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

Selected Events (08/08) + Today’s Featured Pub (Tribeca)

Posted on 08/08/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > SATURDAY / AUGUST 08, 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
> Deon Cole (through August 9)
Carolines, 1626 Broadway (btw 49/50 St) / 7:30 +10PM, $33
“His scene-stealing work on Black-ish has been a star turn, but Deon Cole has quietly been generating laughs for years in less visible roles and behind the scenes—for example, as a writer on Conan. He’s also been performing stand-up, for more than 20 years.” (nycgo.com)

> Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band
Highline Ballroom, 431 W16th St / 7PM, $25
“This King of Pop tribute band, which has toured the world, not only sings songs from MJ’s early days in the Jackson Five through Invincible, but it’ll also expertly re-create some of his most famous dance moves, like the moonwalk and the choreography from “Thriller.”
Should be fun and the Highline is a great music hall.

> Ballet Festival (through Aug. 16)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave, at 19th St. / 8PM, $19-$39
“The Joyce Theater celebrates the diversity of ballet with a two-week buffet of companies and choreographers who are molding the form in interesting ways.”
tonight: the Washington-based Chamber Dance Project presents four New York premieres, all set to live music.

> “Cymbeline” / Shakespeare in the Park (through August 23)
Central Park, Delacorte Theater / 8PM, FREE
a fairytale tucked within a tragedy. Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe in the Bard’s romance where cross-dressing and fake deaths move the plot. this is one tough ticket
– if you qualify, try the new line for seniors 65-plus at the Delacorte Theater.
– take your chances with the online ticket lottery (click here to learn how)
– or try the new ticket lottery at the Public Theater near Astor Place (instructions here).
(seniorplanet.org)

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

> The Story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and the Secret History of Wonderland
Morgan Library & Museum, / 2PM, free with museum admission
Hear from an Oxford don as he brings to life the “Secret History of Wonderland”: the friendship between Charles Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll, and Alice Liddell.

> NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015 (through Aug 14)
Various locations and times; $25 for lunch, $38 for dinner
Enjoy the summer edition of Restaurant Week (actually three weeks) of prix-fixe three course meals at many of the city’s best restaurants. Mangia!

ELSEWHERE, but I guarantee this is a lot of fun:
> Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival (also Sunday)
Now in its twenty-fifth year, this event brings dragon-boat teams from around the world to Queens for races on Meadow Lake, in Flushing Meadows Park. The matches are vividly colorful and fiercely competitive, but the action isn’t limited to the water. Onshore, there’s an international food court, along with concerts, comedy performances, martial-arts demonstrations, and other activities.” A bit out of the way, but this is a lot of fun.

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Annual Roots of American Music
Americanafest NYC – Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
Highway 61 Revisited, the album that changed the way we hear rock, folk, and blues, and became the defining soundtrack for a generation, bursts into new life as Dylan’s masterpiece is covered track-by-track by a house band made up of some of the various artists it inspired – Shawn Colvin, Pokey LaFarge, and Aimee Mann & Ted Leo

Watkins Family Hour featuring Sean & Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, with special guest Fiona Apple and more. Grammy-winning Nickel Creek co-founders Sean and Sara Watkins helped revive today’s bourgeoning bluegrass and folk scenes. Alongside their solo careers, the siblings regularly gather musical friends at favorite LA club Largo. That fabled jam session now moves east to Lincoln Center Out of Doors for an evening with rock and pop greats, including Fiona Apple.

Second-generation Americana innovator Justin Townes Earle has spun a complicated personal past into musical gold. Deftly telling tales with universal resonance, his raw songs shine in their spare wry sensibility.

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 / Tribeca

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

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

But open that door and a pleasant surprise awaits you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Annual Roots of American Music, Caroline's, Central Park, Highline Ballroom, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, Morgan Library & Museum, The Story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and the Secret History of Wonderland, Who's Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/07) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 08/07/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > FRIDAY / AUGUST 07, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts

> Rock My Soul: The Fairfield Four and The McCrary Sisters –
Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
“singing in the traditional African American a cappella gospel style that they have been known for since the group’s inception almost 100 years ago, The Fairfield Four continue to perform original, tightly harmonized pieces and traditional favorites. these two groups show how the spirit-stirring sounds of gospel sparked the rock and R&B revolution.”

> Deon Cole (through August 9)
Carolines, 1626 Broadway (btw 49/50 St) / 7:30 +10PM, $33
“His scene-stealing work on Black-ish has been a star turn, but Deon Cole has quietly been generating laughs for years in less visible roles and behind the scenes—for example, as a writer on Conan. He’s also been performing stand-up, for more than 20 years.” (nycgo.com)

> Brasil Summerfest
Lia Sophia
Meridian 23, 23rd St. (btw 6/7ave) / 10PM, $15
“get ready to get sweaty. Béco Dranoff, curator of this ambitious series, calls Brazilian music “the perfect soundtrack for summertime.” Checking out the schedule for the fifth annual installment of Summerfest, whose locations range from Central Park and Lincoln Center to Bushwick and several downtown locales, we’re inclined to agree.” (TONY)

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

ELSEWHERE, but for photography buffs this looks worth the detour:
> “The Fence” in Brooklyn Bridge Park
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. best of all, it is in Brooklyn Bridge Park, NYCity’s newest park and a small gem of an oasis.

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Pompie’s Place, Starring Hilary Gardner & Lezlie Harrison
Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W46th St / 7PM, $25.00 cover charge and a 2 drink minimum
“Pompie’s Place” serves up its daring mix of blues from the Delta to Broadway (with detours in Chicago and Memphis).
“Hailed by the Huffington Post as “a time machine beautifully created!” A whimsically theatrical club-show experience, “Pompie’s Place” transports audiences to a mythic blues room of another time and place.

The show’s two stars — The Wall Street Journal deems them two of “the better blues and jazz singers out there” — are supported by a top-flight band. Led by the proto-gifted Asherie (“a master of swing and stride piano” according to The New Yorker) this is what TheaterScene.com calls “a world-class combo.”In previews during the spring TheaterPizzazz.com called the show “spectacular… infectious! Some of the best jazz and blues singers around.” The Nation.com rated it “awesome, boy was the music fun!”

Center on the Aisle added you’ll have “a chance to escape the neon lights of Times Square and step into a place where all that matters is the music.”“Pompie’s Place” marks the long-awaited return to cabaret of Arthur Pomposello, who, for many years was the host and booker of the famous Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel.”

My advice: This is likely to be a hot ticket. Do not miss this chance to hear Hilary Gardner, a wonderful vocalist.

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)

‘Fatal Attraction: Piotr Uklanski Photographs’ (through Aug. 16)
A small but succinct survey of the multimedia bad-boy artist’s polymorphous relationship to photography shows him constantly changing scale, film and printing methods while exploring the medium’s ability to startle, seduce and become generic. He appropriates, imitates and pays homage as he goes, regularly invoking his Polish roots. Don’t miss the large photo-banners in the museum’s Great Hall or the massive fiber-sculpture monument to the eye and to insatiable looking. 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)

Neue Galerie:
‘Egon Schiele: Portraits’ (through Sept. 07)
“Of the approximately 125 items in this terrific show, there are only 11 oil paintings, which is a good thing. Except for a large picture of his wife, Edith, in a colorful striped dress, Schiele’s works on canvas are dark and turgid. But his drawings are nimble and nuanced. Working on paper with pencil, charcoal, ink, gouache, watercolor and crayons, he portrayed himself and others with infectious avidity. There’s hardly a single sheet here that doesn’t warrant close looking for its virtuoso draftsmanship and psychological acuity. 1048 Fifth Avenue, at 86th Street, 212-628-6200, neuegalerie.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)

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

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

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 08/05 and 08/03.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged > "Pompie's Place, “Cymbeline” / Shakespeare in the Park, “The Fence” in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Ballet Festival, Brasil Summerfest, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Caroline's, Central Park, Deon Cole, Don’t Tell Mama, Hilary Gardner, Joyce Theater, Lia Sophia, Lincoln Center, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015, Rock My Soul: The Fairfield Four, The Fairfield Four | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/06) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 08/06/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > THURSDAY / AUGUST 06, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Donna McKechnie
54 Below, 254 W54th St. / 7PM, $50–$95
“Don’t look now, but it’s been 40 years since she first danced and sang about the music, the mirror, and the chance to dance for us in A Chorus Line — and now McKechnie is back to recall the era. In particular, she’s reminiscing about her first aspiring years in NYC and how by sheer coincidence she lived down the street from the room where she’s now appearing. Yes, she may be looking back, but because she’s always been right in the moment, she’s as vitally immediate now as she was then.” (Village Voice)

> Brasil Summerfest
Coladera – 7:30PM, $15
Marcia Castro – 9:30PM, $15
Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St.
“get ready to get sweaty. Béco Dranoff, curator of this ambitious series, calls Brazilian music “the perfect soundtrack for summertime.” Checking out the schedule for the fifth annual installment of Summerfest, whose locations range from Central Park and Lincoln Center to Bushwick and several downtown locales, we’re inclined to agree.” (TONY)

> Steve Kuhn Trio (through Aug. 8)
Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W44th St. / 8:30PM +11PM, $40
“There’s a soft glow of erudition to “Wisteria,” a 2012 album by this acoustic piano trio. It comes from all three members of the group — the pianist Steve Kuhn, the bassist Steve Swallow and the drummer Joey Baron — but especially from Mr. Kuhn, 77, one of jazz’s most careful rhapsodists.” (NYT-Chinen)

> Rudy Royston ‘303’ (through Aug. 9)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St. / 8:30PM +10:30PM, $30
“Rudy Royston has emerged as a first-tier drummer in recent years. Drawing here from his impressive recent debut album, “303,” he leads a smartly distinctive band featuring the trumpeter Nadje Noordhuis, the saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, the guitarist Nir Felder, the pianist Sam Harris and two bassists, Yasushi Nakamura and Mimi Jones.” (NYT-Chinen)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> Broadway
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Avenue (at 40th St) / 6:30PM, FREE
Michelle Young features vintage and contemporary photographs chronicling the history of the world- famous street. She tells the story of New York as it grew from a Dutch colony into a world-class city.

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> We Like It Like That! A Boogaloo Celebration – Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
with: Joe Bataan, Ray Lugo and the Boogaloo Destroyers
with special guests Richie Ray and Pete Rodriguez
and ABAKUÁ Afro-Latin Dance Company

“As stated in Mathew Ramirez Warren’s new documentary, Latin boogaloo is New York City—a colorful expression of ’60s Latino soul straight from the streets of El Barrio, the South Bronx, and Brooklyn. Boogaloo godfather Joe Bataan unites doo-wop charm and Latin sounds in his irresistible hits. Ray Lugo’s good-time, hip-swinging originals pay homage to the style’s greats, including his specials guests, legendary pianist Richie Ray, and in one of his first performances in 40 years, Pete Rodriguez. ABAKUÁ Afro-Latin Dance Company will perform some of its signature choreography. To get the party started, in-demand DJ Turmix will spin Boogaloo gems.”

Bonus – Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This covers a wide range of food – the traditional pizza, burgers, & hot dogs; but also food trucks & carts, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls, bbq, vegetarian, falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars. No reservations needed. ===========================================================================

◊ 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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Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 54 Below, Ballet Festival, Birdland, Brasil Summerfest, Broadway, Donna McKechnie, Joe Bataan, Joe's Pub, Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, Mid-Manhattan Library, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015, Rudy Royston ‘303’, Steve Kuhn Trio, Village Vanguard, We Like It Like That! A Boogaloo Celebration | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/05) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 08/05/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > WEDNESDAY / AUGUST 05, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Buckwheat Zydeco
City Winery, 155 Varick St. / 8PM, $25-$30
American musical legend Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Jr. (a.k.a. Buckwheat Zydeco ) is the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana’s zydeco music.

> Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca (through Aug. 15)
West Park Presbyterian Church, 165 West 86th St. / 8:30PM, $20-$50
“There are many ways of retelling Sophocles’s “Antigone,” and thanks to this company, flamenco is now one of them. In “Antigona,” the artistic director Martín Santangelo has adapted the Greek tragedy for 14 performers and four musicians, with choreography by the troupe’s irrepressible star, Ms. Barrio.”(NYT-Burke)

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

> Bronx: The Ultimate Guide to New York City’s Beautiful Borough
New York Public Library – Mid-Manhattan Library, 5th Ave@ 40th St./ 6:30PM, FREE
“Lloyd Ultan, Bronx Borough Historian, with an illustrated lecture that highlights the borough’s cultural prominence and provides the audience with the borough’s extraordinary destinations including self-guided walking tours of some of the most ethnically, architecturally, and historically diverse neighborhoods.”

> Salma Hayek (Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet)
Film Society of Lincoln Center, Film Center Amphitheater / 6PM, FREE
Salma Hayek will appear at the Film Society for an informal chat in the Amphitheater about her latest project, the animated feature Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, on which she served as a producer and lent her voice.

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Fortune’s Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth
Collaborative Program: NYHS and Word for Word Non-Fiction at the Bryant Park Reading Room, 42nd St. (btw 5/6ave) / 7PM, FREE
“John Wilkes Booth forever changed the course of history with a single shot the evening of April 14, 1865, shocking a weary nation that was emerging from the chaos and calamity of the Civil War. Drawing from family records and extensive archival research, historian Terry Alford provides a comprehensive portrait of this enigmatic figure whose life has been defined by his infamous act: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.”

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:
‘One-Way Ticket: Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series and Other Visions of the Great Movement North’ (through Sept. 7)
“In the early 20th century, tens of thousands of African Americans left the rural South for the industrial North in search of jobs, homes and respect. Officially, this MoMA show is meant to mark the centennial of that immense population shift, though it also marks another anniversary: the first time in two decades that all 60 paintings in Jacob Lawrence’s great “Migration Series,” now divided between New York and Washington, D.C., have been shown together at the museum. Here they are surrounded by period photographs, books and fabulous music in a display as stimulating to the mind and the ear as it is to the eye. 212-708-9400, moma.org.” (Cotter)

Museum of Arts and Design:
‘Richard Estes: Painting New York City’ (through Sept. 20)
“The core of this show is a selection of vivid, Photorealist paintings of urban subjects like glass and chrome storefronts, movie theater marquees, cars and trucks, subways, the Brooklyn Bridge, views from the Staten Island Ferry and idyllic images of Central Park made between 1965 and 2015. The exhibition also includes didactic sections about the craft and technique that go into Mr. Estes painting and prints, but that aspect doesn’t fully deliver what it promises. 2 Columbus Circle, Manhattan, 212-299-7777,madmuseum.org.”(Johnson).
I LOVE THIS ONE.

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)

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 08/03 and 08/01.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Birdland, Bronx: The Ultimate Guide to New York City's Beautiful Borough, Bryant Park, Buckwheat Zydeco, City Winery, Film Society of Lincoln Center, Fortune’s Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth, John Wilkes Booth, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet), Mid-Manhattan Library, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015, Rudy Royston, Salma Hayek, Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, Steve Kuhn Trio, Village Vanguard | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/04) + Today’s Featured Pub (Upper WestSide)

Posted on 08/04/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > TUESDAY / AUGUST 04, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Steve Kuhn Trio (through Aug. 8)
Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W44th St. / 8:30PM +11PM, $40
“There’s a soft glow of erudition to “Wisteria,” a 2012 album by this acoustic piano trio. It comes from all three members of the group — the pianist Steve Kuhn, the bassist Steve Swallow and the drummer Joey Baron — but especially from Mr. Kuhn, 77, one of jazz’s most careful rhapsodists.” (NYT-Chinen)

Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival (Tuesdays through Aug 25)
> Los Sebosos Postizos (part of Brazil Summeriest)
City Winery Courtyard, 155 Varick St. / 5:30PM, FREE
formed in 2000 by members of Zombie Nation, their set list visits the 60’s and 70’s of Jorge Benjor´s music, bringing rare grooves and dub elements.

Elsewhere, but this looks worth the detour:
> Tito Nieves – SummerStage
East River Park Amphitheater
East River Promenade, S of Grand St. / 7-9PM, FREE
“with more than three decades of musical history behind him, Humberto “Tito” Nieves – the “Pavarotti” of Salsa – is still going strong.”

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015 (through Aug 14)
Various locations and times; $25 for lunch, $38 for dinner
Enjoy the summer edition of Restaurant Week (actually three weeks) of prix-fixe three course meals at many of the city’s best restaurants. Mangia!

> Eye of the Beholder:
Johannes Vermeer, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, and the Reinvention of Seeing
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Avenue (at 40th Street) / 6:30PM, FREE
Laura J. Snyder tells the remarkable story of how an artist and a scientist in 17th century Holland transformed the way we see the world.

“A Fulbright scholar argues that modern seeing began in 17th-century Holland, where innovations in optical devices led to breakthroughs in both art and science. Catch an illustrated lecture at the Mid-Manhattan Library that looks at cloth salesman Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, discoverer of the microscopic world, and Johannes Vermeer, who likely used a camera obscura in a nearby attic to bring a luminous world to life.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged “Cymbeline” / Shakespeare in the Park, Birdland, Central Park, City Winery, Eye of the Beholder:, Los Sebosos Postizos, Mid-Manhattan Library, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015, Rudy Royston ‘303’, Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, Steve Kuhn Trio, Tito Nieves, Village Vanguard, West Park Presbyterian Church | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/03) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 08/03/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8+ > MONDAY / AUGUST 03, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> ‘An Evening with Laura Osnes’
Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W. 44th St. / 7PM, $40
“Broadway darling and Tony-nominated title star of both “Cinderella” and “Bonnie & Clyde,” Laura Osnes is headlining her own show at the Birdland Jazz Club – marking the soprano’s debut at the historic venue. She’ll be singing from her repertoire of show tunes, her two solo albums and other surprises, all accompanied by Fred Lassen.” (Metro)

> Deanna Witkowski – Piano in Bryant Park
Bryant Park, Upper Terrace, 42nd St. (btw5/6ave) / 12:30PM, FREE
winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition plays for your lunchtime enjoyment in NYCity’s fave mid-town park – it’s a gem.

> Whiplash
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, 307 W 26th St. / 11PM, FREE
popular show is known for always featuring the city’s best up-and-coming comedians.
surprise special guests—Chris Rock, Louis C.K. and David Cross—keep audiences hooked. (tonight’s show is sold out, listed here to remind you to try for this event earlier next week)

> Humanform Letterform
Cooper Union Rose Auditorium, 41 Cooper Square / 6:30PM, FREE
typeface specialist Summer Stone will discuss the human side of letters and trace the origins of seven letters that began as images of parts of our bodies – E came from the body, K the hand, R the head.

> Jacob Silverman discusses his book:
Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection
Mid-Manhattan Library, 40th St.@ 5th Ave / 6:30PM, FREE
“This illustrated lecture explores the surprising conformity at the heart of the digital culture and what it means now that none of us can ever be alone. It is a call for social media users to take back ownership of their digital lives.”

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

SummerStage
> Beautiful – The Carole King Musical: Songs in Concert / Scott Shea
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, mid-Park at 69th St. / 6-10PM, FREE
“The cast of Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, the smash hit musical about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter, will perform in City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage festival in Central Park for one-night-only. The free event, hosted by NBC’s Hoda Kotb, will be comprised of all of the classic hits from the Broadway production, performed concert-style in Central Park.

The evening will begin with special opening guest artist Scott Shea. Beautiful, the quintessential New York musical, which is currently playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43 St), will be the first running Broadway musical to perform as part of the SummerStage festival.”

==================================================================================
♦ 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:

Elmer Bischoff: ‘Figurative Paintings’ (through Aug. 14)
“During the heyday of Abstract Expressionism in the 1950s, a number of painters in San Francisco turned away from abstraction and back to representational painting, thereby founding what came to be known as Bay Area Figuration. Elmer Bischoff (1916-1991) was one of the leaders of the movement. This show reveals a visionary, unabashedly romantic painter working under the influences of Edward Hopper and Albert Pinkham Ryder. He created images of poetic nostalgia and spiritual yearning grounded in robustly applied, richly sensuous paint. George Adams Gallery, 525-531 West 26th Street, Chelsea, 212-564-8480, georgeadamsgallery.com.” (Johnson)

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 08/01 and 07/30.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beautiful – The Carole King Musical:, Deanna Witkowski, Humanform Letterform, Laura Osnes, Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/02) + Today’s Featured Pub (WestVillage)

Posted on 08/02/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > SUNDAY / AUGUST 02, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Bryant Park Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet (LAST DAY)
Bryant Park Stage, 42nd St. (btw 5/6 ave) / today 2PM, FREE
“In The Drilling Company’s production for Bryant Park Shakespeare the play will be set in a modern city which is divided by wealth and class. Directed by David Marantz, it aims to send a clear message about the violence that can result from social division and corporate greed.” (BroadwayWorld)

> Ben Wolfe Quintet Featuring Nicholas Payton
Dizzy’s Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St & Broadway / 7:30PM +9:30PM, $35
Ben Wolfe is a seasoned bassist-composer who, according to Wynton Marsalis, “swings with authority,” Wolfe will be joined at Dizzy’s CluB by special guest, GRAMMY® Award-winning trumpeter Nicholas Payton.

> Ache: Lavagem da Rua NY – Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
“Lavagem da Rua is a sacred Brazilian tradition that translates as “the cleansing of streets. The Caribbean Cultural Center brings together artists representing countries of the diaspora including Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and more to reflect the different roads of song, music, and dance travelled on the path to a joyful destiny. Ache—may it be so!”

> Miguel
Terminal 5, 610 W56th St / 7PM, $40
“R&B for the iPhone age, Miguel sounds happily fills the sexy shoes D’Angelo unintentionally procured during the crooner’s infamous “Untitled (How Does it Feel)” video. Miguel rises to the sweaty occasion on his recent effort, Wildheart, where he teamed up with Lenny Kravitz and Kurupt to create a Prince-recalling record.” (Silas Valentino-VillageVoice)

> Dolly: Coat of Many Colors
Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 W42nd St. / 7PM, $20
“Jason CozMo is a dynamite celebrity impersonator, and tonight he’s taking on this country’s most American national treasure: Dolly Parton.”

ELSEWHERE, but this looks worth the detour:
> Animation Block Party
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building / 7PM +9PM, $14
If you think animation is only for kids, today’s programs, which bring BAM’s weekend-long Animation Block Party to a close, will surprise you. At 7pm, a program of 10 international short films runs the gamut, from a claymation tale about a Parisian taxidermist (“Ernie Biscuit”) to a cautionary fantasy about technology run amok (“Spamorama”). At 9pm, the 70-minute program of 20 shorts offers a freewheeling mix of experimental films, music videos and animated GIFs. (seniorplanet.org)

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Brasil Summerfest (through Aug 8) / various locations and times
today: Nação Zumbi / Nation Beat’s Carnival Caravan
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, mid-Park at 69th St. / 2-7PM, FREE
Get ready to get sweaty. Béco Dranoff, curator of this ambitious series, calls Brazilian music “the perfect soundtrack for summertime.” Checking out the schedule for the fifth annual installment of Summerfest, whose locations range from Central Park and Lincoln Center to Bushwick and several downtown locales, we’re inclined to agree.
For the full schedule, visit brasilsummerfest.com.” (TONY)

Bonus – Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who’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.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 / West Village

Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th St.

Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.

In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town.

The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro celebrated it’s 50th anniversary last year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

Corner Bistro has outlasted many of those other taverns around town because they know how to keep it simple — just good burgers and beer, fairly priced. The classic bistro Burger is only $6.75, and should be ordered medium rare, which will be plenty rare for most folks. Actually, it will be a juicy, messy delight – make sure you have extra napkins. I like to pull up a stool and sit by the large front window in the afternoon, where I can rest my burger and beer on the shelf, and watch the Villagers walk by.

Corner Bistro seems to attract very different groups of patrons depending on time of day. While it’s crowded with locals in the evening, in the afternoon you hear different foreign languages, and watch groups of euro tourists wander in, led by their guidebooks and smartphones.

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
=========================================================
Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ache: Lavagem da Rua NY, BAM, Ben Wolfe Quintet, Brasil Summerfest, Bryant Park, Central Park, Dizzy's Club, Dolly: Coat of Many Colors, Laurie Beechman Theatre, Lincoln Center, Miguel, Nação Zumbi, Nation Beat’s Carnival Caravan, Nicholas Payton, Terminal 5 | Leave a comment

Selected Events (08/01) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 08/01/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > SATURDAY / AUGUST 01, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> “Cymbeline” / Shakespeare in the Park (through August 23)
Central Park, Delacorte Theater / 8PM, FREE
a fairytale tucked within a tragedy. Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe in the Bard’s romance where cross-dressing and fake deaths move the plot. this is one tough ticket
– if you qualify, try the new line for seniors 65-plus at the Delacorte Theater.
– take your chances with the online ticket lottery (click here to learn how)
– or try the new ticket lottery at the Public Theater near Astor Place (instructions here).
(seniorplanet.org)

> A Celebration of the Life of Geoffrey Holder
Garth Fagan Dance / Carmen de Lavallade: The Creation /
The Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble
– Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7:30PM, FREE
“Geoffrey Holder was a trailblazing actor, choreographer, director and costume designer (he won Tony Awards for “The Wiz”) who died last fall. On Saturday, the choreographer Garth Fagan pays tribute to him with a newly commissioned work. Carmen de Lavallade, another bushwhacking dance artist — and Holder’s widow — honors him as well, with a performance of one of his works.” (NYT)

SummerStage
> Dr. John & the Nite Trippers + Amy Helm
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, mid-Park at 69th St. / 3PM, FREE
hear the gravelly voice, New Orleans-inspired musicianship of the singer-pianist Dr. John, and the late Leon Helm’s daughter, Amy.

> Brasil Summerfest (through Aug 8)
various locations and times
today: Coladera and Harlem Samba at South Street Seaport / 5PM, FREE
“get ready to get sweaty. Béco Dranoff, curator of this ambitious series, calls Brazilian music “the perfect soundtrack for summertime.” Checking out the schedule for the fifth annual installment of Summerfest, whose locations range from Central Park and Lincoln Center to Bushwick and several downtown locales, we’re inclined to agree.” (TONY)

> Momix (LAST DAY)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave at West 19th St. / 7:30PM, $10+
“Moses Pendleton’s whimsical troupe, a hybrid of modern dance, circus and visual spectacle, celebrates its 35th anniversary with a nearly monthlong run of the new work “Alchemia.”

ELSEWHERE, but this looks worth the detour:
> Animation Block Party
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building / various times; $14, $10 matinee
‘This cartoon fest returns for a 12th season, bringing animated films from various genres—including some that are fun for the whole family and those far too experimental, abstract or just plain inappropriate for Saturday mornings on public television.” (TONY)
On Saturday, Tom Stathes, a collector of animated shorts from the early twentieth century, shares rare and saucy clips from the pre-Code era of Hollywood.
On Sunday, the highlights include a retrospective of “Sesame Street” animations and a 35-mm screening of “The Care Bears Movie,” from 1985. (animationblock.com.) (NewYorker)

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> The Secrets of Walt Disney’s Movie Magic
Museum of Modern Art, 11W53rd St. / 6:30PM, $12
“the special effects secrets to Disney’s early Technicolor features like Fantasia have long been forgotten, even within the studio walls. Catch animator and author John Canemaker as he describes the revelations found in an old notebook, with a screening and Q&A following the lecture.” (ThoughtGallery.org)

The dazzling special effects in Walt Disney’s early Technicolor features, most notably Fantasia (1940), have fascinated generations of viewers, though the secrets behind their creation were long forgotten, even within the studio. John Canemaker, author of The Lost Notebook: Herman Schultheis and the Secrets of Walt Disney’s Movie Magic (Weldon Owen, 2014), explores the complex mechanical and optical processes that enabled Disney to delight the eye with dancing snowflakes, flying wraiths, erupting volcanoes and other visual treats, as detailed in a recently discovered notebook, compiled by photographer and effects specialist Schultheis during his 1938-41 tenure at Disney. A Q&A and screening of Fantasia (1940) follows Canemaker’s one-hour lecture. A book signing of The Lost Notebook precedes the lecture in the Titus 1 gallery at 5:45pm.

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of 8.5 million, had a record 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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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.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 07/30 and 07/28.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged BAM, Central Park, Coladera, Dr.John & the Nite Trippers, Garth Fagan Dance / Carmen de Lavallade: The Creation, Geoffrey Holder, Harlem Samba, Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, Museum of Modern Art, The Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble, The Secrets of Walt Disney’s Movie Magic | Leave a comment

Selected Events (07/31) + Today’s Featured Pub (Greenwich Village)

Posted on 07/31/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > FRIDAY / JULY 31, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca (through Aug. 15)
West Park Presbyterian Church, 165 West 86th St. / 8:30PM, $20-$50
“There are many ways of retelling Sophocles’s “Antigone,” and thanks to this company, flamenco is now one of them. In “Antigona,” the artistic director Martín Santangelo has adapted the Greek tragedy for 14 performers and four musicians, with choreography by the troupe’s irrepressible star, Ms. Barrio.” (NYT-Burke)

> AFROPUNK @ Lincoln Center
Vintage Trouble, The Skins, and LION BABE
AFROPUNK presents The Triptych
– Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
“Described by the New York Times as “the most multicultural festival in the U.S.,” the word “AFROPUNK” has become synonymous with “open-minded,” “non-conforming,” and “unconventional,” placing the institution at the epicenter of urban culture inspired by alternative music.Vintage Trouble is a sensational, soulful four-man band whose live shows feel like a sweet Southern revival mixed with a downtown edge.”

> Blake Mills
City Winery, 155 Varick St., near Spring St. / 8PM, $20-$25
An elegant, blues-influenced guitar player and coolly assertive singer, Mr. Mills scaled back his usual firebrand solos in favor of lo-fi intimacy on “Heigh Ho,” his second album.”
(NYT-Anderson)

> Lynette Washington and Dennis Bell Jazz NY
Richard Rodgers Ampitheater, 18 Mount Morris Park West / 6:30PM, FREE
Lynette Washington is a Grammy nominated jazz vocalist. She was the winner in the Jazzmobile Anheuser-Busch Jazz Vocal Competition in 2005 and has worked with artists such as Aretha Franklin, U2, and Peter Gabriel.

> Momix (through Aug 1)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave at West 19th St. / 7:30PM, $10+
“Moses Pendleton’s whimsical troupe, a hybrid of modern dance, circus and visual spectacle, celebrates its 35th anniversary with a nearly monthlong run of the new work “Alchemia.”

Friday features a selection of favorites from “Eyeworks,” an annual festival of abstract animation in Chicago, and a twentieth-anniversary showing of Mamoru Oshii’s highly influential sci-fi film “Ghost in the Shell.”
On Saturday, Tom Stathes, a collector of animated shorts from the early twentieth century, shares rare and saucy clips from the pre-Code era of Hollywood.
On Sunday, the highlights include a retrospective of “Sesame Street” animations and a 35-mm screening of “The Care Bears Movie,” from 1985. (animationblock.com.) (NewYorker)

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Christine Ebersole – Big Noise From Winnetka
54 Below, 254W54th St. / 7PM, $85-$100, plus $25 minimum
“Christine Ebersole is the top of the cabaret food chain in her stirring new show!”
– The New York Times
“Two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole returns to 54 Below for three performances only of her hit concert Big Noise From Winnetka. Praised by The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood for her role in this summer’s Ever After at Paper Mill Playhouse, this “gorgeous soprano” brings her sold-out concert back to where it began, following a season of concert performances across the country.”

Backed by some of the finest musicians, including Musical Director Bette Sussman (Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper), Christine Ebersole takes the audience on her personal journey, from Winnetka to NYC, Hollywood and to New Jersey. Filled with hits from every decade, the show offers audiences songs from Broadway, pop, and jazz. It’s a journey that ends with standing ovations at every performance.

Winner of two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (42nd Street and Grey Gardens), Christine has also starred in film (Wolf of Wall Street), television (Sullivan & Son, Royal Pains), and has performed concerts in theaters and concert halls across the country, from The Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall to The Pasadena and Boston Pops.”

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 54 Below, AFROPUNK, Animation Block Party, BAM, Blake Mills, Christine Ebersole, City Winery, Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, Lynette Washington, Momix, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015, Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca | Leave a comment

Selected Events (07/30) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 07/30/2015 by GregD

Today’s Elite 8 > THURSDAY / JULY 30, 2015

Music, Dance, Performing Arts
> Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz
with Special Guests Arturo O’Farrill and Steven Bernstein
– Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center / 7PM, FREE
“Afro-Brazilian percussion in a big band format, Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz combine traditional African-based rhythms with sophisticated jazz harmonies. Making its U.S. debut at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the group will collaborate with critically acclaimed pianist Arturo O’Farrill and celebrated trumpeter Steven Bernstein, who are presenting original compositions to be arranged in the Rumpilezz style.”

> Christine Ebersole – Big Noise From Winnetka (also July 31)
54 Below, 254W54th St. / 7PM, $85-$100, plus $25 minimum
“Christine Ebersole is the top of the cabaret food chain in her stirring new show!”
– The New York Times
“Two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole returns to 54 Below for three performances only of her hit concert Big Noise From Winnetka. Praised by The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood for her role in this summer’s Ever After at Paper Mill Playhouse, this “gorgeous soprano” brings her sold-out concert back to where it began, following a season of concert performances across the country.”

> Minimus 3D Arkestra
13th Street Repertory Theater, 50 West 13th St. / 8PM, $18
“This innovative performance combines 3-D film making and live music. Audience members wear stereoscopic glasses as they watch a live duet (with music by the jazz saxophonist and composer Hayes Greenfield) paired with a silent film by Ikuo Nakamura.” (NYT)

Smart Stuff / Other
(Lectures, Discussions, Book Talks, Literary Readings, Classes, Food & Drink, Other)
> Good Beer 2015
Hudson Mercantile, 500 W36th St. / 6-9PM, $65 (next time early bird this @ $45)
a showcase of craft beers from a selection of participating restaurants, bars, and breweries.

they will be pairing up your favorite craft breweries with some of the most delicious food from the city’s most talented chefs and food artisans. for the complete list of participants:
http://www.ediblemanhattan.com/event/good-beer-3/

Have time for only one event today? Do this:

> Benny, Basie & Bucky! – Jazz in July
92nd Street Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall, Lexington Avenue at 92nd St / 8PM, $62
“The stars are out tonight to finish the festival with a big bang. Dare you to stay in your seat. Guitar icon Bucky Pizzarelli, clarinet marvel Ken Peplowski and ace drummer Dennis Mackrel are the living personification of the swinging legacy of Count Basie and Benny Goodman.”

“Whenever you come across the 92Y’s Jazz in July series touted in print, you’re likely to see the word “exquisite” attached. Artistic director Bill Charlap sculpts his programs and performer lists to stress the kind of grace that he himself brings to the stage when leading his piano trio.

Mainstream jazz is full of finesse, and as the week-long fest puts its personal spin on history and unpacks the kind of splendor that tickles the button-down crowd, a distinct p.o.v. will emerge. You bet it’s exquisite.” (Jim Macnie-VillageVoice)

==================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of 8.5 million, had a record 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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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 07/28 and 07/26.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 54 Below, 92nd Street Y, “The Fence” in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Basie & Bucky!, Benny, Christine Ebersole, Good Beer 2015, Joyce Theater, Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz, Lincoln Center, Minimus 3D Arkestra, Momix, NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2015 | Leave a comment

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

Today’s Elite 8 > SATURDAY / AUGUST 08, 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 Elite 8 > FRIDAY / AUGUST 07, 2015

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 08/05 and 08/03.

Today’s Elite 8 > THURSDAY / AUGUST 06, 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 Elite 8 > WEDNESDAY / AUGUST 05, 2015

Today’s Elite 8 > TUESDAY / AUGUST 04, 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 Elite 8+ > MONDAY / AUGUST 03, 2015

Today’s Elite 8 > SUNDAY / AUGUST 02, 2015

Corner Bistro / 331 W. 4th 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 Elite 8 > SATURDAY / AUGUST 01, 2015

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 07/30 and 07/28.

Today’s Elite 8 > FRIDAY / JULY 31, 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 Elite 8 > THURSDAY / JULY 30, 2015

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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”

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”