and Grammy Award-winning composer/pianist/singer BILLY STRITCH in “Our Favorite Things”

“Our Favorite Things” will celebrate songs from the duo’s past concerts and recordings, including “Surrey With The Fringe on Top,” “Small Hotel,” “My Favorite Things.” Ebersole and Stritch will also introduce a few tunes to kick off the holiday season, complete with their signature tight harmonies, luxurious vocals and snappy conversation.”

‘Santasia’ (through Dec.23)
St. Luke’s Theater, 308 W46th St.(btw 8/9 ave)/ Tuesdays through Dec. 22 at 8PM, Wednesday matinees on Dec. 2, 16 and 23 @ 2PM, $40-$60
“This holiday musical comedy takes both a snarky and sentimental look at Christmas and family. Written by Shaun and Brandon Loeser, with choreography by Tania Pearson-Loeser, the show incorporates songs, sketch comedy and even Claymation movies.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Ensemble Signal: Inventions
Miller Theatre (at Columbia University); 6PM; FREE
“Take a walk on the wild side of classical music at this UWS pop-up concert. “Percussion virtuoso” Doug Perkins will perform on objects ranging from drums to flower pots to a cello—using the latter as a percussion instrument, rather than as a stringed one. Bonus: You can drink during the show.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
(Un)Silent Film Night
Tishman Auditorium of the New School, 63 Fifth Ave, at 13th St./ 7PM, FREE
“The New School’s silent-film event returns, featuring Harold Lloyd’s 1928 classic, “Speedy.” Bill Irwin, the Tony Award-winning actor and comedian, will host the evening, which includes live musical accompaniment for the film, composed by Carl Davis and performed by the school’s Performing Arts Theater Orchestra.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Rick Moody
Book Culture Columbus, 450 Columbus Avenue, near 82nd St./ 7PM, FREE
“Hotels of North America,” Mr. Moody’s latest novel, is “a close examination of the middle-aged American male in sexual, emotional and financial free fall,” the critic Dwight Garner wrote in The New York Times. The author, most famous for “The Ice Storm” (1994), will read from and discuss the new book, written as a series of fictional reviews.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Bonus – Jazz Picks:
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:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South — villagevanguard.com / 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St., nr 6th ave. — bluenotejazz.com / 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St., nr 7th ave. S. — 55bar.com / 212-929-9883
Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St. (btw 8/9 ave) — 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 56 million visitors last year and is 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 + 3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

Xi’an Famous Foods – 24 W45th St. (Btw 5th/6th ave)
Try to avoid long lunch lines. Order lamb hand ripped noodles and warm your insides at one of the tables in the back. You’ll return, just remember that even mild is pretty spicy.
==============================================================

“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
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.
===========================================================================

◊ 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 Fall 2015).
◊ Order before Oct. 31, 2015 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
=========================================================

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Selected Events (11/23) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 11/23/2015 by GregD

Today’s FAB 5 > MONDAY / NOV. 23, 2015

“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:
‘West Side Story’
SVA Theater, 333 W23rd St. / 7PM, $
“This big-screen presentation of the classic movie musical includes a post-show Q. and A. with George Chakiris, who plays Bernardo, the doomed leader of the Sharks gang. He’ll be joined by the theater critic and author Peter Filichia. Plot refresher: “Romeo and Juliet” on the Upper West Side, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.” (NYT-SpareTimes)
Sorry, but anything to do with “West Side Story” will always be my top pick of the day.
I’m still trying to figure how it did not receive the Tony award in 1958. They wuz robbed!

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Christine Ebersole & Billy Stritch in “Our Favorite Things”
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM, $40
“The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce the return of Tony Award-winning actress/singer CHRISTINE EBERSOLE and Grammy Award-winning composer/pianist/singer BILLY STRITCH in “Our Favorite Things”

“Our Favorite Things” will celebrate songs from the duo’s past concerts and recordings, including “Surrey With The Fringe on Top,” “Small Hotel,” “My Favorite Things.” Ebersole and Stritch will also introduce a few tunes to kick off the holiday season, complete with their signature tight harmonies, luxurious vocals and snappy conversation.”

What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing
Segal Theatre Center, The CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
“New York Times dance critic Brian Seibert introduces his new book on the history of tap dance, which illuminates tap’s complex origins and theatricalization. Seibert charts tap dancing’s growth in the vaudeville circuits and nightclubs of the early twentieth century, chronicles its spread to ubiquity on Broadway and in Hollywood, analyzes its post-World War II decline, and celebrates its reinvention by new generations of American and international performers.

What the Eye Hears is a central account of American popular culture, as well as the pain and pride surrounding the complicated legacy of African Americans in show business. Seibert will speak about the challenges of writing tap history, screen clips from his film collection and introduce a performance by Ayodele Casel, one of New York’s top tap dancers.”

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Historic Preservation
Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway (btw 25th/26th St)./ 5:30PM, FREE
“Karen Loew of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation joins photographers James and Karla Murray for an evening honoring old New York and the publication of the Murray’s new title Store Front II—A History Preserved: The Disappearing Face of New York. The Murrays and Loew will participate in a moderated discussion focused on how the city’s mom-and-pop shops stand up in the face of the city’s rapidly escalating corporatization, accompanied by a slideshow of the Murrays favorite images from the book and followed by a book signing.”

Seinfeld Thanksgiving Trivia
Slattery’s Midtown Pub, 8 E36th St./ 7PM; FREE with R.S.V.P.
“You probably didn’t get invited to Tim Whatley’s pre-Thanksgiving party, so head to Midtown and see how well you and your friends fare in a battle of Seinfeldian knowledge. Bring your A-game, you hipster doofus.” (TONY)

Bonus – Music Venues:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are a few of my favorite music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:
City Winery – 155 Varick St. / citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St. / joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34 W22nd St. / metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. / lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St. / beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237 W42nd St. / bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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 Fifth Avenue
(See the New York Times Arts Section for listings of all museum exhibitions,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Metropolitan Museum of Art:
‘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)

Guggenheim Museum:
Kandinsky Gallery (through spring 2016)
“A pioneer of abstract art and eminent aesthetic theorist, Vasily Kandinsky (b. 1866, Moscow; d. 1944, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France) broke new ground in painting during the first decades of the twentieth century. His seminal treatise Über das Geistige in der Kunst (On the Spiritual in Art), published in Munich in December 1911, lays out his program for developing an art independent from observations of the external world. In this and other texts, as well as his work, Kandinsky advanced abstraction’s potential to be free from nature, a quality of music that he admired. The development of a new subject matter based solely on the artist’s “inner necessity” would occupy him for the rest of his life.”

The Guggenheim collection now contains more than 150 works by this single artist, making it the largest collection of Kandinsky works in the United States.

Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum (continuing):
rendering-3The stately doors of the 1902 Andrew Carnegie mansion, home to the Cooper Hewitt, are open again after an overhaul and expansion of the premises. Historic house and modern museum have always made an awkward fit, a standoff between preservation and innovation, and the problem remains, but the renovation has brought a wide-open new gallery space, a cafe and a raft of be-your-own-designer digital enhancements. Best of all, more of the museum’s vast permanent collection is now on view, including an Op Art weaving, miniature spiral staircases, ballistic face masks and a dainty enameled 18th-century version of a Swiss knife. Like design itself, this institution is built on tumult and friction, and you feel it. 2 East 91st Street, at Fifth Avenue, 212-849-8400, cooperhewitt.org. (Cotter)

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

Museum Mile is a section of Fifth Avenue which contains one of the densest displays of culture in the world. Eight museums can be found along this section of Fifth Avenue:

• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio (closed Sun-Mon)*
• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York (open 7 days /week)
•  92nd Street – The Jewish Museum (closed Wed) (Sat FREE) (Thu 5-8 PWYW)
•  91st Street  –  Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (open 7 days /week)
•  89th Street –  National Academy Museum (closed Mon-Tue)
•  88th Street –  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (closed Thu) (Sat 6-8 PWYW)
•  86th Street –  Neue Galerie New York (closed Tue-Wed) (Fri 6-8 FREE)
Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
•  82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (open 7 days /week)*
*always Pay What You Wish (PWYW)

Although technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection (closed Mon) (SUN 11am-1pm PWYW) on the corner of 70th St. and Fifth Avenue and the The Morgan Library & Museum (closed Mon) (Fri 7-9 FREE) on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave.
Now plan your own museum crawl (info on hours & admission updated June 2, 2015). ========================================================

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/21 and 11/19.
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Selected Events (11/22) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 11/22/2015 by GregD

Today’s SUPER 7 > SUNDAY / NOV. 22, 2015

“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:
Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars (LAST DAY)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“No one has ever truly captured the passionate brilliance of the Belgian Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953, but that hasn’t stopped generations of players from following in his virtuosic path. The French father-and-son guitarists Dorado and Amati Schmitt lead a quintet in this annual festival honoring the six-string king.” (NewYorker)
Guests include the saxophonist Joel Frahm (Friday), the cellist Borislav Strulev (Saturday) and the singer Cyrille Aimée (Sunday).

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Tyshawn Sorey Trio (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Sorey, a powerfully inventive drummer who has applied most of his recent focus to composition, presents the trio that can be heard on his latest album, “Alloy.” Featuring the pianist Cory Smythe and the bassist Christopher Tordini, it’s a chamberesque unit that works as much with new-music protocols as with any jazz dialect — and it counts as an unexpected booking at the Village Vanguard, one worth bolstering with a show of support.” (NYT-Chinen)

Thomas Adès: ‘Concentric Paths — Movements in Music’ (LAST DAY)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ 3PM, $
“At 44, the British composer Thomas Adès is already a lion of contemporary classical music. In this Sadler’s Wells London production, his music – described as “sonic surrealism” – is muse to four choreographers. Wayne McGregor tackles “Concentric Paths,” a violin concerto; Karole Armitage sets a duet to “Life Story” with piano and voice; and Alexander Whitley interprets “Piano Quintet” (with Mr. Adès on piano).

The showstopper is Crystal Pite’s “Polaris,” set to the orchestra of the same name, which she has called “epic.” With 66 dancers, so too is her dance. Part of Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival.” (NYT-Schaefer)

Twyla Tharp: 50th Anniversary Tour (LAST DAY)
NYS / DHK Theater (at Lincoln Center) / 8PM, $35-$150
“The legendary Twyla Tharp celebrates her golden anniversary with two premieres: the linked Fanfare and Preludes and Fugues, set to Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Yowzie, a jazz-infused celebration of music by titans like Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Goddard Riverside Book Fair
Goddard Riverside Community Center, 593 Columbus Ave, at 88th St./ 11AM-5PM,
“This annual fund-raiser doubles as a rare chance for book buyers to get new hardback best sellers at a 50 percent discount. This community center teams with major publishing houses for this sale, which goes toward the center’s services: youth programs, college counseling, adult support and outreach to homeless people.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Elsewhere, but these look worth the detour:
American Fine Craft Show
Bklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park/ 11AM-6PM, $
“Richard and Joanna Rothbard, founders of An American Craftsman, the Manhattan galleries, host this annual event that brings in about 90 of the country’s top craft artists. Handmade ceramics, jewelry, furniture and more will be on display. The price of admission also gets visitors into the Brooklyn Museum, which is hosting the show in its Beaux-Arts Court.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Brooklyn Chili Takedown 2015 – Unyielding Brutality!!!!!
Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club, 514 Union St./ 12PM, $20
“Get heavy, Brooklyn. Be not ye daunted by the ferociousness of the savagery of the carnal brutality of chili hell! Embrace your satanic impulse to consume this filthy mess, over and over till the End of Days!!!! 25-30 local competitors boil huge cauldrens of toil and trouble- just for you and your lucky tummy!!!!! Now eat!!!!!!

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’s playing tonight:
Greenwich Village:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th ave. South, — villagevanguard.com / 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. — bluenotejazz.com / 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave. South — 55bar.com / 212-929-9883
Outside Greenwich Village:
Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595
Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9 ave) — 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 56 million visitors last year and is 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.

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

===========================================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
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. ===========================================================================

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Winter 2015).
◊ Order before Dec. 31, 2015 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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

Selected Events (11/21) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 11/21/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > SATURDAY / NOV. 21, 2015

“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.)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Thomas Adès: ‘Concentric Paths — Movements in Music’ (through Sunday)
City Center, 131 W55th St./ Saturday 7:30PM, Sunday 3PM, $
“At 44, the British composer Thomas Adès is already a lion of contemporary classical music. In this Sadler’s Wells London production, his music – described as “sonic surrealism” – is muse to four choreographers. Wayne McGregor tackles “Concentric Paths,” a violin concerto; Karole Armitage sets a duet to “Life Story” with piano and voice; and Alexander Whitley interprets “Piano Quintet” (with Mr. Adès on piano).

The showstopper is Crystal Pite’s “Polaris,” set to the orchestra of the same name, which she has called “epic.” With 66 dancers, so too is her dance. Part of Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival.” (NYT-Schaefer)

Buster Williams and Renee Rosnes
Mezzrow, 163 W. 10th St./ 9:30PM, $
“With a long-established instrumentalist like the bassist Buster Williams, it’s easier to identify the few modern masters he hasn’t worked with than the multitudes he can list on his résumé. He’s joined by the adroit pianist Renee Rosnes for some elegant and animated duets.” (NewYorker)

Ballet Hispanico
Apollo Theater, 253 W125th St./ Friday 8PM, $
“The Brazilian choreographer Fernando Melo makes his New York debut, compliments of Ballet Hispanico performing “If Walls Could Speak” at the storied Apollo Theater. The evening-length work is an ode to Mr. Melo’s birthplace in all its cultural richness and political complexity, accompanied by live percussion and samba. That work occupies the evenings; a Saturday matinee aimed at families features selections from the company’s repertory.” (NYT- Schaefer)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Autumn Wine Festival
Broad Street Ballroom, 41 Broad St./ 3–6PM, 8–11PM; $99.
“Even those without a vinicultural education will enjoy the NYC Autumn Wine Festival, but wannabe somms will find lots to love at the historic Broad Street Ballroom, which will be transformed into an urban vineyard. The fest boasts more than 175 wines from top-notch distributors, including international vintages and local producers, as well as live jazz and hors d’oeuvres.” (TONY)

Little Italy: Fact and Fiction:
A Book Talk in Conjunction with the 200th Anniversary of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral and the Little Italy Collective Memory Project / 1PM,
“Join us for a panel of authors including Laurie Fabiano (Elizabeth Street: A Novel), Richard Rinaldo (Meatballs and Stickball), Lou DiPalo (Lou DiPalo’s Guide to the Essential Foods of Italy) and others discussing Little Italy, then and now, followed by a screening of Ellis, the new documentary about Ellis Island starring Robert DeNiro.”
(ThoughtGallery.org)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
American Fine Craft Show (also Sunday)
Bklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park/ 11AM-6PM
“Richard and Joanna Rothbard, founders of An American Craftsman, the Manhattan galleries, host this annual event that brings in about 90 of the country’s top craft artists. Handmade ceramics, jewelry, furniture and more will be on display. The price of admission also gets visitors into the Brooklyn Museum, which is hosting the show in its Beaux-Arts Court.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Bonus – Music Picks:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are a few of my favorite music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:
City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St. joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd dSt. bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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:
‘Picasso Sculpture’ (through Feb. 7)
“Nearly a work of art in its own right, this magnificent show redefines Picasso’s achievement with the first full view here in 50 years of his astoundingly varied forays into sculpture. His materials, not his female loves, become the muses, and are different each time out. The basic plotline: After introducing sculptural abstraction and space, he spent about 50 years counting the ways that the figure was far from finished. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Smith-NYT)

‘Transmissions: Art in Eastern Europe and Latin America, 1960-1980’ (through Jan. 3) “Visiting this big, spirited group show is like walking into a party of intriguing strangers. For every person you recognize, there are 10 you don’t know. One topic everyone’s talking about, at different intensities, is the anti-institutional politics that swept Europe and the Americas in the 1960s, and almost everyone speaks the language of Conceptualism. A product of an in-house research initiative called Contemporary and Modern Art Perspectives, or C-MAP, intended to expand MoMA’s narrow Paris-New York view of modernism, the show is very much the beginning rather than the end of a learning curve. But with curators exploring material new to them — just steps ahead of their audience — the show has a refreshing buzz of surprise as it takes the museum in a realistic new directions. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Cotter-NYT)

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/19 and 11/17.

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

Selected Events (11/20) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 11/20/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > FRIDAY / NOV. 20, 2015

“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:
Ballet Hispanico (also Saturday)
Apollo Theater, 253 W125th St./ Friday 8PM, $
“The Brazilian choreographer Fernando Melo makes his New York debut, compliments of Ballet Hispanico performing “If Walls Could Speak” at the storied Apollo Theater. The evening-length work is an ode to Mr. Melo’s birthplace in all its cultural richness and political complexity, accompanied by live percussion and samba. That work occupies the evenings; a Saturday matinee aimed at families features selections from the company’s repertory.” (NYT- Schaefer)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Tyshawn Sorey Trio (through Sunday Nov.22)
Village Vanguard,178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St./ 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Sorey, a powerfully inventive drummer who has applied most of his recent focus to composition, presents the trio that can be heard on his latest album, “Alloy.” Featuring the pianist Cory Smythe and the bassist Christopher Tordini, it’s a chamberesque unit that works as much with new-music protocols as with any jazz dialect — and it counts as an unexpected booking at the Village Vanguard, one worth bolstering with a show of support.” (NYT-Chinen)

Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars (thru Nov.22)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“No one has ever truly captured the passionate brilliance of the Belgian Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953, but that hasn’t stopped generations of players from following in his virtuosic path. The French father-and-son guitarists Dorado and Amati Schmitt lead a quintet in this annual festival honoring the six-string king.” (NewYorker)
Guests include the saxophonist Joel Frahm (Friday), the cellist Borislav Strulev (Saturday) and the singer Cyrille Aimée (Sunday).

Twyla Tharp: 50th Anniversary Tour (thru Nov.22)
NYS / DHK Theater (at Lincoln Center) / 8PM, $35-$150
“The legendary Twyla Tharp celebrates her golden anniversary with two premieres: the linked Fanfare and Preludes and Fugues, set to Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Yowzie, a jazz-infused celebration of music by titans like Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton.” (TONY)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Aesthetics of Poverty: Italian Neorealist Film
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, / 1PM, $
“Alberto Burri’s work, in its straightforward presentation of materials from life, shares with Italian neorealist film an “aesthetic of poverty” that points to material deprivation in postwar Italy. Four important films from this rich cinematic period are screened on select Fridays during the run of Alberto Burri: The Trauma of Painting.”
Today: Roberto Rossellini’s 1946 masterpiece “Paisan” with a young Ingrid Bergman

Murray’s Masterminds: 2015 Holiday Epicurean Showcase
Murray’s Cheese, 254 Bleecker St./ 6:30–8pm; $60
“The most dependably delicious part of any dinner—one that can’t be marred by Aunt Louisa’s overzealous vegan cooking—is the cocktail-hour cheese plate. Embrace everyone’s favorite nosh at Murray’s Holiday Epicurean Showcase, where the purveyor of fine wheels will serve up its best cheeses alongside olive oils, cured meats, breads and desserts.” (TONY)

Bonus – Jazz Picks:
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:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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 / Tribeca

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

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

But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Selected Events (11/19) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 11/19/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > THURSDAY / NOV. 19, 2015

“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:
Twyla Tharp: 50th Anniversary Tour (thru Nov.22)
NYS / DHK Theater (at Lincoln Center) / 7:30PM, $35-$150
“The legendary Twyla Tharp celebrates her golden anniversary with two premieres: the linked Fanfare and Preludes and Fugues, set to Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, and Yowzie, a jazz-infused celebration of music by titans like Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton.” (TONY)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Concerts at One (Thursdays)
Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall St./ 1PM, FREE
“This lunch-hour friendly concert series features Trinity Church’s contemporary music orchestra, Novus NY, and the Sandbox percussion quartet. On the program: John Luther Adams’s “Strange and Sacred Noise,” a program-length work in nine movements that reflect a panorama of Mr. Adams’s native Alaska. The performance also will be streamed on the church’s website.” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars (thru Nov.22)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“No one has ever truly captured the passionate brilliance of the Belgian Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953, but that hasn’t stopped generations of players from following in his virtuosic path. The French father-and-son guitarists Dorado and Amati Schmitt lead a quintet in this annual festival honoring the six-string king. Stateside stylists, including the trumpeter Bria Skonberg and the singer Cyrille Aimee, will join the finger busters throughout the week.” (NewYorker)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
Luciana Souza: ‘Speaking in Tongues’
92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave./ 8PM, $
“The Brazilian jazz vocalist Luciana Souza has carved a special niche out of lilting duologue, working one by one with a small stable of revered acoustic guitarists. But on her new album, “Speaking in Tongues,” she’s at the center of a changeable and frisky band; its guitarist is Lionel Loueke, who has a taste for polyrhythmic density, and its star soloist is the harmonica whiz Grégoire Maret. Both rejoin her here, along with Massimo Biolcati on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
The Science Behind Perception
The Jewish Community Center, 334 Amsterdam Ave./7PM, $20
Dr. Tony Ro, Neuroscientist
“The human eye is amazing. It sends information into neurons in the brain that influence what we see as well as how we perceive. The eye is instrumental in helping us navigate the world and provides the brain with detailed information about our surroundings. Learn how the brain’s optic mechanisms work—and sometimes fail—so that you can enhance your visual perception and perhaps even the lifespan of your eyes.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Seasonal, Local Dining in Pre-Modern Europe
The New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Ave./6PM, FREE w adv. reg.
“Based on approximately 200 surviving manuscript and early printed cookbooks, we have a good idea of the aesthetics of dining before 1600. For the Roman Empire, in contrast, only one cookbook survives, that supposedly by Apicius (a second-century gourmand), but in fact dating from the fifth century. One of the two earliest copies of this unique cookbook, transcribed in the ninth century, is in the Library of The New York Academy of Medicine.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Bonus – Music Picks:
So much fine live music every night in this town. These are a few of my favorite music venues on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’s playing tonight:
City Winery – 155 Varick St., citywinery.com, 212-608-0555
Joe’s Pub @ Public Theater – 425 Lafayette St. joespub.com, 212-967-7555
Metropolitan Room – 34W22ndSt., metropolitan room.com, 212-206-0440
Le Poisson Rouge – 158 Bleecker St. lepoissonrouge.com, 212-505-3474
Beacon Theatre – 2124 Broadway @ 74th St., beacontheatre.com, 212-465-6500
B.B. King’s Blues Bar – 237W42nd dSt. bbkingblues.com, 212-997-2144
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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.
==================================================================================

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.

Here is one TimeOutNewYork likes:
Camille Henrot (Nov 5- Dec 12)
“Stylistically, this French artist manages to find the unlikely nexus between conceptualist rigor and Art Deco languor. Her theme, in a word, is everything or at least how it’s manifested as a ceaseless flow of information. Whether this adds up to something intelligible is probably besides the point, as the real attraction of her work is its melding of organized chaos with soigné formalism. She marshals drawing, sculpture and video to create elegant installations that are as hermetic as they are easy on the eyes.” (TONY)
Metro Pictures, 519 W 24th St.(between Tenth and Eleventh Aves)
Opening hours: Tue–Sat 10am–6pm

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 11/11 and 11/09.

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Selected Events (11/18) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 11/18/2015 by GregD

Today’s SUPER 6 > WEDNESDAY / NOV. 18, 2015

“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:
Harold Mabern Trio
Smalls, 183 W. 10th St./ 10:30PM, $
“You want the real thing? You’ve got it. Mabern, a seventy-nine-year-old pianist whose blues-soaked style was formed in postwar Memphis alongside such icons as Phineas Newborn and George Coleman, has collaborated with Lee Morgan and Sonny Rollins, among others. He is still playing with gusto and invention, and he’s making his younger rhythm section work hard for its pay.” (NewYorker)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Sisters of Comedy
Carolines on Broadway, 1626 Broadway/ 7:30PM; $16.50 plus two-drink minimum
“Producer Agunda Okeyo has gathered a fierce roster of women of color for a stellar night of stand-up. Join Michelle Buteau, Chloé Hilliard, Erin Jackson and BET editorial director Michaela Angela Davis for solidly curated sets.” (TONY)

Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, +11PM, $50
“No one has ever truly captured the passionate brilliance of the Belgian Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953, but that hasn’t stopped generations of players from following in his virtuosic path. The French father-and-son guitarists Dorado and Amati Schmitt lead a quintet in this annual festival honoring the six-string king. Stateside stylists, including the trumpeter Bria Skonberg and the singer Cyrille Aimee, will join the finger busters throughout the week.” (NewYorker)

‘A Love Supreme’
Lincoln Center—Alice Tully Hall, 1941 Broadway
Few albums are as exalted as John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” which plays as both a celebration and a dirge. Composed at a time of upheaval and peace—in a suburban house in Dix Hills, Long Island—the album’s four movements (“Acknowledgement,” “Resolution,” “Pursuance” and “Psalm”) follow the lines of a religious epiphany, and its resounding power has come to stand in for the full weight of spiritual jazz.

Here, as part of the musically searching “White Light Festival,” Wynton Marsalis will lead the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in tribute to an album that will be revived in a special big-band arrangement for the occasion of its 50th anniversary.” (WSJ)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Selected Shorts
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th St./ 7:30PM, $
“The 150th-anniversary celebrations for “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” are not over yet. The latest installment in the festivities, as well as the Selected Shorts series, is this collection of readings from — or inspired by — Lewis Carroll’s classic story. Hosted by the actor B.D. Wong, the evening includes guests like the novelist Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”), Ari Graynor (“Whip It”) and Linda Lavin (“Alice”).” (NYT-SpareTimes)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
The American Dream in NYC
Tenement Museum, 97 Orchard St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“Manicurists, nannies, restaurant workers. The majority of these laborers, so critical to the New York economy and many New Yorker’s daily lives, are immigrants. Immigrants make up almost half of the city’s workforce but often have jobs that offer few protections and whose conditions receive little oversight. A panel comes together to examine these conditions, as well as the opportunities and challenges of immigrant labor in New York City.”

Bonus – Jazz Picks:
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:
Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South — villagevanguard.com / 212-255-4037
Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. — bluenotejazz.com / 212-475-8592
55 Bar – 55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. — 55bar.com / 212-929-9883
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 56 million visitors last year and is 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 / Upper West Side

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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