Selected Events (01/09) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue

Posted on 01/09/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, JAN. 09, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Birth of the American Orchestra  — Jazz   (8pm)

Neneh Cherry — Pop/Rock   (7pm)

4th Annual Maqam Fest — World Music   (6:45pm)

The Alexis P. Suter Band — Blues   (8pm)

‘The Partnership’ by Pamela Katz  — SmartStuff/ Book Talk   (7pm)

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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Birth of the American Orchestra (also Sat. Jan. 10)
“The ever-mindful Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis salutes giants of the big-band tradition, from the illustrious—Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Carter—to those deserving of greater recognition, such as the pre-swing-era arranger Bill Challis, the bebop pioneer Gil Fuller, and the Afro-Cuban jazz avatar Chico O’Farrill.” (NewYorker)
Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway/60th St.
212-721-6500, jalc.org
8PM /

Neneh Cherry
“A Swedish iconoclast who darts among punk, rap, funk and pop with impossible poise, Ms. Cherry is a galvanizing spirit and generous collaborator best known stateside for her 1988 hit “Buffalo Stance.” In 2012 she released an album with the Thing, a lithe jazz troupe that covered the music of her stepfather, Don Cherry; last year brought her first solo album in 16 years, the inspired “Blank Project,” which has an appearance by Robyn, her kindred spirit in wide-ranging Scandinavian electro-pop. She performs in New York for the first time in her nearly 35-year career.” (Stacey Anderson-NYT)
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea,
At 7 p.m./ $40
866-777-8932 / highlineballroom.com.

4th Annual Maqam Fest
Maqam Fest is an annual showcase presented by Center for Traditional Music and Dance and Alwan for the Arts featuring exceptional ensembles from New York and around the world that have a unique approach and perspective on maqam. Developed more than a thousand years ago, maqam is a complex system of musical modes and represents one of the great legacies of the Arab-Islamic world, pervading the musical cultures from the Maghreb (Northwest Africa) to Western China, and from the Balkans to the Sudan. This year’s 4th Annual Maqam Fest 2015 celebrates a line-up that pays special tribute to this tradition.
Alwan for the Arts, 16 Beaver Street, 4th Floor
6:45pm / $30

The Alexis P. Suter Band
Alexis P. Suter is a rising star on the roots, blues and soul scene. Her powerful bass/baritone voice, seasoned with raw emotion and a wide streak of attitude, has won the praise of greats from B.B. King to Levon Helm (The Band). “She is one of those wonderful spirits,” said Helm. “She’s got her arms around you. You can feel that.” “It’s a rare thing to share the stage with great talent like that young lady” raves B.B. King.
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St.
8:00pm / $15
212-220-1459 /

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
‘The Partnership’ by Pamela Katz
“Ms. Katz will read from her recently released book, “The Partnership: Brecht, Weill, Three Women, and Germany on the Brink,” which details the collaboration between the playwright Bertolt Brecht and the composer Kurt Weill. Throughout the night, Brecht and Weill’s songs will be performed by Amy Burton and John Musto.” (NYT)
Barnes & Noble,150 East 86th Street, at Lexington Avenue,
7 p.m. / FREE
212-369-2180 / barnesandnoble.com.

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and 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)

Frick Collection:
‘Masterpieces From the Scottish National Gallery’ (through Feb. 1)
“As it did last year with masterworks from the Mauritshuis, the Frick has welcomed 10 paintings from the Scottish National Gallery, in Edinburgh, home to a renowned collection of fine art from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century. It’s a quieter sort of exhibition, exemplified by the under-the-radar entrance of Sargent’s “Lady Agnew of Lochnaw.” It’s also a rangier show, one that isn’t as identifiably Scottish as the Mauritshuis works were Dutch — even considering the commanding Sir Henry Raeburn portrait of a kilted Macdonell clan chief.” (Karen Rosenberg)

Guggenheim Museum:
‘V. S. Gaitonde: Painting as Process, Painting as Life’ (through Feb. 11)
“Many Western abstract painters in the early 20th century were deeply influenced by Asian art and philosophy, though no one dismissed them as Orientalists. By contrast, if Asian artists showed signs of absorbing Western models, their work was disdained as derivative. When you visit this survey of work by Vasudeo Santu Gaitonde (1924-2001), keep that paradox in mind just long enough to see how its biases operate. Then give yourself over to some of the most magnetic abstract painting of any kind in the city right now, by a South Asian Indian modernist who looked westward, eastward, homeward and inward to create an intensely personalized version of transculturalism, one that has given him mythic stature in his own country and pushed him to the top of the auction charts.” (Cotter)

Kandinsky Before Abstraction, 1901–1911 (through spring 2015)
Early in his career Vasily Kandinsky experimented with printmaking, produced brightly-colored landscapes of the German countryside, and explored recognizable and recurrent motifs. This intimate exhibition drawn from the Guggenheim collection explores the artist’s representational origins.

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

• 110th Street – Museum for African Art

• 105th Street – El Museo del Barrio

• 103rd Street – Museum of the City of New York

• 92nd Street – The Jewish Museum

• 91st Street – Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

• 89th Street – National Academy Museum

• 88th Street – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

• 86th Street – Neue Galerie New York

• 83rd Street – Goethe-Institut

Last, but certainly not least, America’s premier museum
• 82nd Street – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Additionally, though technically not part of the Museum Mile, the Frick Collection on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 70th St. and the The Morgan Library & Museum on Madison Ave and 37th St are also located near Fifth Ave. Now plan your own museum crawl. ========================================================

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Selected Events (01/08) + Today’sFeaturedNeighborhood: WestVillage

Posted on 01/08/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, JAN. 08, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

11th Annual NYCity Winter Jazzfest  — Jazz 

The Weight: Playing Songs of the Band — Pop/Rock

Something Wonderful: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein —
Musicals  (7:30pm)

“Backstage Pass to Broadway” — SmartStuff/ BookTalk (6pm)

 Jazz Resolutions for 2015 — Jazz (6pm)

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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11th Annual NYCity Winter Jazzfest (Jan. 8-10)
“Intrepid listeners who face the weather and crowds at this annual gathering’s multiple venues are rewarded—forward-thinking artists always take part. Among the hundred or so performers at this year’s edition, which also includes esteemed veterans, are the pianist Amina Claudine Myers, the long-running Dutch ensemble the ICP Orchestra, the guitarist Anthony Pirog, the saxophonist and clarinetist Ken Vandermark, the SF Jazz Collective, the saxophonist Mark Turner, and the eclectically minded outfit Kneebody.” (NewYorker)

“The Winter Jazzfest is the jazz equivalent of CMJ, taking place over three nights at 10 intimate venues within walking distance of each other in the Village, with a hundred acts and five hundred performers. The leading lights and the young lions are all there, so for the price of one set at the Vanguard, catch Marc Ribot and the Young Philadelphians, Tyshawn Sorey, and Linda Oh, or dozens of others.

The Saturday marathon has David Murray and Saul Williams, Meshell Ndégeocello, Rudresh Mahanthappa, and Nicholas Payton on the lineup. It’s impossible to catch everything, so jazz FOMO is in full effect. Begins at 5 p.m. on the day of show, passes available for purchase and pickup at Judson Church, 55 Washington Square South. Single Day Pass, $35; two-day pass, $55; three-day pass, $75.” (Aidan Levy,VillageVoice)
Various locations
full schedule @ winterjazzfest.com

The Weight: Playing Songs of the Band
“The Band sounded old in the beginning and has aged well, even after most of its founding members died. Taking its name from one of the Band’s most classic songs (the one with the lyrics “Take a load off Fanny”), the Weight pays tribute to the group that famously played with Bob Dylan in the ’60s and made many classics of its own, beginning with its 1968 debut “Music from Big Pink.”

Members of the Weight, based in Woodstock, played in latter-day incarnations of the Band or otherwise communed with original members, especially Levon Helm, who maintained the Band’s legacy before he died in 2012. Expect a mix of familiar favorites and lesser-known deep cuts.” (WSJ)
City Winery, 155 Varick St.,
(212) 608-0555

Something Wonderful: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein
with Oscar “Andy” Hammerstein III / Broadway Pops International
Thrill to the brilliance of this legendary songwriting team with music from its celebrated collaborations including South Pacific, The Sound of Music, The King and I, Carousel, and Oklahoma! Hosted by Oscar “Andy” Hammerstein III, grandson of beloved librettist and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, this program promises to be a favorite for audiences of all ages!
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center,
at 7:30 (but get there by 7 to ensure a seat) / Target FREE Thursdays

Backstage Pass to Broadway
A Broadway press agent lifts the curtain on what it takes to make a Broadway show

Broadway press agent Susan L. Schulman takes us behind the curtain to share what really goes on during the creation of a Broadway show. She will discuss her book Backstage Pass to Broadway, sharing the highs and lows of working with such legends as Mary Martin, Lauren Bacall, Bob Fosse, Zero Mostel, George C. Scott, Yul Brynner, Vanessa Redgrave, and David Merrick among others.
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium
6PM / FREE

 Jazz Resolutions for 2015
“Timed to coincide with the annual conference of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, this evening will spotlight four ensembles working along the fault line of composition and improvisation. Starting at 6 p.m., with sets every hour, the lineup consists of the Ben Wendel Group, with Mr. Wendel on saxophone, Taylor Eigsti on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass and Eric Harland on drums; the flutist Jamie Baum and her group Short Stories, which includes Mr. Wendel; the Michael Blake Quartet, led by its namesake saxophonist; and the Joel Harrison 4, whose leader is a venturesome yet roots-minded guitarist and composer.” (Chinen-NYT)
Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, West Village,
6pm / $10 or Winter Jazz Fest badge or proof of registration
212-242-4770, greenwichhouse.org.

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
=================================================================

A PremierPub / West Village

Corner Bistro/ 331 W. 4th St.

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

kac_120405_phude_corner_bistro_bar_1000-600x450In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town.

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

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

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

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).
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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:
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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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Selected Events (01/07) + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide

Posted on 01/07/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 07, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Marilyn Maye: By Request  — Cabaret (7pm)

Presidential Leaders:
Ulysses S. Grant with John F. Marszalek & Douglas Brinkley —
SmartStuff/ Conversation (6:30pm)

Marcus Roberts — Jazz (7pm)

Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour — Jazz (8pm)

Farran Smith Nehme — SmartStuff/ BookTalk (7pm)

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Marilyn Maye: By Request (until Sat. Jan. 10)
05mayespan-1-articleLarge“Marilyn Maye’s stellar past includes a string of classy RCA albums in the ’60s and a nearly unequaled number of Tonight Show appearances, but this husky-voiced, earthy belter has never sounded better than she does now (at 87). Astonishingly active lately, she now returns to the Met Room with a set of tunes suggested by audience members when they buy their tickets. Billy Stritch leads the band.” (TONY)
Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St. (btw Fifth and Sixth Aves)
212-206-0440 / metropolitanroom.com

Presidential Leaders:
Ulysses S. Grant with John F. Marszalek & Douglas Brinkley
From Commanding General to the Presidency, Ulysses S. Grant’s battles did not end with Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Two renowned historians explore the trials and triumphs of Grant as president, from his leadership of the Radical Republicans to his supervision of Reconstruction efforts to the Panic of 1873.

John F. Marszalek is Giles Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State University and executive director and managing editor of the Ulysses S. Grant Association. Douglas Brinkley (moderator) is a Professor of History at Rice University, bestselling author, and presidential historian for CBS News.
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
6:30pm / $20-$35

Marcus Roberts (through Jan. 11)
imgres“While raising money on Kickstarter for his latest project—recording a suite of music that he wrote some twenty years ago, called “Romance, Swing, and the Blues”—the pianist and composer declared that “all great jazz is modern jazz—whatever the age of the piece, we make it ‘modern’ (relevant to our own time in history) when we play it.” This multi-stylistic dictum informs his work with his new twelve-member band, the Modern Jazz Generation, which recently released a double album of the material.” (NewYorker)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Broadway at 60th St.
at 7 and 9:30 p.m
212-258-9595 / jalc.org.

Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour (through Jan. 11)
“Nearly 60 years old, the Monterey Jazz Festival claims to be the longest-running jazz fest on the entire planet—seems like plenty of cause to celebrate with a week at the Blue Note.” (TONY)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net.
8 PM & 10:30PM / at tables $35, at bar $20, plus $5 minimum.

Farran Smith Nehme
“This author, who new book, “Missing Reels,” follows a girl from small town to the fading glamour of New York City’s old movie houses, hosts a panel of film experts the Strand Book Store. Ms. Farran’s has invited, among others, James Wolcott of Vanity Fair and the New York Magazine critic Matt Zoller Seitz to take part.” (NYT)
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 12th St.
At 7 p.m.,
212-473-1452 / strandbooks.com.

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and 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 see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

Museum of Modern Art:
107508‘The Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec: Prints and Posters’ (through March 22) In his printed works, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec chronicled and publicized the music halls, theaters, circuses, operas and cafes of Paris with terrific verve, sly wit and surprising subtlety. This enthralling show presents approximately 100 examples drawn from the museum’s permanent collection. 212-708-9400, moma.org. (Johnson)

‘Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs’ (through Feb. 10) A popular image of the elderly Matisse is of a serene, bespectacled pasha propped up in bed and surrounded by doves and flowers. But in the years around 1940, he must have felt he was living a nightmare. He and his wife of more than four decades separated. He underwent debilitating surgery for cancer. During World War II, he fled south to Nice, only to have that city threatened with bombardment. Through everything, he worked on. It is this Matisse — the invalid, insomniac, night-worker and waking dreamer — we meet in the marvelous, victory-lap show that has arrived in New York from London, trailing light, praise and lines around the block. 212-708-9400, moma.org; admission is by timed tickets. (Cotter)

‘Sturtevant: Double Trouble’ (through Feb. 22) Among the first things you see in MoMA’s taut, feisty retrospective of the American artist Elaine Sturtevant is work by far better known figures: Joseph Beuys, Jasper Johns, Marcel Duchamp. In each case, however, the pieces are by Ms. Sturtevant herself, who spent much of a long career adopting and adapting the art and styles of others to create a body of work entirely her own, one which raises questions about the value of art, about the hows and whys of producing it, and about the degrees to which quasi-replication can be an exercise in flattery, parody, objectivity, originality and love. 212-708-9400, moma.org. (Cotter)

New-York Historical Society:
Annie Leibovitz: ‘Pilgrimage’ (through Feb. 22) No living celebrities are portrayed in “Pilgrimage,” but lots of celebrated figures from the past are indirectly represented, from Thomas Jefferson and Emily Dickinson to Eleanor Roosevelt and Robert Smithson. In the spring of 2009, Ms. Leibovitz set out on a two-year journey that took her to about two dozen historic sites in the United States and Britain. Most of these were house museums dedicated to famous individuals, where she photographed the rooms they inhabited and objects they owned and used. Though often poetically atmospheric, these pictures are disappointingly less lively than her portraits of famous entertainers. 170 Central Park West, at 77th Street, 212-873-3400, nyhistory.org. (Johnson)

Skyscraper Museum:
TS84_IntroWall‘Times Square, 1984: The Postmodern Moment’ (through Jan. 18) In this smart, pithy show, 20 architectural panels capture the essence of another show, the “Times Tower Site Competition” held by New York’s Municipal Art Society 30 years ago, when over 500 architects made proposals for the famous triangular site in Times Square. Philip Johnson and John Burgee were proposing a suave 4.2 million-square-foot ensemble of four skyscrapers that would help “clean up” the surrounding urban squalor, and they favored an open square at the center of their project. The Municipal Art Society protested the proposal by asking for alternatives to replace the Times Tower. The dispute proved a turning point in New York’s urban history and, more broadly, in American architectural history, as the postmodernism of the Johnson towers gave way to a highly eclectic, free-for-all postmodernism devoid of his mansards or triumphal arches. 39 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan, 212-968-1961, skyscraper.org. (Joseph Giovannini)

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Selected Events (01/06) + Today’sFeaturedNeighborhood: Upper WestSide

Posted on 01/06/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, JAN. 06, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Five Boroughs Food Talk: Brooklyn as a Brand  — SmartStuff/ Conversation 7:30

My New Orleans, Gone Away: A Memoir of Loss and Renewal  —
SmartStuff/ BookTalk [FREE]

The Theory of Everything Screening— SmartStuff/ Film + Q&A

Cowboys-N-Indians : Evolving Images of America and “that Masked Man” from Childhood to Adulthood — SmartStuff/ Lecture [FREE]

“How To Travel The World on $50 A Day” — SmartStuff/ BookTalk

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Five Boroughs Food Talk: Brooklyn as a Brand
Brooklyn has a rep for being achingly cool and that goes for its food, too. Listen as Every Day with Rachael Ray food features editor Gabriella Gershenson discusses the many reasons why Brooklyn dishes are in a hip category of their own.

“Gershenson hosts this talk on brooklyn as a brand with brooklyn flea + smorgasburg founder eric demby, first prize pies and butter + scotch’s allison kave, former brooklyn borough president marty markowitz, and edible brooklyn editor rachel wharton” (theskint.com)
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th St.
subway: 1, 2, 3 to 96th St.
7:30pm. / $15.
212-864-5400 / symphonyspace.org

My New Orleans, Gone Away: A Memoir of Loss and Renewal
Peter M. Wolf revisits his childhood city with an architect’s eye and a poet’s sensitivity in his new book, My New Orleans, Gone Away: A Memoir of Loss and Renewal.

“Engaging…delightful…Wolf returns to the Big Easy after a protracted Yankee Education at Exeter and Yale, joins his father’s firm in the cotton trade, takes up lodgings on Burgundy Street at the edge of the French Quarter, and hangs out at places the mere mention of which sends shivers of pleasure down my spine” – Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post
Barnes & Noble, 1972 Broadway
7PM / FREE
212-595-6859

The Theory of Everything Screening
With Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones Q&A
A screening of 2014’s The Theory of Everything, which tells the story of a young Jane and Stephen Hawking, is followed by a Q&A with the film’s stars, Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones.
Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St.
7:30 PM / $12 (free with museum admission)
members get free admission and free film screenings all year long.
there is not a better museum mebership program in town.
212-708-9400

COWBOYS-N-INDIANS : Evolving Images of America and “that Masked Man” from Childhood to Adulthood
Most of us who grew up on American stories remember having played ‘Cowboys and Indians’ as a dramatic enactment. We’ve read comics on the Cowboy-and-Indian, or seen a Western movie, or had a Sherriff badge amongst our toys. But where did Cowboy-and-Indian imageries begin, and when? Is there any link from the America-past of the Indigenous Era, and America-present, to the emerging and evolving imageries of America-future?

Known world-wide because it is a radical evolution, though not acknowledged, the Cowboy-and-Indian is the heart-beat of American mythology, known by many different names and continually metamorphosing with each generation of American Heart and Soul.

Bradao traces what we know of the Lone Ranger and Tonto — from George Trendle and Fran Striker, the Dallas Cowboys and their cheerleaders, Johnny Depp’s vision of 2013, astronauts going where no one has gone before, forensic mythology of the Knights of Malta and Genovese Sailors, and coming full circle to the intoxication of the players in the World Cup. An argument for American mythology’s continuity is present in this dance of “imaginaries for life”, which grows up under the pre-texts of magic amongst men to boys, and girls to women, in the childhoods of early and modern America. Portions of this work have been presented at other conferences and in a United Nations lecture.
NYPL Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, South Court Auditorium
1:15 p.m. / FREE

“How To Travel The World on $50 A Day”, Matt Kepnes
Like most of us, Matt Kepnes longed to travel, to quit the daily grind of a cubicle job and simply get out there, to call the world home and never stop moving. Unlike most of us, Matt actually did that, and six years later, he’s still traveling. Learn how to do the same as “Nomadic” Matt shows you the ropes with his book How To Travel The World on $50 A Day, a guide to getting more bang for your buck and stretching out even the smallest of backpacking budgets.

Matt will teach you how to:
* Avoid paying bank fees anywhere in the world
* Earn thousands of free frequent flyer points
* Find discount travel cards that can save on hostels, tours, and transportation
* Get cheap (or free) plane tickets
7:00PM – 8:00PM
Buy a copy of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day or a $15 Strand gift card
in order to attend this event.
Strand’s Bookstore, 828 Broadway at 12th St.
3rd floor Rare Book Room

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
=================================================================

A PremierPub / Upper West Side

Dinosaur / 700 W125th St. @ 12th ave.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).
If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
===========================================================================================
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Selected Events (01/05) + GallerySpecialExhibits: Chelsea

Posted on 01/05/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, JAN. 05, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

A Conversation With Diana Rigg  — SmartStuff/ Conversation

Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s Oscar-Winning “Frozen”  —
SpecialEvent/ Holiday Film [FREE]

Steve Earle with Willie Wilson — Pop/Rock

Twelfth Night: 
O Rosa Bella: Courtly and Sacred Music of the 15th-17th Centuries —
SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music [FREE]

Brain Cloud — Country/Jazz

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

A Conversation With Diana Rigg
Diana_Rigg(2)“This Tony-winning actress, who was nominated last year for an Emmy for her guest turn in “Game of Thrones,” will sit down for a discussion with the theater writer and critic Peter Filichia. Ms. Rigg’s 1983 compilation, “No Turn Unstoned,” is a thesaurus of the nastiest theater reviews. She went on to adapt it for the stage and performed it at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.” (NYT)
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th St.
7PM / $15
212-864-5400 / symphonyspace.org.

 

Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s Oscar-Winning Frozen
imgres-1“January is a good time of year to get reacquainted with Anna and Elsa, the beloved heroines of Disney animated movie musical “Frozen.” FiDi Families is kicking off its “Community Cube” event series with two free screenings and a “Frozen” family theme party at the South Street Seaport. Activities will include crafts and sing-alongs. Guests are encouraged to arrive in costume.

“Frozen” will be shown at 10 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. FREE. No reservations are required. Space is limited, so arrive early. 89 South St.
Afterwards, “Frozen” fans young and old can imagine they’re back in Arendelle as they glide along the South Street Seaport‘s ice rink, open to skaters from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission costs $10 and skate rentals are $6.” (dnainfo.com)

Steve Earle (Mondays through Jan. 26)
images“This Texas singer has received a second career wind thanks to TV showrunners who aspire to his grittiness. He’s appeared either in person or through song on “The Wire,” “Longmire,” “Treme,” and most recently, “True Detective.” And like that newest series, Mr. Earle’s music is entrenched in the backwater past: bluesy slide guitars, lo-fi vocals, plenty of heart and fury. On Monday he kicks off his monthlong residency at City Winery, which includes a double bill with Shawn Colvin on Jan. 12.” (Chow-NYT)

Tonight: Willie Watson
After a fifteen-year stint as the frontman of modern-ramblers troupe Old Crow Medicine Show, singer/songwriter Willie Watson veered off on his own in late 2011, toward a performance style that favored traditional folk songs over his originals. These days, Watson’s performances avoid flashiness: Each storied, old-sounding tune rolls naturally into the next, guitar lines unadorned and all the more arresting for their simplicity.

Like Steve Earle, whom he will join onstage at City Winery as a guest in Earle’s annual residency, Watson lets sincerity and his gravel-flecked singing style take the spotlight.” (VillageVoice, Carena Liptak)
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, near Spring Street, South Village,
Mondays at 8 p.m. / $45
212-608-0555, citywinery.com.

Twelfth Night: 
O Rosa Bella: Courtly and Sacred Music of the 15th-17th Centuries
Kathryn Montoya, Priscilla Herreid, Grant Herreid, and Erik Schmalz, recorders, sackbut, shawms, bagpipe, lute

Trinity Wall Street hosts New York City’s Annual Festival of Early Music with daily performances at Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan.
St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway
1:00 pm / FREE

Elsewhere, but this sure looks fun:
Brain Cloud (every Monday)
Brain Cloud is a New Orleans-meets-Texas, strings-meet-horns, jazz-meets-country” band.
“My brain is cloudy, my soul is upside-down… When I get that low-down feeling, I know the blues must be someplace around.” (Bob Wills)The Brain Cloud’s brand of western swing draws from the New Orleans-meets-Texas, strings-meet-horns, jazz-meets-country sound that Bob Wills perfected on his mid-1940’s Tiffany Transcriptions radio broadcasts.
Barbès 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave), Park Slope.
7 p.m. / $10 suggested /347 422 0248

==================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
====================================================================

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 – my fave is Ovest on W 27th St., where the aperitivo is like Happy Hour on steroids.

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

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Selected Events (01/04)

Posted on 01/04/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JAN. 04, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Celebration of American Circus  — Circus

Holiday Duo Recital  — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway — Pop/Rock

Nutcracker Rouge — Ballet / Burlesque

Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch — Cabaret

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Celebration of American Circus
imgres“The Big Apple Circus, Les 7 Doigts de la Main and Philippe Petit are among the artists and organizations instrumental in revolutionizing the circus arts. This weekend they will be honored at the first Celebration of American Circus, presented by Circus Now. The event, directed by West Hyler, will be both a ceremony and performance, and will be followed by a reception.” (NYT)

Enlivening the evening will be performances by several of North America’s most talented and esteemed circus performers including:
Charlotte & Nicolas (7 doigts de la main, Pippin) in hand-to-hand
the Ricochet Project (Cohdi Harrel and Laura Stokes) on duo rope
the Anastasini brothers (Big Apple Circus) in a Risley act
Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center,
At 8 p.m./ $20
circusnow.org/celebrate.

Holiday Duo Recital
“The Wagner Society of New York presents this recital with the soprano Jennifer Benke, the tenor Ric Furman and the pianist Tom Bagwell performing works by R. Strauss, Medtner, Barber, Giordano, Sibelius and Wagner.” (NYT)
Theater at the West Side Y.M.C.A., 10 West 64th St.
3pm / $25
212-749-4561 / wagnersocietyny.org.

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway
temptations-articleLarge“No, it’s not just your imagination: Two Motown stalwarts, the Four Tops and the Temptations, are wearing their dancing shoes once again on Broadway this week. Only one original member from each group remains — Abdul Fakir, known as Duke, of the Four Tops and Otis Williams of the Temptations — but still expect them to conjure the old-school magic of hits like “Reach Out, I’ll Be There,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “My Girl.” The two groups will hit the road afterward for a cross-country tour.” (NYT)
Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway and W47th St.
3pm / $52-$142
800-745-3000 / ticketmaster.com

Nutcracker Rouge (last day)
“If ballet ever merged with burlesque, the result might be something like Nutcracker Rouge. This strictly-for-grownups version—by Company XIV, which loves to mash up music, Baroque dance and texts and acrobatics—has Marie (not so much a little girl as a nubile young thing) embarking on a discovery of the sweet things in life—and we’re not talking candy canes. The classically trained dancers pose, pirouette and gyrate to the Tchaikovsky’s greatest hits, as well as Madonna’s (we said it was a mash-up, didn’t we?). If you like your hot chocolate with a little spice, this is for you.” (thoughtgallery.org)

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:
Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch
“Two of the town’s most sophisticated goofballs sing, play, and generally throw a party not exactly like the one the pair of them toss at Birdland on Monday nights, but just as much fun. They’ve got something of that old Bob Hope–Bing Crosby chemistry going for them, which ain’t bad. Since they pal around with everybody in the show biz, you never know who’s going to join them for a tune or two. Hey, Liza, is that you over there in the corner? Could be, because you see, folks, this is New York, New York.” (David Finkle, VillageVoice)
Bemelmans Bar
9 p.m./ $15 – $20

xx

 

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Selected Events (01/03) + Ice Skating in NYCity

Posted on 01/03/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, JAN. 03, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

“The Longest Variety Show Ever”  — Cabaret

Irabagon Festival  — Jazz

Chelsea New Year’s Weekend Gallery Tour  — SmartStuff/ Gallery Tour

Peter Bernstein Quartet — Jazz

Richard Bona and Mandekan Cubano — Latin Music

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

“The Longest Variety Show Ever”
05mayespan-1-articleLargeFeaturing a mind-boggling 265 individual acts, with over 20 emcees, and a battalion of musicians, technicians and designers, the “Longest Variety Show Ever” opens on Thursday, January 1st at 7:00 pm and runs – continuously to Sunday, January 4th at 7:00 pm. The show will span six categories: music; burlesque; comedy/spoken word; drag; theatre/opera; magic/puppetry. Broadcast legend Joe Franklin (Guinness Book of World Records Longest Continuous Talk Show Host) will serve as grand marshal for the show.

At 60 continuous hours of entertainment the Metropolitan Room’s bid to eclipse the Guinness World Record for longest variety show (currently standing at 12 hours and 8 minutes) is also poised to obliterate other records such as most performers in a single show.

Day passes for “The Longest Variety Show Ever” cost $25 per person, or $60 for a three-day pass. The club offers a complimentary beverage with each ticket purchased. There will be no food or beverage minimums throughout the marathon, except for the legendary Marilyn Maye, whose “By Request” (playing Friday & Saturday at 7:00 pm) requires a separate ticket purchase ($35 plus a two drink minimum). Ms. Maye is the grand doyenne of NY Cabaret and still an incredible performer. Her performance should not be missed.
THE METROPOLITAN ROOM, 34 West 22nd St.
For reservations call 212/206-0440 or to order online visit http://www.metropolitanroom.com

Irabagon Festival (also Sunday)
“A smart young saxophonist who has successfully ducked in and out of the mainstream jazz tradition. On Saturday, Mr. Irabagon leads a different but equally expeditious trio, with Mary Halvorson on guitar and Nasheet Waits on drums. And Sunday’s offering will be an Irabagon quartet with the pianist Luis Perdomo, the bassist Yasushi Nakamura and the drummer Rudy Royston.” (Chinen-NYT)
at 9 and 10:30 p.m., Sunday at 8:30 p.m.,
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village,
212-989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com.

Chelsea New Year’s Weekend Gallery Tour
Take a fascinating gallery tour of Chelsea – the world’s center for contemporary art – and see the very latest in painting, sculpture, electronic media & photography. Our guide, who holds a Ph.D. in arts education, helps explain the artwork and leads the group in lively discussion.

The tour takes place Sat. Jan. 3 at 1:00 PM. Meet at 526 W. 26th St. between 10th & 11th Ave. Nearest subways: C- or E-Train to 23rd St. Admission is $25. SPECIAL OFFER: use DISCOUNT code “chelsea47″ for $10-off admission! For more info, visit http://www.nygallerytours.com or call 212-946-1548.” (thoughtgallery.org)

Peter Bernstein Quartet
blog6_4_10.ed4xq1mxiio00cgk4scg4ko0o.qi1hsjgnpq80ggccso04848k.th“At 47 years old, Peter Bernstein is one of the most reliable guitarists on the New York scene. Hardly a week goes by where you don’t spot him in his long-familiar role as the point man in somebody’s rhythm section. For this rare opportunity to begin the New Year by leading a quartet of his own, he’s joined by three additional rhythm players who are, in turn, rarely seen as sidemen: pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Greg Hutchinson. Mr. Bernstein’s own playing is often described as “straight ahead,” which doesn’t begin to do justice to the wide variety of approaches he uses, from the lyrical ballads on his most recent album as a leader, “Solo Guitar—Live at Smalls” (2012), to the funky soul jazz he plays with organist Larry Goldings on the new “Ramshackle Serenade.” (WSJ)
Dizzy’s Club, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St and Broadway,
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., 212-721-6500 / jalc.org.

Elsewhere, but sure looks good:
Richard Bona and Mandekan Cubano (also Sunday)
NY-DJ653_JAZZ_GV_20150101222618“He plays the fender bass and sings. He’s 47 years old. He comes from the Republic of Cameroon on the east coast of Africa. Those are the only facts regarding the remarkable pan-cultural, multi-stylistic musician Richard Bona that are relatively clear-cut. His music represents virtually the entire breadth and scope of the African diaspora as it extends into the New World, through the U.S. as well as the Caribbean, Central and South America.

His two most recent projects alone, the 2013 album “Bonafied,” with its French overtones (”La Fille D’a Cote”) and the Havanese style of his current ensemble, Mandekan Cubano, cover a wide swath across the globe. Co-starring trumpeter Dennis Hernandez, trombonist Rey David, pianist Osmany Paredes and percussionists Luisito and Roberto Quintero.” (WSJ)
Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th St.
At 7:30 and 10 p.m., with an 11:45 set on Saturday
212-576-2232 / jazzstandard.net.

====================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
====================================================================================

Ice Skating in NYCity (nycgo.com)
“Winter just isn’t winter without ice-skating in New York City. And though most of us can probably name two or three rinks off the top of our heads, we might be more than mildly surprised to find there are 15 venues open for public ice-skating this holiday season. The best known of the City’s rinks is without a doubt the Rink at Rockefeller Center—tracing figure eights while surrounded by the shops, restaurants and buildings of a NYC landmark provides the quintessential NYC skating experience—but plenty of other (frequently less crowded) options exist.” Here are the ice rinks you want to head to in Manhattan:

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Where: Sixth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets
When: Late October to early March
Price: Free; skate rental $15–$19
If you already own skates, this is the most affordable spot in the City—it’s the only rink that offers free admission. Bryant Park also hosts annual holiday shops, a good destination if you want to cross some gifts off your list after your turn on the ice.

Trump Rink in Central Park
Where: Central Park, mid-park between 62nd and 63rd Streets
When: Late October to first week of April
Price: Adults $11.25 (Mon.–Thurs.), $18 (Fri.–Sun.); kids 11 and under $6; seniors $5 (Mon.–Thurs.), $9 (Fri.–Sun.); skate rental $8
Few rinks can match the ambience of Central Park’s Trump Rink, especially after a fresh snowfall. If you’re there at night, be sure to look up for some prime NYC stargazing.

Rink at Rockefeller Center
Where: Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets
When: Mid-October through April
Price: Adults $27–$30, kids 10 and under $15; skate rental $12
Millions of visitors plan trips to the City every year just to catch a glimpse of skaters taking a spin on the ice below the famous Christmas tree and gilded statue of Prometheus; others will wait in long lines to experience it for themselves.

————————————————————————————-

Ice Rink at Riverbank State Park
Where: Henry Hudson Parkway between West 138th and West 145th Streets
When: November through March
Price: Adults $5, kids 11 and under $3; skate rental $6
Riverbank, in Hamilton Heights, is the only state park in Manhattan; it offers incredible river views across to New Jersey and gorgeous vistas of the George Washington Bridge.

Lasker Rink
Where: Central Park, northeast corner between 106th and 108th Streets
When: Late October to late March
Price: Adults $7.50, kids 12 and under $4; skate rental $6.50
Up in the northern reaches of the park, Lasker Rink is a bit less discovered than its sister skate center in the park (see “Trump Rink in Central Park” below)—and a much better deal.

See/Change Ice Rink
Where: Fulton and Front Streets, South Street Seaport
When: Late November to early March
Price: Adults $10, kids 5 and under free; skate rental $6
The seaport relaunched itself in 2013 after Superstorm Sandy with the opening of an outdoor ice rink. Bonus: November 28, opening night, coincides with a tree-lighting ceremony.

Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers
Where: Pier 61, West 23rd Street and Hudson River Park
When: Year-round
Price: $10; skate rental $5
Want to skate downtown…in mid-July? The enormous rink at Chelsea Piers is the place to head, though it’s a reliable stop-off any time of year.

Standard Hotel
Where: 848 Washington St., between West 12th and West 13th Streets
When: Late November until early spring (weather dependent)
Price: Adults $12, kids $6; skate rental $3
One of the hipper—and more exclusive—hotels in the City has a ground-level rink available to the public. If you can’t find the info on the main website, check standardculture.com for the latest prices and times.

nycgo.com, the website of New York City’s official marketing and tourism organization, has lots of useful NYCity info. This fine site is worth checking out when you are planning your NYCity visit, anytime of the year.

 

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Selected Events (01/02) + Nutcracker Ballet

Posted on 01/02/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, JAN. 02, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Darlene Love   — Pop/Rock

The Hot Jazz Gang  — Jazz

Twelfth Night Festival of Early Music  — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

Barb Jungr — Cabaret

The Bad Plus — Jazz

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Jan.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Darlene Love
darlene-love“Her lovelorn “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a holiday rock showstopper, and her annual festive show has become a New York holiday staple. A former protégée of Phil Spector’s, she has been an indelible voice in pop since the 1960s — as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame affirmed when she was made one of the 2011 inductees.” (NYT)
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd St.
800-745-3000 / bbkingblues.com
8pm / $50.

The Hot Jazz Gang 
Be taken back to an era which produced some of the greatest musicians, composers and songs in Jazz, by 5 musicians who are well versed in the music of 1920s and 30’s. Learn the story behind famous compositions like Bye Bye Black Bird and Sunny Side of the Street from our resident encyclopedia of jazz knowledge, saxophonist Michael Hashim, as a part of the Tales of the Jazz Age.
Lucille’s Bar & Grill at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42 St.,
6:30PM
(212) 997-4144

Twelfth Night Festival of Early Music
Motets and Villancios from the 16th Century
Works by Des Prez, Sanz, Vásquez, and others
Ensemble Viscera

New York City’s Annual Festival of Early Music with daily performances at Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan. The Festival features concerts by the Choir of Trinity Wall Street and Trinity Baroque Orchestra, under the direction of Julian Wachner, as well as Avi Stein, The Bishop’s Band, Cappella Romana, Clarion Music Society, Ensemble Viscera, Gotham Early Music Scene, Grand Harmonie, Holy Trinity Bach Vespers, NY Baroque Inc., Roomful of Teeth, Ryland Angel, and the Trinity Youth Chorus.
Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street
1:00 pm / FREE, no reservation required

Barb Jungr (through Sunday)
00A3CC633A“The British singer Barb Jungr performed last year’s most sensational cabaret show, “Hard Rain,” at 59East59 Theaters, and her devastating evisceration of songs by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen was sung and acted with such passion that she reminded you that both songwriters, at their most rousing, are prophets as well as rock royalty.

At 54 Below, from Friday through Sunday at 7 p.m., she will perform her new show, “Mad About the Boy and No Regrets,” described as a “walk on the dark side of love and loss, sex and corruption of the soul.” (Songs by Noël Coward, Kurt Weill and Bruce Springsteen — as you’ve never heard them before — have been added to a program.) The British comedian Julian Clary has called Ms. Jungr a “one-woman enema and not for the fainthearted.” (NYT)
54 Below, 254 West 54th St.
7PM / $40-$70
646-476-3551, 54below.com.

The Bad Plus (through Jan. 4)
imgres“For the past few years, this trio hasn’t had to fret over New Year’s plans; it’s found a holiday home at the venerable Village Vanguard. Now comfortable members of the jazz establishment, they recently released their tenth studio album, “Inevitable Western,” which retains an impish edge and populist charm. Here, with the rambunctious drummer Dave King on hand, no one has to worry about making too much celebratory noise.” (NewYorker)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St.
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com
8:30 and 10:30 p.m./$30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

==============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==============================================================================

For many the Holiday Season means a visit to the NYC Ballet to enjoy their performance of the “Nutcracker” ballet. If so, you have only a couple of days left to see it.

Thought Gallery, a very fine site with event info on a range of NYCity cultural topics, surprised us this season with a comprehensive list of more “Nutcracker” performances around town than you ever imagined. Who Knew?

Going Nuts: A Roundup of Nutcracker Ballet Performances in NYC
By Troy Segal

“A FINELY AGED NUT Many a native NY-er has grown up with New York City Ballet founder George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition since its debut in 1954. Balanchine based his version on the productions he himself danced in as a child in Russia. Act I serves up the spectacle: a rambunctious holiday party and an epic battle between the armies of the Nutcracker Prince and the multi-headed Mouse King. Act II is devoted to displays of dancing virtuosity by waltzing flowers, jumping candy canes and little clowns that emerge from a lady’s hoopskirt. Nov. 28–Jan. 3.

RED HOT If ballet ever merged with burlesque, the result might be something like Nutcracker Rouge. This strictly-for-grownups version—by Company XIV, which loves to mash up music, Baroque dance and texts and acrobatics—has Marie (not so much a little girl as a nubile young thing) embarking on a discovery of the sweet things in life—and we’re not talking candy canes. The classically trained dancers pose, pirouette and gyrate to the Tchaikovsky’s greatest hits, as well as Madonna’s (we said it was a mash-up, didn’t we?). If you like your hot chocolate with a little spice, this is for you. Through Jan. 4.”

Fini – for these others you must wait until next year to satisfy your Nutcracker craving:

OLDE NEW YORK Every troupe gives The Nutcracker its own twist, but The Yorkville Nutcracker imparts an especially Gothamesque stamp to the ballet. Set in 1895, this version uses actual people and settings of the period: The children’s party is held in Gracie Mansion; the heroine is the daughter of Mayor William Strong; and she and her Nutcracker Prince ride a sleigh to Central Park and to the New York Botanical Garden in The Bronx. Yorkville is the brainchild of Francis Patrelle, founding choreographer ofDances Patrelle, a small troupe dedicated to dramatic and narrative dance. Its performers range from ballet students to principals from other companies, including New York City Ballet’s Abi Stafford and Adrian Danchig-Waring as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier this year. Dec. 4–7.

A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN Returning for the last time to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s version of The Nutcracker takes a dramatic approach to the often-saccharine classic: “The Waltz of the Snowflakes,” for example, turns into a nearly fatal blizzard for our heroine Clara, and the Sugar Plum Fairy is explicitly a projection of her desire to be all grown up, rather than just the usual showy anonymous ballerina role. Not that there aren’t plenty of sweet moments, too, from the adorable baby mouse to the magically expanding Christmas tree to the dazzling turns by American Ballet Theatre’s artists. Dec. 12–21.

DANCING IN THE STREETS In contrast to the productions above, The Knickerbocker Suite unfolds the familiar story in modern-day NYC. Those swirling snowflakes turn into shoppers, waltzing in and out of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s; Mother Ginger, traditionally a lady whose skirts house hidden little dancers, becomes the Statue of Liberty leading a host of immigrants. The concepts are as fresh as the cast, all students of Manhattan Youth Ballet. Dec. 12–14 & 19–21.

TINY BUT TASTY The New York Theatre Ballet is a chamber dance company specializing in streamlined stories for the littlest balletomanes. Its version, dubbed Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker (after is its resident choreographer) and set in an Art Nouveau world, runs only an hour, but packs in all the big turns, using its small cast in ingenious ways and with witty fashions (the Metropolitan Opera’s resident costume designer did the garments). Dec. 19–21.

(Troy Segal-ThoughtGallery.org)

 

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Selected Events (01/01) + Holiday Windows in NYCity

Posted on 01/01/2015 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, JAN. 01, 2015.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Harlem Gospel Choir  — Gospel Music

The Longest Variety Show Ever — Cabaret

Chris Botti  — Jazz

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway — Motown

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Sextet — Jazz

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Dec.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Harlem Gospel Choir (Jan. 1 brunch and ongoing Sundays)
download“Here’s a real Sister Act for you. When does a blues club in the middle of Times Square become a church? The answer: every Sunday for over 10 years, when the Harlem Gospel Choir takes over at BB King ’s. Hosted by founder Allen Bailey, this highly inspirational six-member mixed choir offers spiritual salvation (in the words and music of such classics as “Oh Happy Day” and “Amazing Grace”) alongside heaps of biscuits, scrambled eggs and fried fish.

The jubilant mood is much more like a church service than a traditional nightclub set—they leave the house lights on for one thing, and there’s a lot more audience participation than you’re likely to see at, say, the Blue Note. After a while, I found myself standing up, clapping and singing along, even during those rare moments when no one was asking me to.” (WSJ)
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
(212) 997-4144

The Longest Variety Show Ever (Jan. 1-4)
05mayespan-1-articleLarge“If the vivacious—not to mention explosive— Marilyn Maye can’t make you feel alive and in a celebratory mood, on New Year’s Eve or any other night of the year, then check your pulse, brother, because you obviously died a long time ago. This year, Ms. Maye’s annual January run is incorporated into a marathon event: 60 hours of nonstop singing, playing, joke-telling, burlesque-dancing, drag queening, and magic—not to mention puppets, poets (and probably also pirates, pawns and kings).

They’re going for the gold, that is, the Guinness Book of World Records entry for the longest-running variety show that’s ever been staged—a total of 265 different acts performing mostly in 15-minute slots, going all night for three nights—there’s just no letup the live-long night and day. See you at 4 a.m.; the club stands to make a fortune just from the sales of coffee alone. And who else could introduce such an undertaking other than Joe Franklin, Mr. Show Business himself?” (WSJ)
The Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St.
(212) 206-0440

Chris Botti (through Jan. 5)
“Mr. Botti, whose adult-pop savvy and controlled but brooding trumpet sound have made him a global superstar, descends on the Blue Note each year around this time for an extended engagement. This is his 10th annual run, and as usual he brings a slick but substantial band, and the clout to welcome the occasional celebrity guest.” (Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third St., Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./$75 cover at tables (may be sold out), 
$40 at the bar, with a $5 minimum. (sound is fine at these bar seats, vision decent)
475-8592 / bluenote.net

The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway (through Jan. 4)
temptations-articleLargeFor the first time ever, for seven nights only, the Temptations and the Four Tops join together live on Broadway at the legendary Palace Theatre. It’s the Broadway event of the holiday season as these two Rock and Roll Hall of Fame groups share the stage. So don’t wait–reach out and you can be there, on Broadway, to ring in the New Year with a night of music you won’t ever forget.
Palace Theatre, Broadway and W47th St.
8pm / $52-$142

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Sextet 
Saxophonist Eric Alexander and piano legend Harold Mabern Mabern expand the ensemble to a high-octane sextet featuring trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and alto saxophonist Vincent Herring. They also have one of the best rhythm sections anywhere with bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth. As The Village Voice says, “the blues lives in every drop of sound that comes from Mabern’s piano.”
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St.
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $48 cover (limited space)
(212) 864-6662 / smokejazz.com

==========================================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity (pop. 8.4 million) had 54 million visitors last year and quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==================================================================================================

Holiday Windows in New York City 2014

As we head to the end of the holiday season there are just a couple of holiday windows still on display. Do me a favor, arrange your day so that you check out these windows after dark when the window displays are illuminated. They are so much more impressive at night.

Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows
Bergdorf Goodman was inspired by ice this year: The shop’s holiday windows all present variations on the theme “Holidays on Ice,” with displays devoted to Halloween (with a masquerade party), Valentine’s Day and even Arbor Day. (Ice-skating trees? One can hope.)
Bergdorf Goodman 754 Fifth Ave, at 58th St.
Until Wed Jan 7

Lord & Taylor holiday windows
Children from NYC schools and Women in Need shelters were asked to create drawings based on the theme “What Is Christmas Made Of?” Those works, 125 of which are featured here, inspired the scenes in this year’s display.
Lord & Taylor 424 Fifth Ave, between 38th and 39th Sts.
Thu Dec 4 – Thu Jan 1

Fini – for these see what their creators imagine next year:

Barneys holiday windows
This year, the Madison Avenue shop incorporates video, light installations and more forward-thinking concepts into its holiday displays. The theme is “A New York Holiday,” and elements include an interactive scene with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a “floating city” created with 3-D mapping and light projections.
Barneys New York 660 Madison Ave, at 61st St.
Thu Dec 4 – Wed Dec 31

Bloomingdale’s holiday windows
This year’s holiday windows at Bloomie’s puts the famous brown shopping bags into different shopping scenes around the world—everywhere from China and France to Great Britain and Italy (and, of course, Bloomingdale’s right here in New York City).
Bloomingdale’s 1000 Third Ave, at 59th St,
Thu Dec 4 – Wed Dec 31

Henri Bendel holiday windows
Henri Bendel has partnered with the estate of Al Hirschfeld to create window displays inspired by the celebrated cartoonist’s work. In one window, you’ll see 3-D depictions of celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker, Liza Minnelli and Woody Allen; in the store itself, Bendel’s giant tree becomes a playhouse for a model of Charlie Chaplin.
Henri Bendel 712 Fifth Ave, at 56th St.
Wed Dec 3 – Wed Dec 31

Macy’s holiday windows
Boasting a “Dream…and Believe” theme, Macy’s 2013 holiday windows depict a young boy’s journey through a magical dreamland. The six windows on the Broadway side of the store—Dream, Giving & Sharing, Joy, Beauty, Magic and Believe—use technology and LED lights to tell the story. Visiting families can also view the classic “Yes, Virginia…” windows on the 34th street side of the store.
Macy’s Herald Square 151 W 34th St, between Sixth and Seventh Aves.
Wed Dec 10 – Wed Dec 31

Saks Fifth Avenue holiday windows
This year, Saks debuted a new Snowflake Spectacular, a 3-D light show that plays out across the department store’s exterior each evening. The dazzling display is just one element of the shop’s holiday celebration: Window displays tell the story of the Saks Yeti, and also include an interactive window where visitors can display their own Yeti name (visit saks.com/snow for more details).
Saks Fifth Avenue 611 Fifth Ave, at 49th St.
Thu Dec 4 – Wed Dec 31

Tiffany & Co. holiday windows
Behind the windows into which Holly Golightly once gazed so admiringly, Tiffany’s conjures an image of a yuppie wintertime fantasia: the Upper East Side on Christmas Eve. The miniature brownstone scenes are replete with tiny chandeliers and garlands, and those well-known baby-blue boxes are strewn beneath the trees.
Tiffany & Co. 727 Fifth Ave, between 56th and 57th Sts.
Thu Dec 4 – Wed Dec 31

This comprehensive description and much more useful holiday info, including a holiday windows slide show, can be found at TONY magazine’s Christmas in NewYork Guide.

For more holiday windows photos, try the slideshows at the NYT and Refinery 29.

For “The Definitive Guide to New York City’s 2014 Holiday Window Displays” try the NewYorkObserver

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Selected Events (12/31)

Posted on 12/31/2014 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014.
“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to. We make it as easy as 1-2-3.”

Garland Jeffreys  — Pop/Rock

Charles Busch and Laura Benanti — Cabaret

Dee Dee Bridgewater  — Jazz

New Year’s Eve Concert For Peace — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

New Year’s Eve 2015 in Times Square — SpecialEvent

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide:
♦ “9 Notable Events-Dec.”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.
♦ For NYCity Sights, Sounds and Stories visit out our sister site: nyc123blog.wordpress.com

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

Garland Jeffreys
2Garland Jeffreys1CC HasseltIMG_7936“Last month, the Village Voice published its list of the sixty best songs ever written about New York City. Coming in at No. 7 was Jeffreys’s “Wild in the Streets,” a hissing, insinuating, insistent piece from 1973. No argument here, but you could print up a list of the Brooklyn native’s catalogue, tack it to the wall, step back ten paces, and throw a dart, and you’d be almost guaranteed to hit another great New York City song. Jeffreys, who is seventy-one, is still a dynamo, and he gets a jump on the New Year’s Eve celebrations with an early show at Joe’s Pub.” (NewYorker)
Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St.
212-967-7555.

Charles Busch and Laura Benanti
BENANTI0508“Broadway’s Supper Club” also has a pair of special entries in the New Year’s Eve stakes: Charles Busch, drag artist, occasional vocalist, and playwright, who consistently comes up with original monologues that are as hysterically funny as they are thought-provoking and touching, thus speak to the “ Miriam Passman ” in all of us.

Laura Benanti is the latest Tony winner to master the difficult art of the one-woman show, as she proved in last year’s 54 Below show, “In Constant Search Of The Right Kind Of Attention,” which was also, thankfully, recorded and released as a CD. And she’s the only 35-year-old around who could possibly sing “I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore” without anyone wanting to smack her.” (WSJ)
54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.
(646) 476-3551

Dee Dee Bridgewater (through Jan 02)
bridgewater_8981“A one-woman New Year’s Eve party no matter what time of year she hits a stage, Bridgewater balances her boundless energy and fervor with impeccable vocal artistry. Although she’s drawn attention for earnest tributes to both Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, the Tony-winning performer has an inimitable style.”(NewYorker)
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, at 51st St.
212-582-2121

New Year’s Eve Concert For Peace
Founded by Leonard Bernstein in 1984, the annual New Year’s Eve Concert for Peace is a signature Cathedral event, gathering old friends and new for more than a quarter of a century. The music, the candles, and the spirit of peace send audiences out into the chill January night with renewed hope for the world we share. This year’s concert, hosted by Harry Smith, features guests Judy Collins and Jason Robert Brown.
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, at 112th St.
At 7 p.m. / Reserved tickets are now sold out. A limited number of FREE general admission seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis on the evening of the concert.
316-7490 / stjohndivine.org

Oh, Yes. There is one more thing happening here on Manhattan’s WestSide this evening.

New Year’s Eve 2015 in Times Square
“A million people from around the world have gathered, the clock is nearing midnight, and all eyes are locked on the sparkling Waterford Crystal ball descending above them. It’s a familiar annual scene: New Year’s Eve in Times Square. And this year will be no different. The free festivities, sponsored by the Times Square Alliance, will have the requisite energetic crowd, as well as balloons, confetti, live performances from musicians like Taylor Swift, and more.

The celebration will officially begin at 6 p.m. and continue until 12:15 a.m. But for prime locations (and the best views), arrive early in the afternoon. The New Year’s Eve ball can most easily be seen along Broadway, from 43rd to 50th Streets, and along Seventh Avenue, as far north as 59th Street. More information, including access points, street closings, transportation and dining, is at timessquarenyc.org.” (NYT)

 

 

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