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

Selected Events (09/27) + Today’s Featured Pub (Midtown West)

Posted on 09/27/2015 by GregD

Today’s ELITE 8 > SUNDAY / SEPT. 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 complete event info.)

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

Have time for only one event today? Do this:
> Cy Walter Centennial Celebration
Cutting Room, 44 E32nd St./ 6PM, $35
“Hear an all-star remembrance of the eminent, half-forgotten grand style cabaret/jazz piano. Pianistic and vocal pyrotechnics will be performed by a large roster of awesomely-talented cabaret luminaries, showcasing Cy Walter’s unparalleled solo and duo piano arrangements, along with some two dozen of his gorgeous original song compositions.

Performers will include Doug Bowles; Lou Brockman; Eric Comstock; Jed Distler; Barbara Fasano; Tedd Firth; Heather Gehring; Jeff Harnar; Alex Hassan; Jenny Lin; Peter Mintun; Marissa Mulder; Karen Oberlin; Steve Ross; Jennifer Sheehan; KT Sullivan; Stacy Sullivan; and Ronny Whyte.”

That’s a quality list of performers, but one name stands out – Jennifer Sheehan. Never miss a chance to hear one of NYCity Cabaret’s young, new stars.

> The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM +9:30PM; $35
“This monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola explores a loose multigenerational theme.Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s drummer Bryan Carter, performing the music of Ray Charles, with vocal guests..” (NYT-Chinen)

> Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St. / 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Rosenwinkel, a guitarist, favors floating lyricism, a luminous tone and an ultramodern harmonic language, all reasons for his stature as one of the modern gurus on his instrument. His current trio features Eric Revis on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums.” (NYT-Chinen)

> Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
Town Hall, 123 W43rd St./ 8PM, $46-$87
“Unlikely musical bedfellows, the jazz pianist Corea and the banjo phenomenon Fleck unite by way of a mutual thirst for genre-hopping exploration, as heard on their 2007 album, “The Enchantment.” A new live recording, “Two,” finds the shamelessly virtuosic duo again reaching common ground on diverse material that includes a bluegrass take on “Bugle Call Rag,” à la Flatt and Scruggs.” (NewYorker)

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

> The NYC Big Flea Market
Pier 94, W54th St., at the Hudson River / 10AM-5PM
“This pop-up flea market boasts more than 600 vendors inside a 140,000-square-foot space on Pier 94. The size is vast, as is the selection: Collectibles, jewelry, art, furniture — the list goes on.” (NYT)

Here’s something you won’t see everyday:
> Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Central Park / 1:30PM; $50
“Central Park will be awash with silky manes and heavy horseshoes as a panoply of majestic horses jump, prance and strut toward eternal glory and big prizes in support of local and equestrian charities.” (TONY)
Sunday afternoon Special Equestrian Event – Charlotte Dujardin Dressage Master Clinic presented by Chronicle of The Horse.

Inaugural Exhibition: AMERICA IS HARD TO SEE (LAST DAY – DON’T MISS IT!)
Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort St. / 10:30AM-6PM, $22.
“It’s finally here! The new improved Whitney home in MePa that’s supposed to finally put to rest the museum’s rep as the also-ran of New York’s major art institutions. The Whitney inaugurates its new home with this massive permanent-collection survey spanning eight decades. Covering four floors in roughly chronological order, the show relays overlapping histories about the Whitney itself, the development of modernism in America and the country’s transition from cultural backwater to overweening superpower.” (TONY)
This is one very fine exhibition. I’ve been back 3 times and will be sorry to see it close.

Elsewhere, but for coffee bean fans, sure looks worth the detour:
> New York Coffee Festival (LAST DAY)
69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue (btw 25/26th streets)
Afternoon session: 1:00pm-5:00pm
“There’s more than just joe brewing at this weekend’s New York Coffee Festival. In addition to a barista championship and steampunk brew bar, the three-day event will feature java-inspired cultural offerings, including performers from the Coffee Music Project; a multidisciplinary coffee-themed art competition; and a screening of “Caffeinated,” a documentary about coffee culture.” (NYT)

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.

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

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

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

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

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room near the piano man; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).

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

Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music now includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man. “tiny” we miss you.

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

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

Selected Events (09/26) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 09/26/2015 by GregD

Today’s ELITE 8 > SATURDAY / SEPT. 26, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
Global Citizen Festival
Central Park Great Lawn, midpark, from 79th to 85th St./ from 2PM
“Click the “issues” tab on the Global Citizen Festival website and a myriad list of them will appear: girls and women; finance and innovation; water and sanitation. No one concert can hope to address, much less resolve, such global concerns, though this year’s festival hopes to bring a greater awareness in its audience of how to take concrete action. Drawing on the power of Beyoncé, two generations of well-intentioned rock acts like Pearl Jam and Coldplay and British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, it should be a formidable night of music at the very least.” (WSJ)

Lianne La Havas
Terminal 5, 610 West 56th St./ 8PM, $
“Everything seems to come easy for Ms. La Havas, whether it’s her crystal clear, serene voice, delicate guitar picking or exuberant dance moves. But don’t let the docility fool you — she’s one of the most powerful singer-songwriters performing today, and peppers her live sets with all sorts of surprises, from cameo duets to headbanging thrash interludes.” (NYT-Chow)

and the Circus is in town!
> Magmanus
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South / 8PM, $32-$49
“The circus duo Magnus Bjøru and Manu Tiger bring their act, which also incorporates elements of theater, to New York.

The title, “Attached,” also the theme of the show, is explored in different ways — expect lots of Velcro.” (NYT)

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

> Chelsea Street Fair (11AM-6PM)
“Chelsea Eats takes over Eighth Avenue from 14th to 23rd Streets, with vendors like Red Hook Lobster Pound, Melt Bakery and Mighty Quinn’s BBQ. For entertainment, there will be live music, as well as performances from the Joyce Theater.” (NYT)

> Smithsonian Museum Day
In the spirit of the Smithsonian Museums, which offer free admission every day, Museum Day Live! is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket… for free. The Museum Day Live! ticket provides free admission for two people.
Click here to view the list of 2015 participating museums.

Here’s something you won’t see everyday:
> Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Central Park / 1:30; +7PM; $50–$250
“Central Park will be awash with silky manes and heavy horseshoes as a panoply of majestic horses jump, prance and strut toward eternal glory and big prizes in support of local and equestrian charities.” (TONY)
“Awe at the majesty of the many breeds of Arabians as they trot down the park and show off fine breeding, grooming and athletic form. The costume class competition puts the steeds in classic historical outfits from the Byzantine Period and beyond.”

Inaugural Exhibition: AMERICA IS HARD TO SEE (LAST 2 DAYS!)
Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort St. / 10:30AM-6PM, $22.
“It’s finally here! The new improved Whitney home in MePa that’s supposed to finally put to rest the museum’s rep as the also-ran of New York’s major art institutions. The Whitney inaugurates its new home with this massive permanent-collection survey spanning eight decades. Covering four floors in roughly chronological order, the show relays overlapping histories about the Whitney itself, the development of modernism in America and the country’s transition from cultural backwater to overweening superpower.” (TONY)
This is one very fine exhibition. Try not to miss it.

Elsewhere, but for caffeine freaks, sure looks worth the detour:
> New York Coffee Festival
69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue (btw 25/26th streets)
Lunch session: 12:30pm-4:00pm
Late session; 4:00pm-7:30pm
“There’s more than just joe brewing at this weekend’s New York Coffee Festival. In addition to a barista championship and steampunk brew bar, the three-day event will feature java-inspired cultural offerings, including performers from the Coffee Music Project; a multidisciplinary coffee-themed art competition; and a screening of “Caffeinated,” a documentary about coffee culture.” (NYT)

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.

This is a current exhibitions that the NYT recommends:
‘Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House’ (through Oct. 24)
“This terrific show restages a famous sound and light installation by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela, a work whose origins date to the 1960s. On entering the dimly lit gallery, you are immediately enveloped by an intensely powerful sound, a roaring, droning, pulsing noise with such a deep bass that you feel it in your body as well as in your ears. At the far end of the space is a work by Jung Hee Choi, a slowly changing hallucinogenic projection on a perforated black screen. Prepare to have your consciousness altered.” Dia: Chelsea, 545 West 22nd Street, Chelsea, 212-989-5566, diacenter.org. (Johnson-NYT)

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 09/24 and 09/22.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Chelsea Street Fair, Global Citizen Festival, Lianne La Havas, Smithsonian Museum Day | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/25) + Today’s Featured Pub (Times Square/ Theater District)

Posted on 09/25/2015 by GregD

Today’s SUPER 7 > FRIDAY / SEPT. 25, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The Circus is in town!
> Magmanus (also Saturday)
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Place, at Washington Square South / 8PM, $32-$49
“The circus duo Magnus Bjøru and Manu Tiger bring their act, which also incorporates elements of theater, to New York.

The title, “Attached,” also the theme of the show, is explored in different ways — expect lots of Velcro.” (NYT)

> Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio (through Sept. 27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St. / 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Rosenwinkel, a guitarist, favors floating lyricism, a luminous tone and an ultramodern harmonic language, all reasons for his stature as one of the modern gurus on his instrument. His current trio features Eric Revis on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums.” (NYT-Chinen)

> José James (through Sept. 27)
Blue Note, 131 W3rd St./ 8PM +10:30PM, $
“This year marks the centennial of Billie Holiday, whose ignominious death in 1959, at the age of forty-four, deprived the world of an incomparable artist. Celebrating the legendary singer, as he did on his recent album “Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday,” is the vocalist James, whose deliberate and understated manner confirms that Holiday is again speaking to a new generation of jazz singers.” (NewYorker)

Elsewhere, but this sure looks like fun:
The 11th annual NY Gypsy Festival (thru October 4)
DROM, 85 Avenue A (btw 5th/6th St) / 8PM, $20
tonight: Cocek Brass Band, Bad Buka, Raya Brass Band, Balti Mare
other night’s highlights include the North African brass phenom, FANFARAI from France, the Spanish flamenco program MEMORIA ANTIGUA (at the Metropolitan Museum), Nuevo Russian-Romany trio VIA ROMEN and eclectic Polish artist KAROLINA CICHA.

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Here’s something you won’t see everyday:
> Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Central Park / 1:30; 6:30 +8PM; $30–$250
“Central Park will be awash with silky manes and heavy horseshoes as a panoply of majestic horses jump, prance and strut toward eternal glory and big prizes in support of local and equestrian charities.” (TONY)
“Awe at the majesty of the many breeds of Arabians as they trot down the park and show off fine breeding, grooming and athletic form. The costume class competition puts the steeds in classic historical outfits from the Byzantine Period and beyond.”

Inaugural Exhibition: AMERICA IS HARD TO SEE (ONLY through Sept 27)
Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort St. / 10:30AM-6PM, $22.
“It’s finally here! The new improved Whitney home in MePa that’s supposed to finally put to rest the museum’s rep as the also-ran of New York’s major art institutions. The Whitney inaugurates its new home with this massive permanent-collection survey spanning eight decades. Covering four floors in roughly chronological order, the show relays overlapping histories about the Whitney itself, the development of modernism in America and the country’s transition from cultural backwater to overweening superpower.” (TONY)
This is one very fine exhibition. Try not to miss it.

Elsewhere, but for caffeine freaks, looks worth the detour:
> New York Coffee Festival
69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue (btw 25/26th streets)
tonight: 8:00pm –10:30pm Barista Coffee Cocktail Party
“There’s more than just joe brewing at this weekend’s New York Coffee Festival. In addition to a barista championship and steampunk brew bar, the three-day event will feature java-inspired cultural offerings, including performers from the Coffee Music Project; a multidisciplinary coffee-themed art competition; and a screening of “Caffeinated,” a documentary about coffee culture.” (NYT)

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Magmanus, New York Coffee Festival, NY Gypsy Festival | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/24) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 09/24/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > THURSDAY / SEPT. 24, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio (through Sept. 27)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St. / 8:30 +10:30PM, $30
“Mr. Rosenwinkel, a guitarist, favors floating lyricism, a luminous tone and an ultramodern harmonic language, all reasons for his stature as one of the modern gurus on his instrument. His current trio features Eric Revis on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums.” (NYT-Chinen)

> The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM +9:30PM; $35
“This monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola explores a loose multigenerational theme. Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s 75th birthday celebration for the searching post-bop saxophonist Gary Bartz.” (NYT-Chinen)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
Here’s something you won’t see everyday:
> Rolex Central Park Horse Show
Central Park / 7:30 +9:30PM; $30–$250
“Central Park will be awash with silky manes and heavy horseshoes as a panoply of majestic horses jump, prance and strut toward eternal glory and big prizes in support of local and equestrian charities.” (TONY)
“Awe at the majesty of the many breeds of Arabians as they trot down the park and show off fine breeding, grooming and athletic form. The costume class competition puts the steeds in classic historical outfits from the Byzantine Period and beyond.”

Elsewhere, but it’s a beautiful day and for photo buffs this is sure worth the detour:
This is in Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of NYCity’s newest parks – a small gem with spectacular skyline views.
> “The Fence” (through Oct. 11)
Begin at Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park / FREE
a 1,250-foot outdoor photo installation, this exhibit features work from 40 professional photographers from around the world. a unique site-specific exhibition aimed at fostering conversations and exploring new thematic directions in photography.

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)

‘Discovering Japanese Art: American Collectors and the Met’ (through Sept. 27) Highlighting contributions to the Met’s Japanese art holdings by American collectors from the 1880s to the present, this gorgeous show presents more than 200 superb paintings, drawings, prints, scrolls, folding screens, ceramics, lacquer ware and works in other mediums and genres, mostly dating from the fourth century to the late 19th. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Johnson)

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):
The 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 09/22 and 09/20.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Rolex Central Park Horse Show | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/23) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 09/23/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > WEDNESDAY / SEPT. 23, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Lalah Hathaway
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W42nd St./ 8PM, $
“The huge-voiced daughter of Donny Hathaway has been recording for 25 years but only recently started racking up awards: She won Grammys the past two years for her work with the jazz-fusion acts Snarky Puppy and Robert Glasper.” (Chow-NYT)

> The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM +9:30PM; $35
“This monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola explores a loose multigenerational theme. Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s 75th birthday celebration for the searching post-bop saxophonist Gary Bartz (also Thursday).” (NYT-Chinen)

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

> Panel: “A Talk with the Critics”
New York Academy of Art, 111 Franklin St./ 6PM, FREE
Artnet’s Ben Davis, Wall Street Journal’s Carol Kino, ArtNews’ Andrew Russeth and Hyperallergic’s Benjamin Sutton join host Sharon Louden—artist and author of the acclaimed book Living and Sustaining a Creative Life—for a lively conversation about the state of art criticism today.

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’. ”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website: http://caffevivaldi.com/
Phone #: (212) 691-7538
Hours: Music generally 7:30PM – 11PM, but varies
Lunch/Dinner 11AM-on
Subway: #1 to Christopher St.
Walk 1 blk S. on 7th ave S. to Bleecker St., 1 blk left on Bleecker to Jones St., 50 yards left on Jones St. to Caffe V.

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

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

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

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 AMERICA IS HARD TO SEE, B.B. King Blues Club, Blue Note, Dizzy's Club, José James, Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio, Lalah Hathaway, New York Academy of Art, Panel: “A Talk with the Critics”, The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival, Village Vanguard, Whitney Museum | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/22) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 09/22/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > TUESDAY / SEPT. 22, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Lalah Hathaway (also Wednesday)
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W42nd St./ 8PM, $
“The huge-voiced daughter of Donny Hathaway has been recording for 25 years but only recently started racking up awards: She won Grammys the past two years for her work with the jazz-fusion acts Snarky Puppy and Robert Glasper.” (Chow-NYT)

> Josh Evans “Hope and Despair” CD Release
Smalls Jazz Club, 183 W10th St./ 9:30PM,
“A trumpeter with a foothold in exploratory hard-bop, Mr. Evans has a new album, “Hope and Despair,” whose cast includes the tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton and the pianist David Bryant, two of his band mates here. Rashaan Carter is on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums. “ (Chinen-NYT)

> The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM +9:30PM; $35
“This monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola explores a loose multigenerational theme. Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s veteran alto saxophonist Steve Wilson, leading a crew of sharp younger players.” (NYT-Chinen)

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour. (+the Bowery Ballroom is a great music venue)
> Albert Hammond, Jr.
Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St./8PM; $20
“Seven years lay stacked between Albert Hammond, Jr.’s new LP and 2008’s ¿Cómo Te Llama? and during this time the slick guitarist reunited with his band – garage rock revivalists the Strokes – and recorded two albums with consistent world touring.”(Silas Valentino, VillageVoice).

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

> From Animation to the Avant-garde in Disney and Eisenstein’s Hollywood
CUNY’S Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Ave. / 6:30PM, FREE
what do the films of walt disney and sergei eisenstein have in common, and how did animation technology impact eisenstein? hollywood flatlands author esther leslie discusses.

==================================================================================
♦ 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:
‘Gilbert & George: The Early Years’ (through Sept. 27)
Soon after Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore met as students at St. Martin’s School of Art in London in 1967, they determined that everything they made or did in art and life would be sculpture and that their partnership as Gilbert & George itself would be a living sculpture. This delightful show of small- and large-scale works, mostly on paper and dating from 1969 to 1975, reveals the duo starting out in their 20s in a disarmingly playful spirit of self-invention.” (Johnson)

Whitney Museum of American Art:
‘America Is Hard to See’ (through Sept. 27)
“With high ceilings, soft pine-plank floors and light-flooded windows and terraces, the galleries of the new Renzo Piano-designed Whitney Museum in the meatpacking district are as airy as 19th-century sailmakers’ lofts. Art feels at home in them, and the work in the museum’s top-to-bottom inaugural exhibition is homegrown. Culled from the permanent collection, it mixes bookmarked favorites by Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jasper Johns with objects and artists that the Whitney had all but forgotten or just brought in. As a vision of a larger America, the show is far from comprehensive; as a musing on the history of a particular New York institution over nearly a century, it is very fine, smartly detailed and superbly presented. 99 Gansevoort Street, at Washington Street, 212-570-3600, whitney.org.” (Cotter)
THIS SHOW IS WORTHY OF OPENING THE NEW MUSEUM – GO SEE IT SOON!

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/20 and 09/18.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Albert Hammond, B.B. King Blues Club, Blue Note, Bowery Ballroom, CUNY’S Graduate Center, Dizzy's Club, From Animation to the Avant-garde, José James, Josh Evans, Jr., Lalah Hathaway, Smalls Jazz Club, The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/21) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 09/21/2015 by GregD

Today’s SWEET 6 > MONDAY / SEPT. 21, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM; $30
This monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola explores a loose multigenerational theme. Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s pianist Victor Gould, with Ben Wolfe on bass and Ralph Peterson on drums.

>A View from the River / The Songs of Will Van Dyke & Jeff Talbott
54 Below, 254 W54th St./ 9:30PM, $40-85
“A View of the River is an evening of music from the team of Will Van Dyke and Jeff Talbott. Top-tier Broadway performers will join Will and Jeff to share songs from their upcoming EP A View of the River a collection of songs about how we love and how we live, all told through the pop-infused melodies and thoughtful lyrics that mark their writing.”

> Christina Bianco – Party of One
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 7PM; $30
“Bianco is a comic firecracker with a pyrotechnic voice and a great gift for mimicry, which broke her out last year when a video of her performing “Total Eclipse of the Heart”—as sung by19 different divas—went megaviral. In her return to Birdland, the petite performer takes on more of the biggest songs ever.” (TONY)

This is the first of two Bowery Ballroom shows with the second on Tuesday night.”(Silas Valentino, VillageVoice). Tonight looks to be sold out, so better get tickets now for tomorrow.

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> Climate Shock: The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet
NY Public Library – Mid-Manhattan Branch, 455 Fifth Ave./ 6:30PM, FREE
This illustrated lecture explores the likely repercussions of a hotter planet, drawing on and expanding from work previously unavailable to general audiences. It demonstrates that climate change can and should be dealt with—and what could happen if we do not.

with Gernot Wagner, lead senior economist at the Environmental Defense Fund and also the author of But Will the Planet Notice?

Mycroft Holmes – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Barnes & Noble in Union Square, 33 E17th St. / 6PM, FREE
this six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, is the author of the New York Times bestseller Giant Steps, as well as Kareem and A Season on the Reservation. ANTHONY WALTON is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Mississippi, as well as the coauthor of Reverend Al Sharpton’s book Go and Tell the Pharoah.

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))

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

But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

==================================================================================
“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 54 Below, A View from the River, Albert Hammond, Barnes & Noble, Birdland, Bowery Ballroom, Christina Bianco - Party of One, Climate Shock, Dizzy's Club, Jeff Talbott, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mycroft Holmes, NYPL, The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival, The Economic Consequences of a Hotter Planet, Victor Gould, Will Van Dyke | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/20) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 09/20/2015 by GregD

Today’s FAB 5 > SUNDAY / SEPT. 20, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
>Bill Charlap Trio (LAST DAY)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St./ 8:30PM +10:30PM, $30
“The pianist Bill Charlap has become one of our era’s most trusted docents of the American songbook — hear his handiwork all over Tony Bennett’s “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern,” due out in a few weeks — and he brings the full breadth of his erudition to any engagement by his trio. Featuring Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington (no relation) on drums, it’s a group with almost 20 years of working history, and many hours logged in this room.”
(Nate Chinen-NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> Brooklyn Book Festival
Various locations, esp around Borough Hall, Brooklyn
“A place to show off cool small-press tote bags this annual event has grown into the city’s largest free literary festival. An estimated forty thousand attendees are expected to stroll the downtown-Brooklyn labyrinth of publishing booths and attend nearly a hundred programs, featuring an all-star lineup of more than three hundred authors, including Salman Rushdie, Margo Jefferson, Jonathan Lethem, Nick Flynn, Adrian Tomine, and John Leguizamo.” (NewYorker)

> Artist Talk with Heejung Cho
Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle/ 3-5PM, Free with museum admission
Join artist Heejung Cho as she presents her completed installation of her NYC-inspired cityscape to celebration the closing of Richard Estes: Painting New York City. Cho will describe what inspired her project and discuss with visitors her process and motivation for working with scenery and cityscapes. Visitors are invited to ask questions and participate in a drop-in hands-on workshop exploring some of Cho’s techniques and methods.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

>Feast of San Gennaro (LAST DAY)
Little Italy / 11:30AM-11PM (12AM on fri/sat)
“Celebrate the martyred 3rd-century bishop and patron saint of Naples at this 11-day festival that fills the streets of Little Italy every year. Watch the professionals in action at the cannoli-eating competition, and you won’t feel so bad about indulging in calorific treats from the food vendors; return daily for live musical performances.’ (TONY)
Mulberry St between Canal and Houston Sts; Grand St between Baxter and Mott Sts; Hester St between Baxter and Mott Sts.

Elsewhere, but these photo exhibitions sure look worth the detour:
Both are in Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of NYCity’s newest parks – a small gem with spectacular skyline views:
> Photoville (LAST DAY)
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands / 4-10PM th/fr; 12-8PM sa/su; FREE
The city’s largest annual photography exhibition returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park with more than 65 shipping containers turned into photo galleries. Also, special talks and workshops.
> “The Fence” (through Oct. 11)
Begin at Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park / FREE
a 1,250-foot outdoor photo installation, this exhibit features work from 40 professional photographers from around the world. a unique site-specific exhibition aimed at fostering conversations and exploring new thematic directions in photography.

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

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

=======================================================
For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/18 and 09/16.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Artist Talk with Heejung Cho, Brooklyn Book Festival | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/19) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 09/19/2015 by GregD

Today’s FAB 5 > SATURDAY / SEPT. 19, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival (through Sept. 30)
Dizzy’s Club, 60th St and Broadway, / At 7:30PM; 9:30PM, $40
For the sixth year running, Jazz at Lincoln Center presents a monthlong series at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola with a multigenerational theme. Highlights of the coming week include tonight’s show with Carmen Lundy. “Though best known as a distinguished jazz vocalist, Lundy also expertly incorporates elements of funk, soul, and R&B, making this particular grouping of musicians particularly appropriate and exciting.”

> The Royal Bopsters Project (LAST DAY)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“The new vocal quartet of Amy London, Darmon Meader, Dylan Pramuk, and Holli Ross celebrates the release of its first album, “The Royal Bopsters Project,” honoring the art of vocalese, the classic form that grafts lyrics to bop-based improvisations. Five original masters—Sheila Jordan, Annie Ross, Bob Dorough, Andy Bey, and Jon Hendricks (who celebrates his ninety-fourth birthday on Sept. 16)—join the ensemble throughout the week” (NewYorker)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
>Alice in Wonderland Reading
Brooklyn Expo Center, 79 Franklin Street, Brooklyn / 1PM, $10
“In celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Lewis Carroll Society of North America will present an interpretive reading by costumed actors of The Mad Tea Party, a colorful chapter from the time-honored classic. This event is one of a series of exhibitions, readings, performances and special events that have been and will be held throughout the world.”
One of the Brooklyn Book Festival’s “Bookend Events”

> Oktoberfest (Sept 19–Oct 5)
throughout New York City, kicks off today.
“New York City certainly knows how to celebrate the world’s favorite Bavarian beerfest. You’ll need at least a month to recover from events like the German-American Steuben Parade on Sept 19 or Ompahfest on Sept 20, along with block parties and themed food specials all over the city” (nycgo.com). TONY magazine has a good roundup of events.

Elsewhere, but these photo exhibitions sure look worth the detour:
Both are in Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of NYCity’s newest parks – a small gem with spectacular skyline views:
> Photoville (Sept.10-20)
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands / 4-10PM th/fr; 12-8PM sa/su; FREE
The city’s largest annual photography exhibition returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park with more than 65 shipping containers turned into photo galleries. Also, special nighttime events, including @7PM tonight “AN EVENING WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC”
> “The Fence” (through Oct. 11)
Begin at Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park / FREE
a 1,250-foot outdoor photo installation, this exhibit features work from 40 professional photographers from around the world. a unique site-specific exhibition aimed at fostering conversations and exploring new thematic directions in photography.

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.
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A PremierPub / Upper West Side

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

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

No food goes better with American craft ales than American barbecue. Dinosaur may be the best combo of good beer drinking and hearty eating in town, which makes the trip uptown to West Harlem totally worthwhile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alice in Wonderland Reading, Oktoberfest | Leave a comment

Selected Events (09/18) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 09/18/2015 by GregD

Today’s FAB 5 > FRIDAY / SEPT. 18, 2015

> The Royal Bopsters Project (through Sept. 19)
Birdland, 315 W44th St./ 8:30PM +11PM, $
“The new vocal quartet of Amy London, Darmon Meader, Dylan Pramuk, and Holli Ross celebrates the release of its first album, “The Royal Bopsters Project,” honoring the art of vocalese, the classic form that grafts lyrics to bop-based improvisations. Five original masters—Sheila Jordan, Annie Ross, Bob Dorough, Andy Bey, and Jon Hendricks (who celebrates his ninety-fourth birthday on Sept. 16)—join the ensemble throughout the week” (NewYorker)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> MetFridays: ¡Noche en el Met! Celebrate Latin America
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave at 82nd St./ 6-8:30PM, Free with museum admission (pay what you wish)
“Enjoy music and dance performances, drawing workshops, and chats on the collection and the history of chocolate as you celebrate contemporary and traditional arts from across Latin America! “

>Feast of San Gennaro (through Sept. 20)
Little Italy / 11:30AM-11PM (12AM on fri/sat)
“Celebrate the martyred 3rd-century bishop and patron saint of Naples at this 11-day festival that fills the streets of Little Italy every year. Watch the professionals in action at the cannoli-eating competition, and you won’t feel so bad about indulging in calorific treats from the food vendors; return daily for live musical performances.’ (TONY)
Mulberry St between Canal and Houston Sts; Grand St between Baxter and Mott Sts; Hester St between Baxter and Mott Sts.

Elsewhere, but these photo exhibitions sure look worth the detour:
Both are in Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of NYCity’s newest parks – a small gem with spectacular skyline views:
> Photoville (Sept.10-20)
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands / 4-10PM th/fr; 12-8PM sa/su; FREE
The city’s largest annual photography exhibition returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park with more than 65 shipping containers turned into photo galleries. Also, special nighttime events, including @7:30PM tonight “PBS’ POV (POINT OF VIEW)”
> “The Fence” (through Oct. 11)
Begin at Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park / FREE
a 1,250-foot outdoor photo installation, this exhibit features work from 40 professional photographers from around the world. a unique site-specific exhibition aimed at fostering conversations and exploring new thematic directions in photography.

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

‘Navigating the West: George Caleb Bingham and the River’ (through Sept. 20)
This moving tribute to the 19th-century painter who depicted the hardscrabble life along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers as spacious idylls of serenity and even timelessness, presents 16 of his 17 river paintings known to exist, among nearly all the exacting studies of men at rest that preceded them. The human dimension of the figures is joined to the golden light and space of the setting by the geometric solidity of the boats and their wonderful details. 212-535-7710, metmuseum.org. (Smith)

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.

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

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:

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/16 and 09/14.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged “The Fence”, ¡Noche en el Met! Celebrate Latin America, Birdland, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Dizzy's Club, Feast of San Gennaro, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photoville, The Coca-Cola Generations In Jazz Festival, The Royal Bopsters Project | Leave a comment

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

Today’s ELITE 8 > SUNDAY / SEPT. 27, 2015

A PremierPub / Midtown West.

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

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

Today’s ELITE 8 > SATURDAY / SEPT. 26, 2015

Today’s SUPER 7 > FRIDAY / SEPT. 25, 2015

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places

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

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

“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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Today’s SWEET 6 > THURSDAY / SEPT. 24, 2015

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/22 and 09/20.

Today’s SWEET 6 > WEDNESDAY / SEPT. 23, 2015

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

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

3 Good Eating places

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

Today’s SWEET 6 > TUESDAY / SEPT. 22, 2015

Today’s SWEET 6 > MONDAY / SEPT. 21, 2015

A PremierPub / Tribeca

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

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

Today’s FAB 5 > SUNDAY / SEPT. 20, 2015

Today’s FAB 5 > SATURDAY / SEPT. 19, 2015

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

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

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

Today’s FAB 5 > FRIDAY / SEPT. 18, 2015

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 09/16 and 09/14.

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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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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” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”