February NYC events + Top NYC weekend corona culture (02/20)

Posted on 02/20/2021 by GregD
 

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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

For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s NYC Weekend Corona Culture (Sat). NEW STUFF!

5 Things to Do This Weekend NYC (Feb.20-21) – NYT

Art & Museums / This ‘House’ Has Stories to Tell

KIDS / Sit Back and Watch (or Get Up and Dance)

Jazz / Mixing More Than Notes

Dance / An Anniversary That Keeps Giving

Pop & Rock / Scrolling Through Pages From the Past

“Our critics and writers have selected noteworthy cultural events to experience virtually and outdoors in New York City.”  (NYT)

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amNY Weekender: 7 things to do in New York City (Feb.20-21) – amNY

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4 NYC Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now – The New York Times

“Medrie MacPhee’s paintings; Jeanne Reynal’s mosaics; Angela Dufresne’s kinetic works; and Joaquín Orellana’s sonic sculptures.”

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Moynihan Train Hall is Not Perfect, But It’s Close Enough (Op-Ed)– untappedcities

“Moynihan Train Hall is open and in this humble Chief Experience Officer‘s opinion, it is good. The renderings we saw for years became a reality on New Years Day when the spacious 255,000-square foot hall was opened to the public. The Art Deco clock was the first welcome surprise. The timepiece, designed by Peter Pennoyer Architects, was not on an any of the original renderings but now hangs as an homage to the concourse clock in the old Penn station and the beloved opaline-faced clock in Grand Central Terminal. Train travelers finally have a clear and definable meeting spot on the west side.”

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Indoor dining capacity expands to 35% in NYC next week: Cuomo – amNY

“Indoor dining in New York City will be expanded to allow bars and restaurants to seat patrons at 35% capacity on Feb. 26 — marking a 10% increase since inside seating resumed on Feb. 12, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. “

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One Of The City’s Great Jewish Delis Comes To The Upper West Side – gothamist

“In 1956, when this kosher Jewish delicatessen first opened on Queens Boulevard, it was called Pastrami King, and for nearly 40 years the place fed the courthouse crowd out there in Kew Gardens. In 1998, facing a steep decline in business, the King decamped to the Upper East Side, and, in honor the new owners’ family matriarch, was renamed Pastrami Queen.

Now Pastrami Queen has crossed the park, opening their second location on West 72nd Street in the space that Fine and Schapiro held since 1927, before that venerable institution closed for good when the pandemic hit in March.”

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10 Classical Concerts to Stream in February – NYT

“A Tyshawn Sorey premiere and lots of Kurt Weill from Berlin are among the highlights.”

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21 Amazing Things New Yorkers Are Putting On Their 2021 Bucket Lists –secretnyc.co

It’s time to (finally) say goodbye to 2020, and HELLO to 2021.

Though of a course a new year won’t fix everything, it definitely feels like the right time to have a fresh start.

One thing that gets us super excited is making a list of all the activities we want to take part in the new year — and luckily, we’re in the best place to do that: NYC! We also asked our Instagram followers what was on their 2021 bucket lists, and got even more ideas from that.

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Stay home a bit longer. Mask up, stay smart and stay safe.

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February NYC events + Top 10 NYC corona culture (02/19)

Posted on 02/19/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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

For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s Top 10 NYC Corona Culture. NEW STUFF!

1. Your Concise New York Art Guide for February 2021 – hyperallergic.com

“Your list of must-see, fun, insightful, and very New York art events this month.

It’s February, and groundhog mumbles aside, we’re one month closer to sunshine and longer days. To break up some of the winter slush, we’ve rounded up 10 art events worth checking out — from exhibitions, to film series, to book fairs and interdisciplinary projects — many of which are available online.”

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2. Best Things to do in NYC This Week – TONY

Here are just a few ideas:

m. Restaurant Week To Go
News Eating

In happier 2021 news, one of our favorite local traditions is back. NYC & Company’s NYC Restaurant Week returns this winter in a special new format: Running from January 25-31 (with an optional extension from February 1-7), Restaurant Week To Go will focus on great takeout and delivery options across all five boroughs. Local restaurants are invited to participate cost-free in the program, which will highlight a broad range of venues, from fine-dining stalwarts to casual pop-in spots. Participating restos like Gramercy Tavern, RedFarm, and Bar Boulud have already been announced. Each eatery will offer an entrée with at least one side dish for lunch or dinner at $20.21 a meal, to commemorate the new year. (Note: Tax, delivery fees and gratuity are not included in the meal price.) MasterCard holders have an extra incentive: The company is sponsoring the program, so diners who use their MasterCard will receive a $10 rebate for all orders.

n. Aerialists & Acrobats at City Point
Things to do City Point, Downtown Brooklyn Feb 11 2021-Feb 28 2021

A creative residency of aerialists and acrobats is performing at City Point’s BKLYN STUDIOS every Sunday and Thursday through February 28—and you can see them for free. Some of New York’s top circus performers, who have been furloughed since March, are practicing and displaying their works-in-progress and show-ready acts and of dazzling skills, innovative movements, super-human resiliency and flexibility (while adhering to Covid-19 guidelines). You can catch their showcases twice a week (Thursdays at 7pm and Sundays at noon) and their rehearsals on weekdays from 9am to 1pm and from 6 to 9pm, as well as on Sundays from 10am to 7pm.

Ernst-Alper and photographer Giles Clement also collaborated on New York City Performer Series for an installation featuring images of aerialists, burlesque personalities, clowns, and dancers in the Atrium at City Point. Each image will be sold as a limited-edition print and as part of a set of 10 postcards. Proceeds from sales will be shared with the performing artists to help them through the pandemic.

o. “Looking Up” sculpture in Rockefeller Center
News Art

A 10-foot-tall sculpture now looms over NYC’s Rockefeller Center Channel Gardens, gazing up at 30 Rock—a stance we’ve all taken at some point, whether as a tourist or a passerby. The stainless steel artwork by American artist Tom Friedman was just unveiled at the entrance to the gardens located on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th streets, and it’ll be standing tall until March 19. Titled “Looking Up,” the humanoid figure was created with crushed aluminum foil pans which, through a process of lost wax casting, retains the imprint of the original materials. The sculpture combines Friedman’s interests in the supernatural and experiential, according to Rockefeller Center’s developer Tishman Speyer.

p. Elsewhere Sound Space
Music Music venues Online, Feb 23 2021-Jun 24 2021

Elsewhere is bringing back live performances via Twitch so everyone can tune into its new monthly series, “Elsewhere Sound Space.” Hosted by trans comedian and actor Peter Smith, the episodic series will feature new musical guests and live performances from New York City’s underground music and arts scene each month, starting with Princess Nokia on January 28, Starchild & The New Romantic on February 23, Paperboy Prince on March 23, and others on April 27, May 25 and June 24. The premise of the whole series is out of this world—it’s a continuing story that follows the sci-fi misadventures of a music deity marooned in space and their curious cultural dispatches back to Earth. Peter Smith will be broadcasting live from the “Astral Spa & Sound Bath” while on a “chilled-out mission to bring the joy and community of live music to Earthlings, who are in their most quarantined and isolated state.” Twitch audience members can expect comedic skits, psychedelic musical performances, candid artist interviews and holistic wellness treatments.

There are many more right HERE at Time Out New York

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3. The 25 best cheap eats in NYC – TONY

“Eat for $10 or less at the best restaurants with cheap eats in NYC

UPDATE, October 29 2020: Dining out in New York City has never been so different than this year and it’s not only because restaurants had to shut down their dining rooms for more than six months. The current crisis has put a renewed focus on more affordable food options, whether you’re scarfing down tacos from a food truck or ordering dumplings from a mom-and-pop business in Chinatown. At Time Out New York, we’ve done the homework for you in discovering dishes, old and new, that are all $10 or under. 

The hefty prices at many New York restaurants can at times make the dining scene feel like it’s only for the elite. But some of the best restaurants in NYC still serve affordable bites for $10 or less. Dining on a budget in New York doesn’t have to feel like a constraint with our picks for jerk chicken, Sicilian-style pizza, creative veggie burgers, underground buffets, Cuban bakeries and more.”

4. Museums Are Still Open in New York. Here’s What’s on View (for Now). – The New York Times

“Sanford Biggers, Félix Fénéon and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s history of itself”

“Nicolas Cage hosts the history of swearing. Lorde writes a book and Julie Mehretu takes over the Whitney. This new year has to be better, right?”

 

6. Everywhere You Should Be Eating Vegan and Vegetarian Food in NYC – thrillist

17 go-to spots for meatless eats.

“New York City is on the cutting edge of all things culinary, so it’s no surprise that plant-based eateries have been a fixture in the city for decades. In fact, restaurants like Candle Cafe, Dojo, Angelica Kitchen (RIP) and many more transformed meatless diets into a lifestyle to aspire to as early as the 1970s. While vegetarian and vegan eateries have continued to proliferate since then, one exciting newish trend is the introduction of plant-based options within the fast-casual space (e.g., Taim, by CHLOE, et al.) offering affordable and quickly prepared items that make it that much easier for New Yorkers to go meat-free.”

 

7. What’s Open in NYC | The Official Guide to New York City – nycgo.com

“Businesses across all five boroughs are working toward a common goal: to welcome back guests, employees and the community at large while ensuring everyone’s health and safety. Use this hub as a starting point for what’s open right now or opening soon, and make sure to follow up directly with any venue to confirm hours and protocols before you visit.”

8. Three ‘astonishing’ works of art are inside the new Moynihan Train Hall – TONY

The Public Art Fund says they’ll ‘stop us in our tracks’ “In true New York style, the new Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, which opens Friday, has been decked out with incredible art.

Penn Station’s $1.6 billion Moynihan Train Hall features a spacious, light-filled atrium with a 92-foot-high glass skylight and soaring ceilings honoring the design of the original Penn Station, but as with any new transit hub, whether it’s a new subway station, airport terminal or a passenger hall like this one, New York calls on its amazing artists to decorate the walls, halls and floors and inspire travelers passing by.”

9. The Metropolitan Opera is streaming free productions every night – TONY

The Met continues to share a different lineup of complete operas from its archives every week

“The Metropolitan Opera has closed its doors though at least September 2021, but the great New York opera house continues to lift the spirits of opera lovers around the world with free nightly streams of complete productions from its archives. Most of the offerings were originally recorded with multiple cameras in high definition to be shown in movie theaters as part of the company’s popular Live in HD series.

Each opera goes live on the Met’s website at 7:30pm EST (12:30am GMT) and remains there until 6:30pm EST the next evening. The operas can also be viewed with the Met Opera on Demand app on various devices.”

Nightly Opera Streams, February 15–21

Franco Zeffirelli Week

“This week of free streams celebrates Franco Zeffirelli, the Italian director and designer whose grand, historically informed, and intricately detailed productions have delighted generations of operagoers. Explore the articles and resources below to expand your knowledge and enhance your experience as you enjoy the screenings.”

10. -85 NYC restaurants with heaters for outdoor dining – 6sqft

“Though indoor dining is permitted at 25-percent capacity in New York City, a lot of people still don’t feel 100-percent comfortable with the idea. Luckily, the city made its outdoor dining program permanent and year-round and gave restaurants the go-ahead to install outdoor heat lamps. If you’re looking for one of these spots to dine al fresco without shivering, we’ve begun a running list throughout the city.”

11. Why This Billionaire Will Never Leave New York – The New York Times

“For the cosmetics mogul and philanthropist Leonard Lauder, the city, with its museums, public transit and parks, is an explorer’s delight.”

Bonus#1: Train Your Muscles Without a Gym – The New York Times

“Get to a nearby park and get in shape (safely).”

Bonus#2: When the Bronx was a Forest: Stroll Through the Centuries – NYT

“Yankee Stadium was the site of a salt marsh. Concourse Plaza was a valley. Our critic walks with Eric Sanderson, a conservation ecologist.”

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We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here March 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info. 

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Stay home for a bit more – Mask up, stay smart and stay safe

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February NYC events + Top online travel forums (02/18)

Posted on 02/18/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.

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

For January we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s 6 Top Online Travel Forums.

Traditional travel guides and blogs, whether online or in paper format, give you a lot of content but still have their limitations. Chances are you’ll have specific questions and concerns that they didn’t cover.

Online travel forums (the original social media) are one of the best ways to find information you can’t find elsewhere, and to find answers to specific questions. These online communities of travelers are ready and willing to offer their insights and first-hand knowledge.

Which are the best travel forums – the forums with many informed and active members who will answer your questions promptly and accurately? with moderators who will ensure that discussions stay relevant and civil?

Here are my six favorites:

> Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree An old timer (since 1996) – you can search by destination or interest, search for a travel buddy or just have a chat. 7.1M results for “everything ever.” Search here for New York City

> Trip Advisor’s Travel Board Their motto: ”Get the truth.Then go” Search by destination or interest. The New York City Travel Forum has 189K topics and the sidebar “Top questions about New York City” is very helpful. Search here for New York City

> Frommer’s Community Forums Not as active as some other forums, but archived topics can be helpful. Search by destinations, trip ideas, tips&tools. Search here for New York City

> Fodor’s Travel Talk Forums This is a big one with 2.1M posts for the USA and 3.9M posts for Europe and can be difficult to find what you are looking for. In order to use all the features of the forum, you will need to register. Search here for New York City

> Flyer Talk Forums Been around a long time. Heavy, of course, on air travel and airports. But the destinations section has a New York City forum with many posts. Unfortunately, browsing through the threads is time consuming, and the search engine is not very helpful. Search here for New York City

> Rick Steve’s Travel Forum This is a Euro-centric Forum, so much won’t be of help for NYCity. But Rick Steves and his travelers have so much good information on the site, including travel technology, I just had to list it. Be sure to use it when you travel to Europe. Search here for technology tips

Of course, your FaceBook friends, Instagram and Twitter world may be helpful too.

We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here March 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

These special interest NYC links should be helpful, too.

NYC’s Best New Restaurants & New Dishes In 2020 – Gothamist

Best Things to do in NYC This Week  – TONY

The Best NYC Restaurants for Eating a Meal Outdoors This Winter – Eater NY

These Outdoor Dining ‘Snow Globes’ On Stone Street Are Beyond Enchanting – Secretnyc

11 things we can actually look forward to in NYC in 2021 – TONY

Moynihan Train Hall Becomes a Destination For New Yorkers – The New York Times

Can You Get Coronavirus Inside a Restaurant? – The Atlantic

“The Nature of Color” at the Reopened American Museum of Natural History | The New Yorker + The Nature of Color: Immersive Exhibition | AMNH

Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’ Gets 21st Century Makeover – WSJ

Eater Critic Robert Sietsema’s Favorite NYC Sandwiches of 2020 – Eater NY

Everything you need to know about indoor dining in NYC | 6sqft

How Are The Arts Fairing Amid The Pandemic?

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STAY HOME FOR A BIT LONGER – MASK UP, STAY SMART AND STAY SAFE.

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February NYC events + Top 10 NYC corona culture (02/17)

Posted on 02/18/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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

For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s Top 10 NYC Corona Culture. NEW STUFF!

1. The best things to do in NYC this week – TONY

“If you’re looking for the best things to do in NYC this week or even today, there are tons of fun options (so long as you can social distance and wear a mask). Start by finding the moving art diorama “The House Our Families Built,” then take in an outdoor movie at Syndicated or head to the Winter Village at Westlight for some ice skating and fondue.” Here are just a few:

J. Augmented reality versions of Met masterpieces
News Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) just launched a new interactive virtual art exhibit in partnership with Verizon featuring augmented reality versions of some of the most iconic masterpieces to ever be displayed at the museum. In total, The Met Unframed features a dozen one-of-a-kind digitally rendered galleries and almost 50 works of art from across the museum’s collection. “At a time when access to one of the world’s greatest art collections is limited, [this experience] brings a creatively reimagined Met experience to people wherever they are,” reads the destination’s official press release. “Visitors” will first be treated to an intricately detailed rendering of the Met’s famous Great Hall and will then be able to proceed to admiring works that include Jackson Pollock’s Autumn Rhythm, Margareta Haverman’s Vase of Flowers, Vincent Van Gogh’s Wheatfield with Cypresses and Rembrandt van Rijn’s Self Portrait, among others.

K. Social Alchemix (Live!)
Theater Experimental Online, Feb 13 2021-Feb 27 2021

NYC-based cocktail guru Wil Petre, best known for his off-Broadway work, invites you to join Social Alchemix (Live!), a game night meets storytelling meetup. The project was developed over the past two years in tandem with Social Alchemix, an actual game employing a deck of alchemical tarot-like cards, containing questions that enable players to skip the small talk and get into the good stuff. The guests of this show are asked to turn off their cell phones for the duration of the event; some can participate in the gameplay, others can just watch and listen. Petre asks “Is it possible to have a meaningful conversation with a perfect stranger in our socially distanced and lonely world?”

L. Drawing Inspiration: A Century of Works on Paper
Art Galerie Gmurzynska, Upper East Side Until Feb 26 2021

Upper East Side Galerie Gmurzynska has a free show of famed works from master modern artists including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Zaha Hadid, Ed Ruscha, Robert Delaunay and Jean Arp. Walk in Monday through Friday from noon to 5pm or make an appointment by calling the gallery directly at: 212-535- 5275 for now through the end of February.

M. Winter Village at Westlight
News Eating

The William Vale’s new Winter Village at Westlight is a seasonal pop-up is located on the hotel’s 23rd floor outdoor rooftop and features private heated chalets surrounding their rooftop ice skating rink, Vale Rink. It’s perfect for a cozy night out. Each chalet is available to book for 90 minutes with a $45 fee for small chalets (parties of 2) and a $75 fee for large chalets (parties of 3–6). Inside, you can enjoy items from Westlight’s a la carte menu as well as an Alpine-style fondue with fingerling potatoes, sourdough bread, gherkins, apples and endives for $30. (Something else to enjoy? Those stunning views of the Manhattan skyline twinkling in the distance.) Seasonal cocktails from Andrew Carmellini’s NoHo Hospitality are also served at the rinkside hideaways, including the Frostbite (Glenlivet, Lillet Blanc, Banana, Walnut, Honey) and the Snowbird (Mount Gay Black Barrel, Aperol, Lime, Coconut.) To round out the hygge ambiance, the sky-high chalets come stocked with soft pillows, flameless candles and—in a truly inspired touch—a spritz of Santal 26 by Le Labo. Now that’s an off-menu item we can get behind.

Many more things to do this week right HERE at Time Out New York

2. Go-To NYC Spots for Takeout, Delivery, and Outdoor Dining in 2020 – ny.eater.com

“From Golden Diner’s honey butter pancakes to Parlay’s chicken curry, here are the restaurant orders that were kept in regular rotation all year long”

3. Order up! Bring home great food from more than 570 eateries taking part in NYC Restaurant Week – amNY

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the city’s restaurant industry, and next week’s New York City Restaurant Week To Go provides everyone with an affordable opportunity to support small businesses in their greatest time of need while safely enjoying some fine dining.”

4.The best places to go ice-skating in NYC – TONY

“It’s time to lace up your skates—the best ice skating rinks in NYC are waiting for you. As one of the most beloved cities to spend the holidays in, NYC has plenty of indoor and outdoor rinks where you can glide and practice your toe jumps. To help narrow down your options, we’ve ranked the top places to go, from the iconic Rink at Rockefeller Center or lower-key rinks at NYC parks like Central Park. You can even make a full-day out of it when you shop at one of the city’s best holiday markets, followed by sipping hot chocolate and skating on The Rink at the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park. If you’d rather stay warm while on the ice, there are many all-weather indoor rinks, including spots that offer roller skating.”

“A $1.6 billion transformation of a post office has given the city a lofty, light-filled steel, glass and marble cathedral, our critic writes.

The $1.6 billion Moynihan Train Hall opened at dawn on New Year’s morning — on budget, too, even a couple of months early. Instagram swooned. Tweeters channeled Stefon from “Saturday Night Live.”

In the midst of everything else, we needed this. New York needs this.”

6. The Underground Gourmet’s Year-End Digest – grubstreet

“The best new comfort food we ate in 2020.

Now is the time for pure, unalloyed comfort food, however you define it, which happens to be the theme of our roundup of the best things we ate this year.”

7.- 10 Cool NYC Art and Museum Exhibitions to Check Out Now – thrillist

“Grab your mask and wander the halls of the city’s unparalleled cultural institutions.

When NYC museums were forced to close their doors in March due to COVID-19, art-loving New Yorkers had to endure an already difficult period without all of the creativity and inspiration that comes from wandering the halls of our city’s unparalleled cultural institutions. Thankfully, though, museums in NYC were able to reopen in the late summer, and have remained so since then.”

8. The Best Meals I Ate in 2020 – grubstreet

“Our critic Adam Platt finds some comforts in a heartbreaking year.”

9. How Fans of The Queen’s Gambit Can Explore Chess in NYC – untappedcities.com

“When thinking of chess, what normally comes to mind is a pair of players dressed in khakis, glasses, and sweater vests. But if you’ve recently seen Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, chess might seem a lot more . . . glamorous? Almost to the point where you may have wanted to dig out your old chess board from the attic (good luck buying a set — thanks to the show, they’re sold out nearly everywhere). Based off of Walter Tevis’ novel of the same name, The Queens Gambit takes place during the sixties and follows chess prodigy Beth Harmon as she strives to become the world’s greatest chess player.”

10a. Editors’ Picks: 11 Events for Your Art Calendar This Week – Artnet.com

From a Hunter College MFA Show to Greg Goldberg at the National Arts Club

Plus, tune into a talk with the mother of Breonna Taylor as part of a show at the Monira Foundation.

“Each week, we search for the most exciting and thought-provoking shows, screenings, and events. In light of the global health crisis, we are currently highlighting events and digitally, as well as in-person exhibitions open in the New York area.“

10B. New York City Ballet Dancers to Step Back Onstage

“New works by the choreographers Kyle Abraham and Justin Peck will be filmed at the David H. Koch Theater for the coming digital season.”

“New York City Ballet’s dancers will return to the David H. Koch Theater before audiences do. The company’s coming digital season, set to begin on Feb. 22, will include performances, rehearsals and conversations filmed at the Lincoln Center theater, including new ballets by the choreographers Kyle Abraham and Justin Peck.”

Bonus#1. : When Manhattan Was Mannahatta: a Stroll Through the Centuries  – NYT  

“From lush forest to metropolis, the evolution of Lower Manhattan.”

We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here February 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info (well, maybe. it depends).  

Bonus#2: The best theater you can stream online anytime – TONY

“Much of the best streaming theater, dance and music of the lockdown period remains viewable anytime.”

We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here March 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Stay home for a bit longer – Mask up, stay smart and stay safe

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

February NYC events + The Nifty Nine NYC news sources (02/16)

Posted on 02/16/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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

For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram/YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s The Nifty Nine NYC News Sources.

All the NYCity News You Need to Start Your Day

The New York Times – New York Today / Daily Briefings

AM / Metro New York

The New York Times – Regional New York News

Google Local News – New York

Wall Street Journal Greater New York (Region News)

Grub Street – NY Magazine’s Food and Restaurant Blog

Gothamist: News, Food, Arts and Events

The New York Times – Art and Design

amNY Online

We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here March 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now, how about some more useful NYC info:

Best Things to do in NYC This Week – TONY

G. Black History Month at NYPL
Things to do Online, Until Feb 28 2021

The New York Public Library is commemorating Black History Month with more than 100 online events and programs, virtual exhibitions, information and educational tools, and reading recommendations to amplify Black voices, history and experiences.

At The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, check out “Civil Rights Legacies: Martin, Malcolm, Gwen, and Julian” on February 4 at 6:30pm; “Between the Lines: Four Hundred Souls” with Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain on February 9 at 7pm; Dr. Michelle Commander will host an event on February 16 for the launch of her book “Unsung: Unheralded Narratives of American Slavery & Abolition”; and “Subversion & The Art of Slavery Abolition” an online exhibit for those interested in archival materials and how abolitionists engaged with the arts to agitate for enslaved people’s liberty.

The Library also has a variety of virtual events planned featuring guest speakers, performances, and materials from its archives. Check out its website for a full schedule.

H. Lunar New Year Crawl
Restaurants Online, Until Feb 28 2021

It has been a hard year for most Asian-owned businesses across NYC because of the pandemic and the racism and xenophobia surrounding it. But Lunar New Year is here—a usually joyous and festive time—so Send Chinatown Love is hosting a digital neighborhood crawl to help support Asian-owned businesses. For the entire month of February, you can use receipts from takeout/delivery at participating businesses or receipts from donations to any of these businesses to put into your “Passport to Lunar New Year.” For ever three receipts, you’re entered into a raffle for prizes.

These are the participating businesses:
Manhattan:
– 46 Mott
– Kam Hing Coffee Shop
– Yue Wong
– Bodhi Kosher
– 3 Times
– Kuih Cafe
– 47 Division
– Dreamers Coffee
– Lanzhou Ramen
– Go Noodle Nine Moon
– Wonton Noodle Garden
Queens
– Boc Boc Chicken Delicious
– Noodle House
– Sik Gaek
– 4 Choice Lunch Box
– NY Go Go
– Chef Papa NY
– Playdate
– Hahm Ji Bach
– Dynamite Seafood
– FZ Noodles Inc
Brooklyn
– Shunfa Bakery
– Melonpanna
– Wing Hing
– Parlay
– Prince Tea House
– Made the Cut
– Pho 60
– Delicacy Passion Patisserie

I. African/American: Making the Nation’s Table
Things to do Online, Until Feb 25 2021

The Museum of Food and Drink is hosting a month of programs for Black History Month featuring chefs, mixologists, and culinary historians, cook-along demos, virtual reality short films, and conversations with the food and beverage industry’s leading experts—all through Zoom.

There will be six programs you can tune into, including “MIGRATION STORIES: Sustaining Gullah Geechee Cooking across Land and Sea” (February 3, 8-9pm); “BLACK SMOKE: The History of African American Barbecue” (February 10, 8-9pm); “GROWING RICE: A Migration Story from Seed to Plate” (February 16, 8-9pm); “UNCLE NEAREST: Untold Stories Behind the Whiskey Still” (February 17, 8-9:30pm); COASTAL ROOTS: Tracing the Ancestral History of Farming and Cooking in Georgia (February 23, 8-9pm); and THE LEGACY OF FOOD ACTIVISM: A Storytelling Event (February 25, 8-9:30pm).

Many more things to do this week right HERE at Time Out New York

PLUS

Restaurant Week To Go: UWS Participants – I Love The Upper West Side

Best Outdoor Restaurants and Bars in NYC: Places to Eat for Winter – Thrillist

Museums Are Still Open in New York. Here’s What’s on View (for Now). – The New York Times

See the Art by Kehinde Wiley, Stan Douglas, and Other Art Stars That Might Actually Make You Want to Go to New York’s Penn Station – news.artnet.com

Good news sports fans: New York arenas can open to fans beginning Feb. 23 | amNewYork

20 Restaurants for Cozy Outdoor Dining in Manhattan – ny.eater.com

The Setups for Outdoor Winter Dining Are Lavish. But Are They Safe? – The New York Times

Eight ways Pixar’s ‘Soul’ gets NYC right – TONY

Bryant Park Just Opened A Brand New ‘Curling Cafe’ – Secretnyc

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STAY HOME FOR A BIT LONGER – MASK UP, STAY SMART AND STAY SAFE.

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February NYC events + Top 11 NYC corona culture (02/15)

Posted on 02/15/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day. We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s Top 11 NYC Corona Culture. NEW STUFF!

1. Learn About Lincoln and Attend a Symposium on the Power of Fashion – NYT

“This week, celebrate Presidents’ Day, tune in to a discussion between two members of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and try a new recipe for Mardi Gras.”

2. The Museum Of Natural History Is Unearthing A Brand New Hall Of Gems & Minerals In February – secretnyc.co

“This redesigned exhibit is going to rock!

The American Museum of Natural History just announced that The Allison and Roberto Mignone Hall of Gems and Minerals will finally be reopening on February 17, 2021. The hall has been part of the museum since the ’70s, and closed in 2017 to be redesigned as one of the New York icon’s 150th anniversary projects. It was originally supposed to open this fall, but because of the pandemic, it got moved to winter of 2021.”

3. The Met Casts New Light on its Greatest Hits and History – NYT

“Goya, Caravaggio, Rubens, Velázquez and more are in skylit splendor in the European galleries. And the museum is acknowledging the shaping force on art of colonialism, slavery, the disenfranchisement of women.”

4. -38 Standout Dining Destinations in New York City, Winter 2020 – EaterNY

“From quirky Chinese hot pot in Flushing to splurge-worthy sushi, here’s where to eat in NYC right now”

5. The Metropolitan Opera is streaming free productions every night – TONY

The Met continues to share a different lineup of complete operas from its archives every week

“The Metropolitan Opera has closed its doors though at least September 2021, but the great New York opera house continues to lift the spirits of opera lovers around the world with free nightly streams of complete productions from its archives. Most of the offerings were originally recorded with multiple cameras in high definition to be shown in movie theaters as part of the company’s popular Live in HD series.

Each opera goes live on the Met’s website at 7:30pm EST (12:30am GMT) and remains there until 6:30pm EST the next evening. The operas can also be viewed with the Met Opera on Demand app on various devices.”

Nightly Opera Streams, February 15–21

Franco Zeffirelli Week

“This week of free streams celebrates Franco Zeffirelli, the Italian director and designer whose grand, historically informed, and intricately detailed productions have delighted generations of operagoers. Explore the articles and resources below to expand your knowledge and enhance your experience as you enjoy the screenings. A full schedule for the week is available at the bottom of this page.”

6. Indoor dining to resume at 25% capacity on Feb. 14: Gov – amNY

“Now you have no excuse not to have a date this Valentine’s Day.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York City restaurants will resume indoor dining at 25% capacity on Feb. 14, citing the city’s dropping infection rate and stating with confidence that positive tests will continue to fall.”

7. NYC’s Record-Breaking Restaurant Week To Go Extended Through February – ny.eater.com

The $20.21 meal deals will stick around through February 28

“NYC Restaurant Week To Go — the takeout and delivery-focused version of the city’s long-running, semiannual Restaurant Week — has officially been extended for three more weeks, following a successful first run this week with an unprecedented amount of participating restaurants.

Originally, Restaurant Week To Go debuted on January 25 and was slated to run through January 31, with the option for participating restaurants to extend their promotional $20.21 menus through February 7. Now, according to NYC & Company, the city’s tourism office and host of Restaurant Week, the program has been extended through February 28.

Nearly 600 restaurants — including Middle Eastern favorite Tanoreen, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Cafe, and Michelin-starred New Zealand spot the Musket Room — are currently participating in Restaurant Week To Go, shattering the old record of participants taking part in the popular dining program. According to Chris Heywood, the executive vice president for global communications at NYC & Company, 92 percent of the restaurants that were a part of the initial record-breaking week have signed on to keep participating in the program.”

8. Penn Station’s $1.6 Billion Expansion Is Finally Complete…And It’s Absolutely Stunning – secretnyc.co

“On January 1, the gigantic new Moynihan Train Hall officially opened to the public.

Governor Cuomo announced the grand opening earlier in the week, and New Yorkers have been making their way to see the stunning completed $1.6 billion project ever since.

The brand new train hall is 255,000 square feet, in the former over-100-year-old James A. Farley Building, once the main United States Postal Service building. The new hall has been named after U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and will increase Penn Station’s current concourse by a whopping 50 percent. There is also a newly completed East End Gateway at 33rd St. and 7th Ave. that opened on New Year’s Eve.”

9. NYC Restaurant Headline Predictions for 2021 – EaterNY

What’s in store for restaurants next year?

“Welcome to Year in Eater 2020, Eater’s annual ritual of eulogizing the past 12 months. In 2020’s final days, Eater NY will be posting questions about New York City’s restaurant scene in the past year, with answers from food writers, photographers, chefs, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, and even a few local legislators who helped to support the industry through this enormously difficult year. Now, we ask: What are your headline predictions for 2021?”

“Sanford Biggers, Félix Fénéon and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s history of itself are some of the exhibitions that remain open to the public.”

11. Put these activities on your NYC winter bucket list

“We have a NYC winter bucket list ready for your family! Whether you are looking for a snowy day adventure or plan to stay cozy indoors, we have you covered with activities and new openings coming to NYC during these chillier months.” (amNY)

bonus#1:  Carnegie Hall and the Jewels of Midtown: Stroll the History – NYT

“Our critic chats about the beloved stretch from the music hall to Lincoln Center around Central Park with the architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.”

bonus#2: A Walk Through Harlem, New York’s Most Storied Neighborhood – The New York Times

“Our critic chats with the architect David Adjaye about Hotel Theresa, Marcus Garvey Park, the home of Langston Hughes, the Y.M.C.A. and other landmarks.”

We hope you enjoy this change of pace, then please return here March 1, and every day for our daily, hot off the presses event guide with “Only the Best” NYCity event info.

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Stay home a bit longer – Mask up, stay smart and stay safe

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February NYC events + Top NYC weekend corona culture (02/14, continued)

Posted on 02/14/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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Earlier today we covered top February NYC weekend event info. Scroll down the site to find it. Now, how about some more useful NYC information.

25 Romantic Date Ideas For Valentine’s Day In NYC This Year

14 (plus 11 more) ideas for how to spend the 14th of February!

“Everyone’s having to get creative this Valentine’s Day but fear not, because we have compiled a list of 25 date ideas even cupid would be proud of! Whether you’re spending it with your significant other, besties, or by yourself, safely enjoy the romance of New York City with our list below.” secretnyc.co

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Check out these New York City options for outdoor dining or take out this Valentine’s Day

“Though Valentine’s Day will no doubt look different this year, you don’t have to let the coronavirus spoil your special day. After the year we’ve had, there’s all the more reason to spoil your special someone. With the diverse array of at-home and dine-in options presented by New York’s best restaurants, you can be sure to stay safe while celebrating! 

Scroll down for 10 delicious, safe, and out-of-the-box dining options for this Valentine’s Day. (amNY)

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Following up our master list of 160 secrets of New York City, we bring to you 160 hidden gems of New York City! Every one of these hidden gems are places for you to discover. Some show the uniqueness and quaintness of New York City’s architecture, others reveal the infrastructure that supports New York or the history hidden in plain sight. Some are simply off-the-beaten path. All, we believe, are hidden gems in their own right. The majority are publicly accessible although some only on limited occasions. Some come from our book about the secrets of Brooklyn, but this list covers all five boroughs of the city. Many others come from the archives of Untapped New York and some come from exciting user-generated submissions on our Facebook page (thank you!).untappedcities.com

 
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60 Exciting Things To Do In New York City In February

“Now that the endless month of January is over, it’s time to fill that calendar with new things to do throughout February!

From visits to the botanical gardens that’ll gracefully guide us into the spring months, to romantic dinner dates or naming hissing cockroaches for V-Day—here are 60 things you can do in February as we all patiently await springtime.” (secretnyc.co)

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The 25 best cheap eats in NYC – TONY

“Eat for $10 or less at the best restaurants with cheap eats in NYC

UPDATE, October 29 2020: Dining out in New York City has never been so different than this year and it’s not only because restaurants had to shut down their dining rooms for more than six months. The current crisis has put a renewed focus on more affordable food options, whether you’re scarfing down tacos from a food truck or ordering dumplings from a mom-and-pop business in Chinatown. At Time Out New York, we’ve done the homework for you in discovering dishes, old and new, that are all $10 or under. 

The hefty prices at many New York restaurants can at times make the dining scene feel like it’s only for the elite. But some of the best restaurants in NYC still serve affordable bites for $10 or less. Dining on a budget in New York doesn’t have to feel like a constraint with our picks for jerk chicken, Sicilian-style pizza, creative veggie burgers, underground buffets, Cuban bakeries and more.”

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Diners and restaurants rejoice! NYC Restaurant Week to extended through Feb. 28 – amNY

“Due to popular demand, NYC Restaurant Week To Go will be extended to the end of February.

When first announced, NYC Restaurant Week To Go was slated to last citywide from Jan. 25-31 with the option to offer the discounts the following week, Feb. 1-7. Due to high levels of success, NYC & Company announced that the annual event will be extended to last through Feb. 28, allowing New Yorkers to support hundreds of local restaurants.”

NYC’s First-Ever ‘Restaurant Week To Go’ With Everything Under $21

“Let’s face it, New Yorkers love to eat. It can be 30 degrees out and you’ll catch diners bundled up on the side of the road sitting down for a meal, unfazed! We simply have too much good food to try.

It’s an exciting day for foodies in New York City because starting today, Restaurant Week is returning to for its 29th year, but this time with a little twist. Since indoor dining is banned, the event is now NYC Restaurant Week To Go.

This year, more than 570 restaurants across the five boroughs are participating—the highest number yet! The event will last through January 31st, with each restaurant having the choice for a second week extension. But the best news about Restaurant Week To Go, is most definitely the price tag.”  (secretnyc.com)

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11 things we can actually look forward to in NYC in 2021 – TONY

New unmissable parks, exhibits, and programs are promised for 2021.

“2020 was supposed to be our year, but after a global pandemic and subsequent shutdowns, things took a turn. On the upside, next year will now be chock full of even more good things we missed out on over the last 12 months.

From landmark exhibitions at New York City’s best cultural institutions to the opening of new parks and programs, there’s a lot to look forward to in the city in 2021.“

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New York magazine is biweekly these days and every issue has a wonderful section, “The Culture Pages,” which includes a “To Do” list – 25 things to see, hear, watch, and read. Here are my favorites from the current issue (Feb.3-Feb.17), PLUS some worthy ongoing events.

Theater

Theatre@Home Winter Festival Everything auld is new again. Many of the theaters that moved virtual mountains to mount productions online in 2020 are now ready to burst into 2021 with … the same work they made in 2020. Return “engagements” of last year’s digital seasons are popping up everywhere, and New York’s own Irish Repertory Theatre cranked out nine screen works in 2020, including a hypnotic Zoom-adapted Molly Sweeney and the musical Meet Me in St. Louis with the divine Melissa Errico and Max Von Essen. Now they throw a winter rerun festival of all nine, a bit o’ luck for those who missed them the first time. —Helen Shaw irishrep.org, through February 21.

Classical Music

Simone Dinnerstein Filmed in Brooklyn. A master of intimate music-making, Dinnerstein is the ideal pianist for this time of enforced separation. The Meany Center in Seattle presents a recital recorded in her Brooklyn home, with music by Glass and Schubert, from her recent album A Character of Quiet. —J.D. meanycenter.org, February 12 to 19.

Voces8 Live from London. The precision-tuned vocal ensemble, heir to the fused traditions of England’s church choirs and collegiate a cappella groups, hosts a winter-to-spring festival of nature-oriented music, streamed live from London. The series opens with a performance that covers music from the reigns of both Queen Elizabeths and centers on Jonathan Dove’s song cycle The Passing of the Year. —J.D. voces8.com, opens February 13.

*This article appears in the February 1, 2021, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!

PLUS ONGOING EVENTS

Art

“In Praise of Painting: Dutch Masterpieces at the Met” Ongoing. The ultimate balm to the soul in all of Western painting may be the Dutch works that include Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Hals. Thanks to the very deep pockets of the collectors and robber barons of New York, the Met has them and is now displaying 67 of these masterpieces. Get lost in some of the finest brushwork and deepest color in all of painting; glimpse infinity. —J.S. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue.

Reggie Burrows Hodges He starts with a black canvas. Streams of glowing light wash over the accumulated tapestry of Black figures in the new canvases of Reggie Burrows Hodges. Here are post-Impressionist fields with soft edges and colors changing as if by iridescence, infusing these works with dignity and sparks of optical urgency. These almost visionary works give us an artist, in his mid-50s, at the height of his powers. —Jerry Saltz Karma, 188 and 172 East 2nd Street, through February 28.

Gordon Hookey: Sacred Nation, Scared Nation A Gary Simmons curation. Waanyi Aboriginal artist Gordon Hookey is a diamond in the visual rough, a political firebrand and the bringer of a cartoonish pictorial wisdom that makes his works ring with urgency and insight. His paintings connect “Black Aboriginal experience to that of African Americans.” His mural-scale paintings and colorful images light up space as much as the mind and show us that art is where we find it if we only keep looking and stay open to it. —J.S. fortgansevoort.com/online-exhibitions/gordon-hookey, through February 20.

Theater

Silver Lining Streaming Series Still mint condition. The much-loved New York stalwart the Mint Theater is in the business of reviving forgotten classics, so it’s unsurprising that it took a serious look at its own archive, offering a full (and free) slate of digital releases, films of productions from past seasons — including Lillian Hellman’s superb labor drama Days to Come (through February 22) and Teresa Deevy’s earthy but eerie Katie Roche (February 1 to March 28). —H.S. minttheater.org, through June 13.

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Stay home a bit longer. Mask up, stay smart and stay safe.

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February NYC events + Top NYC weekend corona culture (02/14)

Posted on 02/14/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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

For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s NYC Weekend Corona Culture (Sun). NEW STUFF!

9 Actually Fun Things to Do in NYC This Weekend – Thrillist

Thrillist, a site with tons of food, drink, travel & entertainment info, introduces folks to the coolest things to do in NYC (and other places when you are traveling). I like to check them out regularly. You should, too.

With Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year falling on the same weekend, celebrations abound.

We’re in for chilly temps and potentially more snow during this Presidents Day weekend, but there’s still much to toast to beyond an extra day of sleeping in: the Year of the Ox starts on February 12 with Lunar New Year, and that great day of love, Valentine’s Day, follows on February 14. And whether you’re planning on celebrating one, both, or neither, we’ve rounded up 9 actually cool things to eat, do, and see this weekend in NYC.

For this weekend, read on for details to making pita chips from scratch, checking out a master artist’s new exhibition at The Met, or even learning how to samba (also, be sure to check out our Weekend Guide podcast streaming below!). And as always, please remember to follow all safety guidelines, wear your mask, and wash your hands.

Be the first to try the pizza from a beloved bagel shop

Weekend-long
East Village
Black Seed Pizza is the newest addition to NYC’s already slamming pizza scene. The concept is a collaboration between buzzy Black Seed Bagels and chef Bobby Hellen (formerly of GG’s), and will operate out of the bagel shop’s East Village location to take advantage of its wood-fired oven. Five Sicilian-style pies will be on the launch menu; they include a classic cheese, as well as more unique varieties like a green-hued pie with kale, and “Bob’s pie” made with sopressata, castelvetrano olives, and homemade chimichurri sauce.
Cost: From $12 a pie

Ring in the Lunar New Year with a visit to a massive ice sculpture

Friday, February 12, 3 pm – 8pm; Saturday, February 13, 10 am – 3pm
Battery Park City
This ain’t your college ice luge: visit Brookfield Place this weekend to see the artistry of Okamoto Studio, an NYC-based artist collective who fashion magical worlds out of crystal-clear ice. In celebration of the Lunar New Year this weekend, the group will be showcasing their work at the Waterfront Plaza on Friday and Saturday. Warm up after by grabbing a drink to go from Liberty Bistro at Le District.
Cost: Free

Get creative for your Valentine’s Day plans

Weekend-long
Citywide
“Normal” Valentine’s Day plans are yet another casualty of COVID-19, but the city is still offering a wealth of activities for this special day of love. To get started, check out our winter date ideas and whether you’re in the mood for a classic ice skating date or just want to stuff your face with cookies, we have you covered. And hey, want to plan an impromptu wedding? No sweat, we have just the thing.
Cost: Varies

Start the New Year off lucky with a Chinese feast

Saturday, February 13, 12 pm and 2:30 pm
Chelsea
Pearl River Mart Foods and Very Fresh Noodles are teaming up this weekend for a lucky-themed meal to celebrate the start of the Year of the Ox. Dining groups will each receive their own heated booth, where they’ll be served a veritable feast of baos, noodles, kimbap, and bubble tea. An extra treat comes in the form of a traditional lion dance, performed tableside by Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute Dragon and Lion Dance Team.
Cost: $150 for a table of four

Sample the complex flavors of Eastern Mediterranean food at a new opening

Weekend-long
Upper West Side
Dagon, a new concept from chef Ari Bokovza, takes its name from the Phoenician and Philistine god of agriculture and the Earth. The restaurant says its cuisine is, cheekily, from “somewhere in the Mediterranean.” When it debuts this weekend, expect an array of dishes from countries like Israel, Lebanon, and Cyprus; there are shareable mezze like Moroccan carrots, as well as entrees you’ll want to keep all for yourself, like the piquant harissa BBQ chicken. Don’t miss the wonderful selection of breads, either, including Jerusalem-style bagels and chewy laffas.
Cost: Entrees from $27

Gift your sweetheart a box of international treats

Weekend-long
Long Island City
Trade that tired box of chocolates for coconut candies from Sri Lanka. This year, Eat Offbeat, a woman-owned, refugee-driven meal delivery company out of Long Island City, created Valentine’s Day boxes featuring sugary delicacies from around the globe. Their team of chefs are New York-based, but hail from places as disparate as Senegal, Syria, and Venezuela. Goodies include everything from Syrian barazek (sesame) cookies to Iraqi walnut-tahini dates and can be shipped nationwide.
Cost: From $35

Learn the steps to a perfect samba

Saturday, February 13, 4 pm – 5:30 pm
Virtual
We may not be able to make it to Rio’s Carnival this year, but you can still create your own festival in your living room. This Saturday, join a class through Ailey Extension to learn the basics of samba and African-Brazilian dance. In the 90-minute session, students will be taught how two groups—Bahianos and Cariocas—celebrate Carnival with their own unique dance steps and music.
Cost: $25

Master the art of mezze in a virtual class

Sunday, February 14, 5:30 pm – 7 pm
Virtual
Until we can break bread with a huge group of family or friends, why not learn how to make your own mezze at home? This Valentine’s Day, chef Edouard Massih of Edy’s Grocer, a beloved Lebanese spot in Greenpoint, will teach aspiring chefs how to make muhammara (a hot pepper and walnut dip), babaganoush, as well as fresh pita chips, and a festive rosewater spritz to wash it all down. Locals can pick up groceries at the restaurant, but out-of-towners can grab their own goodies and join everyone on Zoom.
Cost: From $50

Dive deep into the imagination of artist Francisco Goya

Weekend-long
Upper East Side
Considered one of the most skilled artists of the 19th century, Francisco Goya produced over 900 hundred drawings and 300 prints during the course of his career. Starting this Friday at The Met, “Goya’s Graphic Imagination” will showcase the artist’s singular creativity and how he used his art to respond to the political and social upheavals of his day. Over 100 works will be on view, most of which come from The Met’s own collection; one of the largest repositories of his work outside of Spain.
Cost: $25 per ticket

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A Last-Minute Guide to Valentine’s Day in NYC – ny.eater.com

Here are 14 restaurants for a Valentine’s Day celebration unlike any other year

“Rewind to Valentine’s Day last year, and this weekend’s celebrations will be unrecognizable. Indoor dining is back (again) in New York City but at 25 percent capacity. Countless restaurants have set up outdoor dining structures ranging from yurts and pods to bubbles and makeshift cabins — which are all new to the city’s dining landscape. Takeout and delivery will no doubt be in more demand than ever before. Luckily, chefs across the five boroughs have been working to create menus for all ways of celebrating.”

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Romantic Valentine’s Day takeout and treat options from NYC restaurants 

“Heart-shaped pizzas, at-home sushi-making kits, red velvet cakes, sake and chocolate pairings–these are just some of the takeout offerings and treats that you can order this Valentine’s Day. Since most of us will be staying home, we’ve put together a list of local restaurants with special to-go menus, as well as shops that have yummy holiday treats and edible gifts and even some virtual cooking classes. Ahead, check out all the options and start planning your romantic day (or weekend!).” (6sqft)

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The best art shows and exhibits in NYC – TONY

“Check out our suggestions for the best art exhibitions you don’t want to miss, including recently opened shows and more

With New York’s art scene being so prominent yet ever-changing, you’ll want to be sure to catch significant exhibitions. Time Out New York rounds up the best art shows and exhibits in NYC, from offerings at the best photography and art galleries in NYC to shows at renowned institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim.”

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Here’s how you can celebrate the 2021 Lunar New Year in NYC virtually – amNY

“The Lunar New Year Festival is a celebration of new beginnings and spending time with the family. The festival normally features a parade, colorful fireworks, dance performances, and delicious cuisine. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the event has been moved online, so everyone can celebrate the 2021 Lunar New Year in NYC from the safety of their home.

If you and your family want to participate in the Lunar New Year this year, here is a roundup of some places hosting virtual events. The events feature live performances, puppet shows, food demonstrations, and even crafts. Most require you to RSVP, so register today to participate in the Lunar New Year.”

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“Nicolas Cage hosts the history of swearing. Lorde writes a book and Julie Mehretu takes over the Whitney. This new year has to be better, right?”

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“Sanford Biggers, Félix Fénéon and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s history of itself are some of the exhibitions that remain open to the public.”

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WFUV-FM 90.7is my fave local radio station. Noncommercial, member-supported with a format of adult album alternative music, WFUV is doing it’s best to keep us connected to our music with a comprehensive, updated list of live music online.

WFUV Live Online (February 11 – February 17)

 
2/11 Waxahatchee livestream
 
2/12 Judy Collins from NYC’s Town Hall
 
2/12 Bob Weir and Wolf Bros, Chinese New Year’s show
 
2/12-14 Winter Lovefest 2021, Light of Day benefit feat. Bruce Springsteen, Joan Jett, Jesse Malin, and more.
 
2/13 Jade Bird from Nashville’s RCA Studios
 
2/13 Food For Love benefit with David Byrne, Kurt Vile, Shawn Colvin and more
 
2/14 Grace Potter “Valentine’s Day Twilight Hour”
 
2/14 The Suffers “Making Up & Breaking Up” concert
 
2/17 Tibet House Benefit with Eddie Vedder, Brittany Howard, Phoebe Bridgers

Online concert calendar and links at wfuv.org/livestreams

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“Long Overdue”: Visitors Marvel At New Moynihan Train Hall In First Walkthrough – Gothamist

“For some visitors, the stop was merely intended to gaze at the enormous hall complete with an enormous skylight roof and Art Deco clock. Many were spotted craning their necks to take in the open skylight, pivoting their hips taking scenic, panoramic photos. Others searched for fresco portraits created by Kehinde Wiley, which are prominently displayed at the 33rd Street entrance, or the spacious and modern Amtrak lounge on the upper floor.”

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Stay home for a bit longer. Mask up, stay smart and stay safe.

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February NYC events + Top NYC weekend corona culture (02/13,continued)

Posted on 02/13/2021 by GregD

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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Earlier today we covered NYC Weekend Corona Culture (scroll down to find it). Now, how about some more useful information. (NEW STUFF)

The best things to do in NYC this weekend

“The best things to do in NYC this weekend includes Valentine’s Day, Lunar New Year, and Black History Month events.

Looking for the best things to do in NYC this Valentine’s Day weekend? Whether you’re the group planner searching for more things to do in NYC today, or you have no plans yet, here are some ideas to add to your list for this weekend. Celebrate Chinese New Year with a dumpling class or at Flushing Town Hall’s Lunar New Year Bazaar. Mark Valentine’s Day at the Maman Marche cookie pop-up, Littlefield’s Valentine’s Market or by renting a rustic cabin for dinner in Soho. ” (TONY)

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Go-To NYC Spots for Takeout, Delivery, and Outdoor Dining in 2020 – ny.eater.com

“From Golden Diner’s honey butter pancakes to Parlay’s chicken curry, here are the restaurant orders that were kept in regular rotation all year long.”

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NYC-Arts Top Five Picks: February 12  – February 18

PLUS ONGOING EVENTS

Interesting. Unusual. Uniquely NYC. Highlights of this week’s top events include Year of the Golden Ox, Low-Key Chamber Concert Series, City Skate Pop Up Concerts 2021 and more. Get the NYC-ARTS Top Five in your inbox every Friday and follow @NYC_ARTS on Instagram or @NYCARTS on Twitter to stay abreast of events as they happen.

Year of the Golden Ox

Year of the Golden Ox

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Manhattan / Thu, Feb 11, 2021 – Sat, Feb 13, 2021

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company announces “Year of the Golden Ox,” a family-friendly production on the arrival of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 11, 12, and 13, 2021. “Year of the Golden Ox” is an all-day virtual celebration suitable for children ages 6-15. Three one-hour sessions will be offered each day at 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7:30pm. The 2021 Year of the Golden Ox marks the end of the Year of the …

OSLive Wednesday Night Series

OSLive Wednesday Night Series

Orchestra of St. Luke’s

Manhattan / Wed, Feb 17, 2021 – Wed, May 26, 2021

When it comes to making new, original art and entertainment during the pandemic, Orchestra of St. Luke’s (OSL) leads the New York City field. With its current live-stream offerings, the orchestra – “a mainstay of New York’s classical scene” (New Yorker), long known and loved as the city’s “hometown band” (New York Times) – is blazing a trail in terms of quantity, frequency and production values. At the heart of OSL’s generous winter and spring lineup …

2021 City Skate Pop Up Concerts

2021 City Skate Pop Up Concerts

Bryant Park

Manhattan / Thu, Feb 18, 2021 – Fri, Feb 19, 2021

Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY) presents “City Skate Pop Up Concerts” as part of the Winter Village at Bryant Park’s Kids Week on Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19, 2021 at 10:45am at The Rink at Bryant Park. ITNY performers include Ella Bauer, Gage and Oona Brown, Val Levine, and Sally Jean Watkins, with choreography by Joel Dear, Tanya Douglass, Jody Sperling, and Douglas Webster. The event is free and open to the public. SCHEDULE: Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 10:45am Performing apprenticeElla …

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE

The Joyce Theater

Manhattan / Thu, Feb 18, 2021 – Thu, Mar 04, 2021

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE continues its 35th Anniversary celebration with a livestream performance event featuring some of the company’s most iconic pieces. EVIDENCE, the dance company founded by Ronald K. Brown in 1985, focuses on the integration of traditional African dance with contemporary and spoken word to provide a unique view of struggles, tragedies, and triumphs of humanity. For this special online program, the company has assembled a selection of solos and duets from their repertory including the …

Low-Key Chamber Concert Series

Low-Key Chamber Concert Series

Composers Concordance

Manhattan / Sat, Feb 06, 2021 – Sun, Mar 14, 2021

Beginning on Saturday, February 6, 2021 and continuing through March 14, 2021 Composers Concordance presents their “Low-Key Chamber Concert Series” at 5pm EST, featuring duets live-streamed from the home of The Wall Street Poet, Robert C. Ford. Saturday, February 13, focuses on the “Take A Pick (TAP) / American Fever – Song Cycle, American Fever: A Tale of Romance and Pestilence” by Peter Christian Hall. “TAP” is Milica Paranosic (music, voice, guitar) and Brian DuFord (music, …

PLUS ONGOING EVENTS

So Ready for Laughter: Bob Hope and World War II

New-York Historical Society

Manhattan / Fri, Feb 05, 2021 – Sun, Sep 05, 2021

The New-York Historical Society celebrates the golden age of comedy with “So Ready for Laughter: Bob Hope and World War II,” on view February 5–September 5, 2021. Organized by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and supported by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, the special exhibition highlights the legendary performer and his unique role during World War II entertaining troops overseas. Coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Service Organizations …

Hockney in Normandy

Richard Gray Gallery

Manhattan / Thu, Jan 14, 2021 – Fri, Mar 19, 2021

Gray is pleased to present “Hockney in Normandy,” an online exhibition of new prints by David Hockney created at his studio in Normandy. The presentation features recent iPad paintings and a suite of landscape prints made from original ink on paper drawings. This new body of work highlights Hockney’s singular sense of line and form and his longstanding commitment to exploring perspective as mediated by technology. Hockney’s intuitive ability to translate his observations into vivid marks …

But Still, It Turns: Recent Photography from the World

International Center of Photography

Manhattan / Thu, Feb 04, 2021 – Sun, May 09, 2021

The International Center of Photography (ICP) proudly announces its winter/spring 2021 exhibition: “But Still, It Turns: Recent Photography from the World,” guest curated by photographer Paul Graham. The exhibition—on view February 4 through May 9, 2021—comes on the heels of ICP’s reopening of its galleries on October 1 following a six-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and arrives just as ICP celebrates its first anniversary at its new home on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In “But …

BAC’s Digital Spring 2021

Baryshnikov Arts Center

Manhattan / Mon, Feb 01, 2021 – Mon, Jun 21, 2021

Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC) announces the Digital Spring 2021 season of free online presentations, featuring premieres of new works commissioned by BAC. Through the BAC Artist Commissions initiative, which was established September 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, BAC has continued supporting the development of new work by providing resources for artists to realize their creative visions specifically for online presentation. The resulting projects from seven mostly New York-based artists innovating in dance, music, and multimedia will be released …

Magazines and the American Experience

Grolier Club

Manhattan / Wed, Jan 20, 2021 – Sat, Apr 24, 2021

This exhibition is a study of how magazines have both driven and reflected the American experience. Unlike regional newspapers, that report local current events, or non-fiction books, which focus on major historical moments and personalities, national magazines have the unique ability to connect trans-local communities of like-minded individuals. In the colonial era, magazines were the harbingers of American thought and identity; the first successful magazine from the 18th century proudly proclaimed itself as “The American …

MasterVoices’ 79th Season

MasterVoices

Manhattan / Wed, Jan 13, 2021 – Wed, May 26, 2021

Ted Sperling, Artistic Director of MasterVoices, announced details of the 79th season of the acclaimed ensemble, which celebrates the power of the human voice to unite, inspire, and connect. The central project of MasterVoices’ 2020-2021 season will be a virtual rollout of award-winning composer Adam Guettel’s theatrical song cycle, “Myths and Hymns,” in an online staging conceived by Ted Sperling. Inspired by Greek myths and a 19th-Century Presbyterian hymnal, the 1998 cycle is a kaleidoscopic collection of …

Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music Sing-Along Broadcast

South Street Seaport Museum

Manhattan / Ongoing

South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly sea-music event, “Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music,” continues virtually on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 2pm ET. From our living rooms and kitchens join a round-robin of shared songs featuring members of The New York Packet and friends. Listen in, lead a song, and belt out the choruses for your neighbors to hear on the first Sunday of every month. The event is FREE. Sign up here to receive the …

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Lunar New Year 2021: Celebrate with virtual events, food, gifts, and more – 6sqft

“Next Friday, February 12th, begins the Year of the Ox, an animal whose attributes are hardworking and honest. The Lunar New Year is a 16-day celebration, often marked by lantern festivals, parades, and fireworks. But since we aren’t able to enjoy a lot of these gatherings this year, we’ve rounded up some of the best safe celebratory events in New York City, including virtual dumpling-making classes, papercutting workshops, a small business crawl in Chinatown, and traditional Chinese dance and music performances.”

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Dramatic bouquets, jelly cakes inspired by Sanrio — and more.

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Stay home a bit longer. Mask up, stay smart and stay safe.

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February NYC events + Top NYC weekend corona culture (02/13)

Posted on 02/13/2021 by GregD
 

Pre Covid-19 we searched the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you didn’t have to.” We made it as easy as 1-2-3.

Covid-19 has required some changes. First of all, some very important information:

How to Get the Coronavirus Vaccine in New York City – NYT

“There are multiple websites, disappearing slots and even attempts to game the system. Here’s our guide to what you have to do to get a dose in your arm.”

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For February we are going to try a different format – “Top 10 Corona Culture” – updated info and video especially suited to these difficult times OR NYC related visual info (Instagram and YouTube) OR all the NYC news you need to start your day.

We hope you will come back often to see what’s cooking here.

Today it’s NYC Weekend Corona Culture (Sat). NEW STUFF!

5 Things to Do This Weekend NYC – NYT

Dance / Ancient Forms in a Modern Forum
Comedy / Love, Pandemic Style
Classical Music / Minimalism With Surprising Jolts
KIDS / Happy Year of the Ox
Theater / The V&A’s Trove of Ephemera

“Our critics and writers have selected noteworthy cultural events to experience virtually.”  (NYT)

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amNY Weekender: 8 things to do in New York City – amNY

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3 NYC Art Gallery Shows to See Right Now – The New York Times

“Photographs by Black artists; Reggie Burrows Hodges’s New York debut; and He Xiangyu’s first solo show in the United States.”

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Moynihan Train Hall is Not Perfect, But It’s Close Enough (Op-Ed)– untappedcities

“Moynihan Train Hall is open and in this humble Chief Experience Officer‘s opinion, it is good. The renderings we saw for years became a reality on New Years Day when the spacious 255,000-square foot hall was opened to the public. The Art Deco clock was the first welcome surprise. The timepiece, designed by Peter Pennoyer Architects, was not on an any of the original renderings but now hangs as an homage to the concourse clock in the old Penn station and the beloved opaline-faced clock in Grand Central Terminal. Train travelers finally have a clear and definable meeting spot on the west side.”

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Indoor dining to resume at 25% capacity on Feb. 14: Gov – amNY

“Now you have no excuse not to have a date this Valentine’s Day.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York City restaurants will resume indoor dining at 25% capacity on Feb. 14, citing the city’s dropping infection rate and stating with confidence that positive tests will continue to fall.”

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10 Classical Concerts to Stream in February – NYT

“A Tyshawn Sorey premiere and lots of Kurt Weill from Berlin are among the highlights.”

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21 Amazing Things New Yorkers Are Putting On Their 2021 Bucket Lists –secretnyc.co

It’s time to (finally) say goodbye to 2020, and HELLO to 2021.

Though of a course a new year won’t fix everything, it definitely feels like the right time to have a fresh start.

One thing that gets us super excited is making a list of all the activities we want to take part in the new year — and luckily, we’re in the best place to do that: NYC! We also asked our Instagram followers what was on their 2021 bucket lists, and got even more ideas from that.

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Bonus: The T List: Valentine’s Day Gift Guide, Part I – NYT

Decoupaged mementos, artisanal chocolates from Ghana — and more.

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Stay home a bit longer. Mask up, stay smart and stay safe.

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