Selected Events (12/30) + Ice Skating in NYCity

Posted on 12/30/2014 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, DEC. 30, 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.”

Basie / Ellington / Holiday:  — Jazz [FREE]

Christmas in Rome, The Eternal City — SpecialEvent/ Slide Lecture [FREE]

The Bad Plus – Jazz

Tom Rainey Trio — Jazz

Michael Daves’s All-Star Bluegrass Throwdown — Bluegrass

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

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

Basie Ellington Holiday:
A Tribute to Count, Duke, and Lady Day with JC Hopkins Biggish Band

JC-Hopkins-Biggish-Band-King-Solomon-HicksGet a jump on New Year’s Eve with a night celebrating the music of three of the most royal figures in jazz; Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday. Grammy-nominated JC Hopkins and his Biggish Band bring their exuberant, swingin’ sound and their own royalty, Queen Esther, Charles Turner, Jazzmeia Horn, and King Solomon Hicks to the Atrium to interpret the music of these pivotal figures. Don’t miss what promises to be a night to remember for dancers and listeners alike.
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, 61 W 62 St
at 7:30* / Target FREE Thursdays (this week on Tuesday)
get there early, no later than 7PM, if you want to get in what is a small performance space.
212-875-5350

“Christmas in Rome, The Eternal City, with a Focus on the Vatican and Pope Francis,” with Michael T. Luongo, a New York City based freelance writer, editor, photographer and a lecturer of travel writing at New York University.

This photo lecture showcases Rome as the city pulses with holiday energy from December to early January’s Epiphany. Few places in the world match the sheer joy, beauty and religious fervor of Christmas in Rome, the Eternal City.
Mid-Manhattan Library, 455 Fifth Avenue @ 40th St.
6:30 p.m. / FREE

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.

Tom Rainey Trio
“Tom Rainey, a precisely off-kilter drummer, has broken into bandleading of late, often with the partners in this trio: Ingrid Laubrock, a tenor and soprano saxophonist of exploratory instincts, and Mary Halvorson, a guitarist with a sharp-splintered but flexible attack.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village, 212-989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com;
8:30PM / $10 cover, with $10 minimum.

Elsewhere, but for fans of bluegrass this is worth the detour:
Michael Daves’s All-Star Bluegrass Throwdown
10626418_10152935000943953_3031158787466592971_o“Brooklyn has long been an under-the-radar hotbed of bluegrass action. Last month, Georgia-born guitarist Michael Daves, whose most recent album is a Grammy-nominated 2011 collaboration with MacArthur Fellow Chris Thile, extravagantly exceeded his Kickstarter goal of funding a pair of “twin” albums — one a traditional acoustic bluegrass record, the other a wild-and-woolly electric set — containing the same tracks in the same order.

Tonight’s All-Star Bluegrass Throwdown features Daves’s talented acoustic sessioneers: Punch Brothers banjoist Noam Pikelny, who recently released a Bill Monroe tribute; the talented mandolinist Sarah Jarosz, 23, who has three albums of her own; Brittany Haas, of the chamber-bluegrass group Crooked Still; and Del McCoury Band bassist Mike Bub. The Lonesome Trio kick off a high-energy evening in Gowanus — where the grass often is blue.” (Richard Gehr, VillageVoice)
The Bell House, 149 7th St./ warehouse turned music venue
F, G or R TRAIN: 9th Street & 4th Avenue stop. Walk down one block down to 3rd Avenue and turn right. Walk 2 blocks to 7th Street and turn left.
We are down the block on the right side.
8 p.m./ $15 – $45
(718) 643-6510

====================================================================================
♦ 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 for the holidays:
Best NYC Toy Stores,
Ice Skating,
2014 Holiday Events,
Holiday Gift Guide,
Winter Events
This fine site is worth checking out when you are planning your NYCity visit,
anytime of the year.

 

 

 

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Selected Events (12/29) + Holiday Markets in NYC 2014

Posted on 12/29/2014 by GregD

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, DEC. 29, 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.”

Nuevo Jazz Latino All-Stars  — Jazz

Twelfth Night Festival — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

D’Ambrose Boyd & David Pearl Present Singers Space – Pop/Rock

Nutcracker Rouge — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Ballet

Patti Smith at Webster Hall — Pop/Rock

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

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

Nuevo Jazz Latino All-Stars (through December 30th)
“For their special New Year’s week celebration, it’s a Cuban holiday with the Nuevo Jazz Latino All-Stars.

The group features Pedrito Martinez, Yosvany Terry, Mike Rodriguez, Elio Villafranca, Dafnis Prieto, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist Carlos Henriquez, all successful leaders and award-winners in their own right. This unique ensemble originally debuted during Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2013-14 season for a nearly sold out two-night run in The Appel Room. An unusual opportunity that paid dividends, the group was tasked with composing new original pieces specifically for this ensemble. As a result, each piece of music was written for the individual talents of each fellow band member, and after rave reviews, we’re treating audiences to this super-group up close and personal in the club.” (cabarethotline.com)
DIZZY’S CLUB, 33 West 60th St.
shows at 7:30 & 9:30 pm.
Online reservations for these performances are not currently available.
Please call (212) 258-9595 to inquire about reserving your seat.

Twelfth Night Festival (December 26, 2014, to January 6, 2015)
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.
Tonight:
The Gotham Early Music Scene will be joined by the Americas Society in “The Bishop’s Band,” an exploration of the music and dancing of 18th-century Peru and Bolivia. The directors Tom Zajac and Nell Snaidas will lead the performers — including the violinist Robert Mealy, the lutenist and guitarist Grant Herreid, the percussionist Danny Mallon, and the dancer Carlos Fittante — in selections from “Codex Trujillo del Perú,” the Moxos Archives and other works.
Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street
6pm / $25-$60 /gemsny.org

D’Ambrose Boyd & David Pearl Present Singers Space
Come to Singers Space at Bar Thalia, hosted by D’Ambrose Boyd with David Pearl at the piano. Where New York’s finest professional and aspiring singers come to sing their favorites and hear their peers perform before an intimate audience. Bar Thalia offers cocktails, wine & beer, soups, salads, wraps and desserts. There’s no cover and no minimum.

Each Monday night a guest vocalist stars in the Feature Spot, an extended 20-minute showcase for their talents. Before and after the Feature Spot, other performers sing their current favorites during the open mic spots. D’Ambrose presides over the fun and fabulous music. David provides solid, sensitive accompaniment and sprinkles solo piano gems throughout the evening. It’s a classy way for singers and listeners to enjoy a great variety of songs and song stylists. Singers Space at Bar Thalia.

Nutcracker Rouge
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.”

Elsewhere, but looks worth the detour:

Patti Smith at Webster Hall (also Dec 30)
“The living legend—singer-songwriter, poet, artist, memoirist, the list goes on—plays her usual holiday shows at this East Village concert hall. For tickets, visit ticketweb.com.” (nycgo.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 markets in NYC

New York has a wealth of holiday markets and craft fairs that you can browse if the big department stores with their holiday windows aren’t your bag. Now that Christmas is past most have closed up shop, but there are still a couple open for your after Christmas shopping, including my favorite at Bryant Park.

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Not only is there free ice-skating on Bryant Park’s 17,000-square-foot outdoor rink, but also 127 holiday shops, including 27 new kiosks and 26 eateries. New offerings such as eco-friendly clothing and accessories from Angelrox ($10–$250) and organic hair- and skin-care products from Surya Brasil (starting at $15) are up for grabs. And after you shop and skate, warm up at spacious rinkside restaurant Celsius. FYI: The vendors are only there until Jan 4, but If you want to practice your lutzes and axels with ample spinning room, try visiting during off-peak hours (open through March 1). FYI: On Tuesday, Dec 2, come for the tree, but stay for the grand lighting ceremony at 6pm, including performances on and off the ice.
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park Sixth Ave, between 40th and 42nd Sts
Until Sun Jan 4

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Jingle holiday pop-up
Accessories designer Jill Schwartz curated this 6,000-square-foot shop inside Chelsea Market, featuring local and international goods perfect for gift-giving. Inside, you’ll find stylish wares by Izola and vibrant living sculptures (starting at $60) from Twig Terrariums. Plus, this pop-up has enough holiday spirit to cheer up even scroogiest New Yorker.
Chelsea Market 75 Ninth Ave, at 16th St
Tue Dec 16 – Mon Dec 29

These listings and much more useful holiday info, including a holiday gift guide, can be found at TONY magazine’s Christmas in NewYork Guide.

For a virtual tour of  holiday department store windows, try the slideshows at the NYT and Refinery 29.

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Selected Events (12/28) + Holiday Windows in NYCity 2014

Posted on 12/28/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, DEC. 28, 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.”

Kenny Baron — Jazz

New Year’s Eve | Good Riddance Day — SpecialEvent/ NewYear

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Quartet featuring Louis Hayes — Jazz

Chris Botti  — Jazz

An Evening of Garland — Cabaret

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

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

Kenny Baron
“The pianist’s new album, “The Art of Conversation,” which found him duetting with the bassist Dave Holland, is one of the standout recordings of the year. At the Village Vanguard, however, Barron is leading a quintet with an intriguing front line featuring the vibraphonist Stefon Harris and the flutist Elena Pinderhughes.” (NewYorker)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St.
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

New Year’s Eve | Good Riddance Day
Shred-it and forget it. Start fresh in 2015!

Have a picture of a significant other who’s proven less significant, a mortgage document that’s now history, or a medical bill that signifies a triumphant defeat? Shred-it and forget it! Good Riddance Day is inspired by a Latin American tradition in which New Year’s revelers stuffed dolls with objects representing bad memories before setting them on fire. There will be no bonfire in Times Square, but we invite you to shed and shred your forgettable memories from 2014 for a fresh start in 2015.

Plus, each year people from around the globe include their wishes for the new year on pieces of official Times Square New Year’s Eve confetti. Whether it’s a personal goal, a dream for the future or doing something for the very first time, these wishes are added to the one ton of confetti that flutters down at midnight onto the crowd gathered in Times Square in celebration of the new year.

Can’t make it to Times Square? Submit your unwanted memories here or tweet at @TimesSquareNYC using #GoodRiddanceDay and we’ll help you forget it by shredding it.
Broadway between 43rd & 44th Streets
12 p.m. / FREE

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Quartet featuring Louis Hayes
To kickoff the third annual “Countdown: A John Coltrane Festival,” Saxophonist Eric Alexander leads a quartet featuring the legendary Louis Hayes. Louis Hayes, a drummer at the heart of straight-ahead jazz for the past 50 years, established his reputation in the 1950’s and 60’s during extended stints with Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, and Cannonball Adderley.

His innate swing and effortless feel sometimes make it seem like he invented jazz drumming. He has worked with everyone from Dizzy and Newk to Ravi Shankar and, of course, Trane. As The New York Times reports, “You know the drummer Louis Hayes if you have a halfway decent jazz record collection.”
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St.
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $45 cover (limited space)
(212) 864-6662 / smokejazz.com

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 (8pm sold out), 
$40 at the bar, with a $5 minimum. (sound is fine at these bar seats, vision decent)
475-8592 / bluenote.net

An Evening of Garland
From Somewhere Over The Rainbow To Purple People Eater Judy Garland sang them all, and today some of cabarets most talented performers will celebrate The Life and Music of Judy Garland. Produced by Award winning cabaret producer Joseph Macchia an Evening Of Garland will feature Marla Green, Lisa Yaeger, and a host of others singing some of her biggest hits, as well as some obscure ones.

So join us as we take you over the Rainbow with the music of The World’s Greatest Entertainer, Judy Garland.
Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St.,
212.206.0440
4:00 PM / $20, 2 Bev 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.
==================================================================================================

Holiday Windows in New York City 2014

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.

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

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

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

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

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 (12/27) + Nutcracker Ballet Performances

Posted on 12/27/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, DEC. 27, 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.”

Liz Callaway — Cabaret

Michael Feinstein,‘Happy Holidays: Swinging with the Big Band’ — Cabaret

Kwanzaa Celebration— SpecialEvent/ Holiday Performance

Pinstripe Bowl – Boston College vs Penn State  — Sporting Event

Harlem Globetrotters — Sporting Event

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

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

Liz Callaway
Broadway favorite Liz Callaway returns to 54 Below this holiday season in Celebrate! This festive evening will feature songs from her Christmas album Merry and Bright as well as personal favorites by Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers, Ahrens and Flaherty and more. To add to the fun, Liz will be joined by her son Nicholas Callaway Foster.
54 Below, 254 West 54th St.
7PM / $45 – $65, minimum $25
646-476-3551 / 54below.com.

Michael Feinstein,‘Happy Holidays: Swinging with the Big Band’
“Mr. Feinstein’s second holiday residency at Birdland (in anticipation of the new venue, he’s opening next year in partnership with the storied jazz landmark) is an endlessly entertaining study in emotional extremes of the season, from the sublimely swinging (like the opening instrumental, Glenn Miller’s “Bugle Call Rag” and the encore, the “White Christmas” favorite, “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing”) to the suicidally despondent (like Johnny Meyers’s heartbreaker “After the Holidays”).

Such polarized musical manic depression can only mean one thing: that Mr. Feinstein is mentally preparing himself for the Frank Sinatra centennial, as he further indicates with a twist on the classic Neal Hefti-Count Basie chart of “I Won’t Dance” and underscores with an exuberant, ambitious Sinatra medley at the climax.” (WSJ)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St (btw 8th/9th ave)
at 9PM / $150-$250 at the tables, $60 at the bar
(includes a drink and these are not bad seats)
212) 581-3080 / birdlandjazz.com

Kwanzaa Celebration
“This year marks the American Museum of Natural History’s 36th annual celebration of Kwanzaa, the annual week-long festival honoring the heritage of African peoples throughout the world. Check out drummers William Diarra Humes and Jason Simmons, learn about cooperative economics (Ujamaa) with Chiedza McCannon of Afrodesiac Worldwide, marvel at a solo performance from Tony-winning tap dancer Savion Glover, and much more.” (dnainfo.com)
American Museum of Natural History, Milstein Hall of Ocean Life and Kaufman Theater on the first floor, Central Park West and 79th St.
Admission is free with museum admission.

Elsewhere, 2 Primo Sporting Events worth a detour:

Pinstripe Bowl – Boston College vs Penn State @ Yankee Stadium
It’s a fine day for a football bowl game, the best weather for a late December game you could hope for. This match up of two teams from the ACC and the Big Ten looks to be competitive with BC only a 3 point fave. BC’s offense depends on a strong running game and averages 252 yards a game. But the Penn State defense excels against the run, and was best in the country, allowing only 85 yards a game. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We’ll find out this afternoon.

One of the players to watch is BC’s freshman linebacker #55 Christian Lezzer from western PA, where he was All-State in HS. His two uncles played ball on scholarship for Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions, so his extended family may have some mixed feelings watching this game.
Yankee Stadium, 161st St. and River Ave, da Bronx
4:30PM / $75 and up

Harlem Globetrotters
The iconic Harlem Globetrotters feature some of the greatest athletes on the planet. With incredible ball handling wizardry, amazing rim-rattling dunks and trick shots, side-splitting comedy and unequaled on-court fan interaction, this must-see event is guaranteed to entertain the whole family creating memories that will last a lifetime.
The Globetrotters will face a great challenge this year, as the infamous Washington Generals are more determined than ever to beat the Globetrotters.The Generals, the last team to beat the Globetrotters, are now coached by a former member of that 1971 team. They are on a mission and will do whatever it takes to win, with a new strategy that is sure to give the Globetrotters a run for their money.

Join Globetrotter stars after the game where they will stay for an autograph, photograph and high five session for fans (subject to availability).
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue, at Flatbush Ave.
subway: #2/3 to barclays center (25-30 min from times square)
1PM / $33 and up
800-745-3000 / barclayscenter.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.
==============================================================================

For many the Holiday Season means a visit to the NYC Ballet to enjoy their performance of the “Nutcracker” ballet. Thought Gallery, a very fine site with event info on a range of NYCity cultural topics, surprises us 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-Wait Until Next Year:

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 (12/26) + Ice Skating in NYCity 2014

Posted on 12/26/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, DEC. 26, 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.”

A Darlene Love Christmas — Pop/Rock

Ken Peplowski Quartet — Jazz

Queen of the Night— Interactive Performance

Paquito D’Rivera and Trio Corrente  — Latin Jazz

Willie Nile – Pop/Rock

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

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

A Darlene Love Christmas (also Saturday and next Friday)
“The singer of the timeless “He’s a Rebel” has a few seasonal tricks in her bag. For one, she’s sung “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” on Letterman come holiday time for nearly 30 years—which she did for the last time on December 19. And yes, she’s the voice of SNL’s comedic song “Christmastime for the Jews.” (nycgo.com)
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd St.
800-745-3000 / bbkingblues.com
8pm / $50.

Ken Peplowski Quartet (also Saturday)
“Ken Peplowski, a virtuoso clarinetist and charismatic tenor saxophonist with a gift for buoyant swing, leads a crisp quartet with Ehud Asherie on piano, Martin Wind on bass and Matt Wilson on drums.”(Chinen-NYT)
Smalls Jazz Club, 183 West 10th Street, West Village,
212-252-5091, smallsjazzclub.com
10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m./ $20 cover.

Queen of the Night
Ongoing (with a special show for New Year’s Eve)

“Queen of the Night” (based loosely on “The Magic Flute”) is a close relative of “Sleep No More” (an updated “Macbeth”) in that both are audience-immersive entertainments taking place allegedly in hotels. Though where “Sleep” is primarily a theatrical narrative, “Queen of the Night” is a nightclub entertainment driven by sheer spectacle: an intimate, interactive extravaganza in which amazing feats of acrobatics, juggling, aerial skill, magic and comedy transpire all around you.

The audience is continually participating from the moment you walk past the masked, nearly naked woman in the glass case next to the door. Your eyes increasingly take in more than they ever thought that they would see, and your threshold with regards to what is humanly possible is continually expanding.” (WSJ)
Diamond Horseshoe, Paramount Hotel, 235 W. 46th St.
(212) 706-7344

Paquito D’Rivera and Trio Corrente (through Sunday)
“This year’s Grammy winner for best Latin jazz album was “Song for Maura,” by Mr. D’Rivera, the masterly Cuban clarinetist and saxophonist, and Trio Corrente, an adaptable young group from São Paulo, Brazil. That collaboration repeats here this weekend, presumably with no shortage of ebullience.” (Chinen-NYT)
Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway, at 51st Street,
212-582-2121, theiridium.com;
at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $35 and $50 cover, with a $15 minimum.

Willie Nile
“Buffalo-born, NYC-bred singer-songwriter Willie Nile has spent the last decade producing some of the most compelling music of his 35-year career. His latest, American Ride, dropped in June 2013.” (nycgo.com)
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea,
7:30PM / $25 – $50
212-414-5994 / highlineballroom.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.
====================================================================================

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 for the holidays:
Best NYC Toy Stores,
Ice Skating,
2014 Holiday Events,
Holiday Gift Guide,
Winter Events
This fine site is worth checking out when you are planning your NYCity visit,
anytime of the year.

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Selected Events (12/25) + Holiday Markets in NYCity 2014

Posted on 12/25/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, DEC. 25, 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.”

Christmas at Birdland  — Cabaret @ 6pm & @ 9pm

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Quartet featuring Louis Hayes — Jazz

Chris Botti — Jazz

Dutch Christmas – Age of Rembrandt  — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “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

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

It’s Christmas Day, when most folks are home with family and friends, but there are some hard working musicians performing this evening, if you get the urge.

Christmas at Birdland (variations through Dec. 28)
Holiday music will be the theme of several sets at the Birdland jazz club.
Tonight at 6PM: “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” will feature the cabaret performers Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch.
In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch celebrate their fifth year and will perform swinging arrangements of “Christmas Waltz,” Kay Thompson’s “Holiday Season,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” among other favorites.

Tonight at 9PM: The pianist and singer Michael Feinstein will present his “Happy Holidays: Swinging with the Big Band”
Backed by a 17-piece big band, legendary performer, vocalist, pianist and scholar of American popular song, Michael Feinstein, kicks off a year-long, global, centennial celebration of Frank Sinatra with a program of Ol’ Blue Eyes favorite standards from the great American songbook.

More than simply a performer, Feinstein has received national recognition for his commitment to celebrating America’s popular song and preserving its legacy for the next generation.
Birdland, 315 West 44th St (btw 8th/9th ave)
at 6 p.m./$30 cover (includes a drink if you sit at the bar, which are not bad seats)
at 9PM / $150-$250 at the tables, $60 at the bar
(212) 581-3080 / birdlandjazz.com

Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Quartet featuring Louis Hayes
To kickoff the third annual “Countdown: A John Coltrane Festival,” Saxophonist Eric Alexander leads a quartet featuring the legendary Louis Hayes. Louis Hayes, a drummer at the heart of straight-ahead jazz for the past 50 years, established his reputation in the 1950’s and 60’s during extended stints with Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, and Cannonball Adderley.

His innate swing and effortless feel sometimes make it seem like he invented jazz drumming. He has worked with everyone from Dizzy and Newk to Ravi Shankar and, of course, Trane. As The New York Times reports, “You know the drummer Louis Hayes if you have a halfway decent jazz record collection.”
Smoke Jazz Club, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St.
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $45 cover (limited space)
(212) 864-6662, smokejazz.com

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 (8pm sold out), 
$40 at the bar, with a $5 minimum. (sound is fine at these bar seats, vision decent)
475-8592 / bluenote.net

Dutch Christmas – Age of Rembrandt
(Performances in Saint James Chapel)

“Late Renaissance carols played on wood recorders, drinking songs, and Latin motets for male voices—all the fixings of a good old Dutch Christmas—make up this concert by Early Music New York at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine” (thoughtgallery.org)

Researched and directed by Frederick Renz, this vivid program continues EM/NY’s penchant for presenting newly unearthed seasonal repertoire side by side with more familiar early music ‘standards.’ EM/NY’s men’s vocal ensemble is joined by a consort of recorders to perform late Renaissance repertoire from the Ex cathedra Records CD, “A Dutch Christmas” (produced in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

A delightful compendium of 16th- and early 17th- century holiday repertoire encompassing the Netherlands as well as the Low Countries – drinking songs and dances by Pierre Phalèse & Tielman Susato for the “Nieuw Jaar,” devotional Cantiones natalitiae (Latin and Dutch Christmas songs), kerstliedjes (Dutch carols) and Latin motets for voices along with variations on favorite carol tunes for recorders by Jacob van Eyck and Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck.
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, Amsterdam Ave. at 112th St.
at 2:00 PM and 7:30PM
Traditionally sold-out seasonal performances! If so, mark your calendar for next year.

====================================================================================
♦ 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 markets in NYC

New York has a wealth of holiday markets and craft fairs that you can browse if the big department stores with their holiday windows aren’t your bag. Now that Christmas is here most have closed up shop, but there are still a few open for your after Christmas shopping, including my favorite at Bryant Park.

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Not only is there free ice-skating on Bryant Park’s 17,000-square-foot outdoor rink, but also 127 holiday shops, including 27 new kiosks and 26 eateries. New offerings such as eco-friendly clothing and accessories from Angelrox ($10–$250) and organic hair- and skin-care products from Surya Brasil (starting at $15) are up for grabs. And after you shop and skate, warm up at spacious rinkside restaurant Celsius. FYI: The vendors are only there until Jan 4, but If you want to practice your lutzes and axels with ample spinning room, try visiting during off-peak hours (open through March 1). FYI: On Tuesday, Dec 2, come for the tree, but stay for the grand lighting ceremony at 6pm, including performances on and off the ice.
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park Sixth Ave, between 40th and 42nd Sts
Until Sun Jan 4

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Creeds Collective Holiday Pop-up
This pop-up’s two-month run allows you to grab splurgeworthy presents from up-and-coming fashion, beauty and wellness brands for everyone on your list—or hell, let’s be honest, yourself. Our favorites include Angela & Roi handbags ($340), Dharma eyewear ($99), Coye Nokes shoes ($350) and more. And 10 percent of proceeds from every purchase goes toward Global Citizen’s (globalcitizen.org) fight against extreme poverty. The pop-up also offers complimentary mini spa treatments from natural hair- and skin-care brand THANN, a nail-art bar by Primp & Polish and a #hashtag photo booth, to reward yourself for getting through your shopping list.
Creeds Collective Holiday Pop-Up 54 Crosby St , between Broome and Spring Sts
Until Sun Dec 28

Jingle holiday pop-up
Accessories designer Jill Schwartz curated this 6,000-square-foot shop inside Chelsea Market, featuring local and international goods perfect for gift-giving. Inside, you’ll find stylish wares by Izola and vibrant living sculptures (starting at $60) from Twig Terrariums. Plus, this pop-up has enough holiday spirit to cheer up even scroogiest New Yorker.
Chelsea Market 75 Ninth Ave, at 16th St
Tue Dec 16 – Mon Dec 29

Elsewhere, but worth a detour:

Artists & Fleas Williamsburg Holiday Market
Founders Amy Abrams and Ronen Glimer will again curate a special holiday-themed version of their weekend market, now featuring more than100 vendors inside their Williamsburg space, which expanded to the warehouse next door. Boasting sellers, artists, makers and collectors, enjoy free gift-wrapping stations, tasty treats and Christmas carolers to get you all warm and fuzzy. If off-the-wall gifts are your thing, you might want to snatch up Kt Ferris Creations’ trendy evil-eye necklaces ($28–$150), Curated Basics’ black stainless steel cuffs for guys ($40), festive knit Twinko onesies for pets or Marley & Alfie horseshoe dream catchers ($99) for your ecentric friends and family members.
Artists & Fleas 70 North 7th St, between Kent and Wythe Aves
Until Sun Dec 28

This comprehensive listing and much more useful holiday info, including a holiday gift guide, can be found at TONY magazine’s Christmas in NewYork Guide.

For a virtual tour of  holiday department store windows, try the slideshows at the NYT and Refinery 29.

 

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Selected Events (12/24) + Holiday Windows in NYCity 2014

Posted on 12/24/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24, 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.”

Gramercy Park Community Sing  — SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

Holiday Caroling Under the Washington Square Arch — 
SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

Origami Holiday Tree — Museums

Kenny Barron  — Jazz

David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band — Jazz

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “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

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

Gramercy Park Community Sing
“For 364.96 days a year, Gramercy Park, a pristine enclave of greenery along East 20th Street, is closed to the public, open only to those who live in buildings bordering the park.

But for one hour on Christmas Eve, Gramercy Park swings open its wrought-iron gate and lets the masses in. The occasion is the park’s annual Community Singing session, led by the former rector of nearby Calvary-St. George’s Episcopal Church.
It begins at 6 p.m. and is free.” (NYT/NYTODAY)

Holiday Caroling Under the Washington Square Arch
Christmas Eve, is the traditional time to celebrate the holiday with carols at the Washington Square Arch. The Rob Susman Brass Quartet, song leader and the revelers from all over the city will lustily sing out the familiar tunes. The words are in the songbooks distributed compliments of the Washington Square Association, but many will know them by heart. “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men” will ring out to remind us all of the true meaning of the holidays.
Washington Square Park
5:00pm / FREE

Origami Holiday Tree
“Head to the American Museum of Natural History for the annual Origami Holiday Tree, made with 800 folded-paper art by volunteers and the experts at OrigamiUSA, who will be on hand to teach paper folding to visitors of all ages. The tree was inspired by a “Night at the Museum” theme.” (dnainfo.com)
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St,
10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. / $22

Kenny Barron (through Dec. 28)
“Mr. Barron released an impeccable album this year, “The Art of Conversation,” with the bassist Dave Holland. He appears here under different circumstances but exuding the same poise, with his regular rhythm team — the bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa, the drummer Johnathan Blake — as well as the vibraphonist Stefon Harris and the flutist Elena Pinderhughes.” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St.
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America’s own great art form.

Legendary record producer George Avakian describes the band in this way:
“There has never been a band quite like this one. Most groups, past and present, stick to one style. Some current groups attempt to recreate early recordings in their entirety. These guys do neither. Inspired by divergent bands of the 1920s and 30s, you’ll hear them swing a variety of styles in music by a wide range of composers, always true to the joy and heart of the music.”

Now in its 14th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city’s best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup that features talents such as clarinetist Anat Cohen, trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ehud Asherie, drummer Marion Felder and more!
Birdland, 315 W 44th St., (btw 8/9 ave.)
At 5:30PM / $25
birdlandjazz.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

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.

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

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

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

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

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 (12/23) + Nutcracker Performances 2014

Posted on 12/23/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, DEC. 23, 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.”

Allen Toussaint Trio: A New Orleans Christmas  — R&B

“All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.” — SmartStuff/ Literary + Music

Michael Feinstein,‘Happy Holidays: Swinging with the Big Band’ — Cabaret

Dick Hyman  — Jazz

HANDEL Messiah — Classical

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “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

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

Allen Toussaint Trio: A New Orleans Christmas
The legendary Allen Toussaint is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, National Medal of Arts recipient, and world renowned producer, pianist, writer, arranger and singer. This should be a holiday treat.
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, near Spring Street, South Village,
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com
8PM / $40 to $45.

“All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.”
“A century ago, a unique Christmas celebration took place—between opposing armies on the battlefield during World War I. Weaving together the words of participants and the prayers and carols they recited and sang, the acclaimed male vocal ensemble Cantus recreates that impromptu Christmas Truce of 1914.” (thoughtgallery.org)
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium
6PM / $65

Michael Feinstein,‘Happy Holidays: Swinging with the Big Band’
(through Saturday, Dec 27)
“Mr. Feinstein’s second holiday residency at Birdland (in anticipation of the new venue, he’s opening next year in partnership with the storied jazz landmark) is an endlessly entertaining study in emotional extremes of the season, from the sublimely swinging (like the opening instrumental, Glenn Miller’s “Bugle Call Rag” and the encore, the “White Christmas” favorite, “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing”) to the suicidally despondent (like Johnny Meyers’s heartbreaker “After the Holidays”).

Such polarized musical manic depression can only mean one thing: that Mr. Feinstein is mentally preparing himself for the Frank Sinatra centennial, as he further indicates with a twist on the classic Neal Hefti-Count Basie chart of “I Won’t Dance” and underscores with an exuberant, ambitious Sinatra medley at the climax.” (WSJ)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.
(212) 581-3080

Dick Hyman
Mr. Hyman, 87, has earned a rare stature as a solo pianist, in performance and on releases like “Dick Hyman’s Century of Jazz Piano,” which is about as sprawling and erudite as it sounds. This engagement will feature him alone with a core premise: jazz standards and stride piano, offered with flair.”(Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. / Broadway
212-721-6500, jalc.org
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $30 cover, with a $10 minimum

HANDEL Messiah,
Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra
’tis the season to hear Handel’s Messiah.
Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
7:30pm / alas, cheap seats are sold out,
but good seats (parquet) are available, $60-$75

==============================================================================
♦ 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. Thought Gallery, a very fine site with event info on a range of NYCity cultural topics, surprises us 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-Wait Until Next Year:

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 (12/22) + Ice Skating in NYCity 2014

Posted on 12/22/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, DEC. 22, 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.”

Mariah Carey  — Pop/Rock

Liz Callaway — Cabaret

“From a Nickel to a Token” — SmartStuff/ Lecture

Gary Bartz Quartet — Jazz

Los Lobos — Pop/Rock

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “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

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

Mariah Carey
url“After failing to hit some crucial notes during a performance of her seasonal staple, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Ms. Carey took to Twitter to apologize to her fans. This pop star will have ample time to make amends — and show if she still has the chops to flaunt her multi-octave range — during her six-night holiday residency at the Beacon Theater.” (Anderson-NYT)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St.
800-745-3000 / beacontheatre.com
8PM / $59.50 to $250.

Liz Callaway (through Dec. 27)
artistpage_lizcallawayBroadway favorite Liz Callaway returns to 54 Below this holiday season in Celebrate! This festive evening will feature songs from her Christmas album Merry and Bright as well as personal favorites by Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers, Ahrens and Flaherty and more. To add to the fun, Liz will be joined by her son Nicholas Callaway Foster and Ann Hampton Callaway* (*12-22 & 24 only).
54 Below, 254 West 54th St.
7PM / $45 – $65, minimum $25
646-476-3551 / 54below.com.

“From a Nickel to a Token”
“In 1935, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia pronounced streetcars “as dead as sailing ships” as he ushered in the modern era of mass transit in the city for better or worse: buses over trolleys, the demolition of elevated lines, and the unification of the subway system.

Tonight a historian, Andrew J. Sparberg, author of “From a Nickel to a Token,” will give an illustrated lecture on the midcentury history of the transit system.” (NYT)
This illustrated lecture chronicles the fascinating microhistory of New York’s transit system and examines 20 specific events between 1940 and 1968, book-ended by subway unification and the creation of the MTA.
Mid-Manhattan Library
6:30pm / FREE

Gary Bartz Quartet
“A soulful alto and soprano saxophonist whose career has taken him through postbop, jazz-funk and free jazz, Gary Bartz, 73, has continued to draw connections in his music. Appearing as part of Smoke’s annual John Coltrane Festival (which should give you some idea of the repertory focus), he leads his current quartet, with Barney McCall on piano, James King on bass and Greg Bandy on drums.’ (Chinen-NYT)
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, at 106th Street,
212-864-6662, smokejazz.com;
7, 9 and 10:30 p.m. / $40 cover.

Los Lobos
More than three decades have passed since Los Lobos released their debut album, Just Another Band from East L.A. Since then they’ve repeatedly disproven that title—Los Lobos isn’t “just another” anything, but rather a band that has consistently evolved artistically while never losing sight of their humble roots.

A rare example of longevity in a volatile music world that stresses style over substance, Los Lobos’ lineup has remained uninterrupted since 1984, when saxophonist/keyboardist Steve Berlin joined original members Pérez, Hidalgo, Rosas and Lozano, each of whom had been there since the beginning in 1973.
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, near Spring Street, South Village,
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com
8PM / $50 to $65.

====================================================================================
♦ 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 for the holidays:
Best NYC Toy Stores,
Ice Skating,
2014 Holiday Events,
Holiday Gift Guide,
Winter Events
This fine site is worth checking out when you are planning your NYCity visit, anytime of the year.

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Selected Events (12/21) + Top Manhattan Toy Stores 2014

Posted on 12/21/2014 by GregD

Today’s “FAB 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, DEC. 21, 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.”

Chris Botti Tenth Annual Holiday Residency  — Jazz

“Born To Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity”– Film

The NYC Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Spectacular – 
SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music

Twas The Night Before Christmas Reading and Procession
– SpecialEvent/ Literary Reading

Holidelic: Sugar Daddy – SpecialEvent/ Holiday Music-Funk!

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “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

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

Chris Botti Tenth Annual Holiday Residency (through Jan. 4)
“Just because trumpeter Chris Botti, celebrating his 10th December at the Blue Note, connects with an audience beyond the usual hard-core jazz fans doesn’t mean one should dismiss him as a lightweight. He plays a lot of pretty melodies (only a curmudgeon would object) and uses pop accouterments, but he can also dish out the hard stuff, using distortion, abstraction and a tense, gritty sound when it is appropriate. It is particularly nervy to open with the “Concerto de Aranjuez,” but his most imaginative interpretation is Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” rendered something like Miles Davis playing “Time After Time.” (WSJ)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./many tables sold out, $40 at the bar, $5 minimum.

“Born To Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity”
Dir. Catherine Gund. 2014. Documentary. USA. Color. 83 minutes.
I don’t usually highlight individual film screenings, but if you have never seen Streb in person (they are awesome!), this will be the next best thing.

Elizabeth Streb and the STREB Extreme Action Company form a motley troupe of flyers and crashers. Propelled by Streb’s edict that “anything too safe is not action,” these daredevils challenge the assumptions of art, aging, injury, gender, and human possibility.

Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity traces the evolution of Elizabeth Streb’s movement philosophy as she pushes herself and her performers from the ground to the sky. Revealing the passions behind the STREB dancers’ bruises and broken noses, Born to Fly offers a breathtaking tale about the necessity of art, inspiring audiences hungry for a more tactile and fierce existence in the world.
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
4:30PM / $14
212-864-5400

The NYC Gay Men’s Chorus Holiday Spectacular
“features all the seasonal hits powerfully belted out by over 250 men. This year’s production, “Home For The Holidays,” tells the story of a young man’s journey to The Big Apple.” (dnainfo.com)
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Pl,
3PM / $45 to $75.

Twas The Night Before Christmas Reading and Procession
“In 1822, as a Christmas present for his six children, Clement C. Moore wrote the poem that became a classic for all to cherish. Come hear a reading of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas. A special musical prelude and slide show begins at 3:30pm.

After the reading, there will be a lantern procession to Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum, where a wreath will be laid at the gravesite of Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), the son of Dr. Benjamin Moore, the sixth rector of Trinity Parish.” (thoughtgallery.org)
Church of the Intercession, Broadway at West 155th Street
4PM / FREE and open to the public.

Holidelic: Sugar Daddy
“Everett Bradley, a musician and member of the E Street Band, hosts his annual show of holiday music with a funky spirit.” (NYT)
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea,
212-414-5994 / highlineballroom.com
8PM / $35

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

Manhattan Toy Stores (nycgo.com)
Here’s a rundown of some top Manhattan toy stores. Now buy that kid a toy.

FAO Schwarz
This store is a place to gawk: at the oversize stuffed animals, at the real people in toy soldier outfits, at the giant piano made famous by Tom Hanks movie Big and at the immensity of the space itself. Able to trace its roots all the way back to 1862 (when the founder first started vending toys out of a Baltimore shop), FAO Schwarz is a bona fide tourist attraction. These days, kids can customize certain items here—designing, for example, their own Muppet or toy car.

American Girl Place
New York City is home to a large flagship store for American Girl–brand dolls. The company has found success selling figures representing young girls from various historical periods and ethnic backgrounds. Those who’d like to further indulge their children’s desire to treat the dolls like real people can take advantage of a photo studio, a salon for dolls to get new ‘dos and a doll hospital where damaged “girls” are admitted as patients, fixed up (the store sends the dolls out for that) and shipped back to their happy owners good as new.

Scholastic Store
The retail outlet of NYC publisher Scholastic sells a full slate of the house’s titles—including popular series like Harry Potter, The Magic School Bus, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Captain Underpants. The big, colorful store also hosts craft workshops, movie screenings and other kid-friendly events. Check their website for details. Also sold on site: computer programs, games, puzzles, videos and, of course, toys.

Toy Tokyo
This East Village store caters to serious toy collectors with its selection of rare and imported items, such as hand-painted figurines and wind-up toys from Hong Kong and Japan. Expect to find the latest Transformers, Star Wars and urban vinyl (read: designer action figures made of vinyl) toys here, along with unexpected gems.

Forbidden Planet
This cool store specializes in comics, graphic novels, manga, anime and other “alternative hobbies,” like sci-fi and role-playing games. Forbidden Planet also has a huge selection of toys and statues, and its staff, described by one customer as a “fleet of cute nerds,” is extra-helpful since they’re all enthusiasts themselves.

Disney Store
Cited by some as a symbol of Times Square’s now-long-ago transformation into a family-friendly destination, the Disney Store is exactly what it sounds like: a repository of Disney-branded products, including plenty of toys. If your kid is looking for a Buzz Lightyear action figure, a plush Pumbaa or, say, an Epcot Spaceship Earth play set, this is the place to find it. Thanks to Disney’s acquisition of the Star Wars franchise, you can also find lightsabers and other Lucas-related goodies.

Toys “R” Us
We’ll allow that there might be a Toys “R” Us in your hometown, but chances are that one doesn’t have its own Ferris wheel or an animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex.

Video Games New York
Filled with hard-to-find items—vintage games for systems like for NES, SNES, Atari Jaguar, Dreamcast, Neo Geo, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and Commodore, not to mention Japanese imports and hardware for arcade machines—this store is as much a museum as a place to shop. Parents who grew up with some of those older consoles may find themselves feeling like kids again. While the used inventory is where Video Games New York really distinguishes itself, the place also carries new machines and releases.

Kidding Around
The downtown location of this store (there’s also an outpost in Grand Central Terminal) has a mom-and-pop feel, to go with some high-end, unusual gifts you might not find at a larger chain. It also sells New York City–themed toys, such as a model Staten Island Ferry.

Nintendo World
Though the 10,000-square-foot Nintendo emporium stocks the latest WiiU games, that’s not where its primary charm lies. You’ll find that instead in T-shirts that set characters in the real New York City (for example, Mario emerging from a sewer); in vintage consoles, games and accessories (even the Gyromite robot!) under glass displays; and in the opportunity to chat with a virtual Nintendo character.

American Museum of Natural History Gift Shop
The shop at this museum—itself a must-visit for any parent with an inquisitive child—sells a wide array of science-related fare, including toys. You might find a set of glow-in-the-dark planets, a pocket microscope, a butterfly garden kit or a plush dinosaur.

blogger’s note:
AC Gears, 69 E 8th St. (b/t University Pl & Greene St in Greenwich Village)
should be added to this list. more like a toy store for adults, with some gadgets directly from Japan. you won’t find their stuff anywhere else in town.

nycgo.com, the website of New York City’s official marketing and tourism organization, has lots of useful NYCity info for the holidays:
Best NYC Toy Stores,
Ice Skating,
2014 Holiday Events,
Holiday Gift Guide,
Winter Events
This fine site is worth checking out when you are planning your NYCity visit.xx

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment