Selected Events + Gallery Special Exhibits: Chelsea (11/10)

Posted on 11/10/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, NOV. 10, 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.”

Downtown Sings Peggy Lee
“Just as James Gavin’s new biography, “Is That All There Is?: The Strange Life of Peggy Lee ” promises to be both riveting and revealing, this book-launch concert astutely casts a much wider net than the usual suspects you’d expect at a Peggy Lee tribute. As a testimony to the legendary lady’s diversity—as a singer and consistent songwriter well versed in jazz, blues, pop, and world music—the artists announced for this unique event come from all over the musical map.

As the show title promises, there are downtown divas (Justin Vivian Bond, Nellie McKay) but also jazz singers (Andy Bey, Jane Monheit, and the underexposed Carol Fredette), and a wide range of uncategorizably “cabaret-ish” types such as belter Baby Jane Dexter, blues shouter Lenny Kaye, and the superlative Barb Jungr.” (WSJ)
Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St.,
9:30m / $25
(212) 539-8778

Seu Jorge (through Nov. 19, except Thursday and Nov. 17)
“The much-imitated pop samba revivalist from Rio de Janeiro has worn many hats in his career — not least a red, pointed one as an actor in “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” whose soundtrack featured his Portuguese covers of David Bowie songs. Mr. Jorge’s rock- and electro-imbued interpretations of samba and bossa nova have introduced the genre to a young new audience.” (Anderson-NYT)
8 and 10:30 p.m.,
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net
$50 to $85.

The University Seminars
Schoff Memorial Lectures to be given by Annette Insdorf
Director of Undergraduate Film Studies

Coherence and Resonance: How to Read Film Openings
I. Opening-as-Prologue
Monday, November 10, 2014, 8pm
(including clips from All the President’s Men, Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, Cabaret, Schindler’s List)
Annette Insdorf’s criteria of value—for the past few decades of teaching cinema at Yale and Columbia—have been internal coher¬ence of the cinematic text, and the film’s resonance (whether cultur¬al, political or aesthetic) beyond the frame. Her point of departure is close analysis of the opening sequences of motion pictures. Us¬ing clips, she explores how the introduction is the anchor of a rich audio-visual experience.

Reception immediately following each lecture
Faculty House, Columbia University’s East Campus
Morningside Drive, north of 116th Street
8PM / FREE

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar dated (11/08) and (11/06).
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Selected Events + Today’s Featured Neighborhood: Tribeca (11/09)

Posted on 11/09/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, NOV. 09, 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.”

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca
“In this latest production, “Flamenco y Antigona,” this flamenco star and her cohort, the musicians and dancers of Noche Flamenca, put their impassioned spin on “Antigone.” The program includes flamenco-imbued excerpts from the Greek tragedy alongside three works choreographed by the company’s artistic director, Martín Santangelo.” (Burke-NYT)
at 2 p.m. / $10-$59
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea,
212-242-0800, joyce.org

Harlem Gospel Choir
“Ah, finally. . . a “choir” that’s actually a choir and not just some hipster band name. For about 13 years now, this uptown institution has been entertaining here in Times Square, featuring seven singers backed by a keyboard trio. If you’re gonna party on the weekend, you might as well get some religion for yourself now and then, and this is one of the best ways. Plus, you get to stuff yourself silly at the soul-food buffet that’s included too.” (Jason Gross-VillageVoice)
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill
1:30pm / $44.00-$47.00

Randy Weston and his African Rhythms Orchestra celebrate James Reese Europe
“All of a sudden, latest musical trend in the air is ragtime! Following performances by Victor Goines (at Jazz at Lincoln Center) and the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra (at Shanghai Mermaid), now the veteran Afrocentric pianist Randy Weston is celebrating the legendary bandleader James Reese, who brought ragtime both to Europe and to Broadway 100 years ago. Knowing Mr. Weston’s propensity for both modern jazz and African music, we can safely expect that this concert won’t be a strict recreation of antique World War I-era styles but a creative mixture of all three genres, and he may even include a syncopated, ragtime version of his own jazz standard, “Hi Fly.” (WSJ)
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place,
6pm / $15
(866) 811-4111

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service next week.

===============================================================
♦ 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 – Tribeca

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, jazz clubs, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges, and of course, pubs – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge (except for certain jazz clubs).
If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
===========================================================================================
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Selected Events + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue (11/08)

Posted on 11/08/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, NOV. 08, 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.”

New Orleans to Harlem Jazz Weekend
“Admit it, doesn’t the name “New Orleans Jazz Orchestra” seem kind of redundant? Even without the word “jazz” in there, what else would you expect a New Orleans orchestra to play? The Crescent City continues to produce more outstanding jazzmen than any other locale in the world, a fact which is being celebrated at the Apollo this weekend with the induction of Louis Armstrong into the iconic theater’s Walk of Fame.

The ceremony will include a full-scale New Orleans-style street parade, complete with second line. Plus there is a formal concert with trumpeter Irvin Mayfield leading the NOJO plus guest headliner R&B superstar Aaron Neville (whose voice is diametrically opposed to Armstrong’s), and several jam sessions in the Apollo Music Cafe, featuring the virtuoso vibraphonist Stefon Harris and the irrepressible French Quarter party pianist Jon Batiste, all demonstrating that the spirit of the mighty Satchmo is alive and well.” (WSJ)
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th St.,
212-531-5305 / apollotheater.org
8pm / $30 to $80

“CELEBRATING BOBBY HUTCHERSON: LIFE OF A LEGEND”
“Because of health problems, Hutcherson, the groundbreaking improviser whose daring playing in the sixties helped liberate the vibraphone, will not be attending this well-deserved tribute. Two fine contemporary vibes men, Warren Wolf and Steve Nelson, will be on hand, though, along with such noted Hutcherson associates as the superb drummer Joe Chambers and the pianists Renee Rosnes and the too little heard Stanley Cowell.” (NewYorker)
Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St.
212-721-6500 /
7pm / $55-$75 /// 9:30pm / $45-$65

New York Comedy Festival: Maria Bamford
“This rare gem of a comedian is beloved within the comedy community for her heart-wrenchingly honest stand-up and precise, carefully constructed bits.” (Czajkowski-NYT)
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd St.
nycomedyfestival.com
At 9:45 p.m. / $44.50 to $54.50.
OR
New York Comedy Festival: Bill Cosby
“At 77, Mr. Cosby continues to perform stand-up, and his clean-cut storytelling is dominated by tales of married and family life.” (Czajkowski-NYT)
Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall,
nycomedyfestival.com
At 8 p.m. / $45 to $90.

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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:
Special Exhibitions @ 2 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

‘Early American Guitars: The Instruments of C.F. Martin’ (through Dec. 7)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org
—————————————————————————————————————————————-

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.
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 11/06 and 11/04.
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Selected Events + Today’s Featured Neighborhood-WestVillage (11/07)

Posted on 11/07/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, NOV. 07, 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.”

Barb Jungr: ‘Hard Rain: The Songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen’
(through Sunday)
“Barb Jungr is to Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen what Mabel Mercer was to Cole Porter and Noel Coward. Mr. Dylan sang his own “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” in the flattest possible monotone, as if to get out of the way of the words, but Ms. Jungr imbues it with a vast range of emotional colors.

Like Bobby Short doing “Can-Can,” she takes an abstract, somewhat nonsensical text and makes it concrete. She makes you feel the weight of six crooked highways, seven sad forests, a dozen dead oceans, not to mention the white man who walked a black dog. Yet “Hard Rain” is merely the climax of Ms. Jungr’s consistently revelatory 90-minute show (and title of her new album); more than ever, she is the artist who proves that the much-abused and misunderstood concept of interpretation has a future.” (WSJ)
59E59 , 59 E. 59th St.,
8:15pm / $35
(212) 279-4200

IAC POETRYFEST 2014 (through Sunday)
The Irish Arts Center’s annual festival of contemporary poetry returns, with a twist: it’s presenting writers from both sides of the Atlantic. Robert Pinsky, Peter Fallon, Gerald Stern, Rita Ann Higgins, Matthea Harvey, and others are participating in three days of readings, discussions, and literary revelry.

Tonight:”Favorite Poems” @ 8 pm
$35, including after party with poets, with Special Guests:
Lisa Dwan
Irish actress, reading Beckett,
“an instrument of Beckett, in that way saints and martyrs are said to be instruments of God” says The New York Times’ Ben Brantley
Joseph O’Neill
Irish novelist and non-fiction writer
Rosie Schaap
“Drink” columnist for The New York Times Magazine
Maeve Higgins
Irish comedian from Cobh, County Cork
Irish Arts Center, 553 W. 51st St.
For reservations, which are strongly suggested,
visit irishartscenter.org, or call 866-811-4111.

“JAZZ ACROSS THE AMERICAS: MEXICO” (also Saturday)
“After the revolution in Cuba, the legendary bandleader Chico O’Farrill lived for a period in Mexico, where his son Arturo, the pianist, composer, and leader of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, was born. Arturo opens his eighth season at Symphony Space with a tribute to the Mexican composer Eugenio Toussaint (1954-2011). His crack ensemble will be joined by both the drummer Antonio Sanchez (who composed the score for the film “Birdman”) and the Villalobos Brothers, violinists from Veracruz.” (NewYorker)
Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th St.
8pm / $25-$45
212-864-5400 / symphonyspace.org

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5″ is now the “Top 3″. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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).
=========================================================
Website: cornerbistrony.com
Phone #: 212-242-9502
Hours: 11:30am-4am Mon-Sat; 12pm-4am Sun
Happy Hour: NO
Music: Juke Box
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th St. (S end of platform)
Walk 2 blk W. on 13th St. to 8th Ave.; 1 blk S. on 8th Ave. to Jane St.
Update:

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

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

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

Selected Events + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s WestSide (11/06)

Posted on 11/06/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, NOV. 06, 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.”

Oran Etkin’s Gathering Light
“Capping off the Israeli Jazz Festival, multireedist Oran Etkin imports a multicultural array of influences gathered on tour in Indonesia, China, Japan, and his native Israel. His latest album, Gathering Light, took its title from the Jewish myth of the primordial light that scattered Babel-style at the beginning of time. Alongside guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist Ben Allison, drummer Alvester Garnett, and Israeli cellist Yoed Nir, Etkin has the filaments to radiate some of that magical stuff. Most moving is “Shirim Ad Kan,” a prayer for peace by dovish Israeli poet Natan Yonatan, who lost a son in the Yom Kippur War.” (Aidan Levy-VillageVoice)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway,
212-258-9595 / jalc.org
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. /$30 cover, with a $10 minimum

‘Women of Letters’
“Based on a popular Australian literary salon conceived by the writers Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire, this evening will feature female writers and performers reading from letters written by themselves and others. Ms. Hardy and Ms. McGuire, curators of the event, will moderate. Participants include the writers Siri Hustvedt and Michelle Orange; the actress and “Saturday Night Live” cast member Sasheer Zamata; the writer and comedian Ruby Wax; the comedy writer Julie Klausner; and the film producer Lorri Davis, who married and helped win the release of a death row inmate with whom she had corresponded.” (NYT)
At 7 p.m./ $25
Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, at Astor Place
212-539-8500 / joespub.com

Steve Coleman
“The MacArthur Fellowship-winning saxophonist-composer gives his drummer a night off for a show of improvised music inspired by abstract-expressionist paintings. Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and bassist Anthony Tidd will join him at this event inspired by the Jewish Museum’s current exhibition, “From the Margins: Lee Krassner / Norman Lewis, 1945-1952,” an era when both art and jazz were working respective escape acts.” (Richard Gehr-VillageVoice)
Jewish Museum
7:30pm / $18.

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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 wonderful Arts Section for listings of all museums,
and also see the expanded reviews of these exhibitions)

American Folk Art Museum:
Fasanella-Bridges‘Ralph Fasanella: Lest We Forget’ (through Nov. 30) The centenary of the birth of this formidable self-taught urban visionary, activist and New Yorker is celebrated with a riveting selection of his largest, most epic paintings. Their teeming compositions crowd searing events from 20th-century American life into complex amalgams of time, space and color and conduct a fertile exchange with the museum’s Willem van Genk show. 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue at 66th Street, 212-595-9533, folkartmuseum.org. (Roberta Smith)

van_genk‘Willem van Genk: Mind Traffic’ (through Nov. 30) Brilliantly paired with the Ralph Fasanella exhibition, the American solo debut of this outstanding Dutch artist, who died in 2005 at 78, adds a bright star to the outsider firmament. A draftsman of extraordinary talent, a hoarder and mystic obsessed with maps, travel and transportation, van Genk obsessively recycled found imagery and materials and his own drawings into collages and fanatically textured paintings that convey the sights, sounds and very static of modern life. 2 Lincoln Square, Columbus Avenue at 66th Street, 212-595-9533, folkartmuseum.org. (Smith)

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)

New-York Historical Society:
‘A Brief History of New York: Selections From ‘A History of New York in 101 Objects’ (through Nov. 30) Every object tells a story. If New York City is or ever was your home, you’ll find 30 eloquent items in this absorbing, jewel box of an exhibition based on “A History of New York in 101 Objects,” a new book by Sam Roberts, an urban affairs correspondent for The New York Times. Illuminated behind glass walls is an intriguingly eclectic collection, including an arrowhead, a short section of the first transatlantic cable, the pink rubber ball called the Spaldeen and a jar containing dust gathered from near the World Trade Center shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. 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)

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see “Recent Posts” in the right Sidebar dated (11/04) and (11/02).
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Selected Events + Today’s Featured Neighborhood: Upper WestSide (11/05)

Posted on 11/05/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, NOV. 05, 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.”

Chrissie Hynde
“Despite her assertive personality and broad swath of musical talents (singing, songwriting, guitar playing), the Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde has never flown the coop with a solo album until now. “Stockholm” is a sinewy, stylish rock effort, and packs a ragged guitar cameo from Neil Young.” (Anderson-NYT)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St.
212-465-6500 / beacontheatre.com
At 8 p.m./$39.50.

DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL (through Nov.9)
“To mark its fifteenth anniversary, this annual celebration of the music and influence of the unparalleled Belgian Gypsy guitarist is a true family affair. The French guitarist Dorado Schmitt, a longtime veteran of the festival, is bringing in his guitarist sons, Samson, Amati, and Bronson. They’ll be joined by his cousin Francko Mehrstein, on rhythm guitar, and Ludovic Beier, on accordion.” (NewYorker)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St.
212-581-3080.

Angélique Kidjo and Friends
Grammy Award–winning vocalist Angélique Kidjo celebrates the life and music of iconic South African singer and political activist Miriam Makeba, known popularly as “Mama Africa.” Kidjo shared a close relationship with Makeba, studying with her and eventually performing with her in Paris and South Africa. Kidjo returns to Carnegie Hall special guests Ezra Koenig (CC’06) of Vampire Weekend, Vusi Mahlasela, and Laura Mvula; Makeba’s supporting singers Faith Kekana, Stella Khumalo, and Zamo Mbutho; and introductory remarks by Whoopi Goldberg in this tribute to a remarkable woman.
Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Ave
8:00pm / $35-$80
212-247-7800

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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 + Gallery Special Exhibits: Chelsea (11/04)

Posted on 11/04/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, NOV. 04, 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.”

White Light Festival: Mavis Staples
Ms. Staples, the powerhouse former anchor of the Staple Singers, remains an indefatigable performer and road warrior. Her most recent album, “One True Vine,” had an earthy dose of lo-fi Americana courtesy of its producer, Jeff Tweedy, the Wilco frontman. She performs music from that acclaimed album as part of the White Light Festival.” (Anderson-NYT)
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center,
212-721-6500, whitelightfestival.org;
At 7:30 p.m. / $45 to $80.

Patti LuPone
Northport’s own Patti LuPone has become the fiery unofficial artist in residence at 54 Below, the popular Midtown destination for Broadway stars. She returns there this week with her new show, “Far Away Places Part Two,” a mostly new collection of songs about wanderlust. Through Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. (except next Friday and Nov. 9), with a 9:30 p.m. set on Nov. 15.(NYT)
54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, Manhattan,
646-476-3551, 54below.com;
$85 to $160 cover, with a $25 minimum.

Johnny O’Neal Trio
A pianist in the Art-Tatum-and-Oscar-Peterson lineage, and a singer of gruff erudition, Johnny O’Neal has been enjoying a late-career comeback possibly sweeter than his so-called prime. His standing trio engagement at Smalls, on most Sunday nights, has become a prized institution, and his Monday-night duo gig at Mezzrow seems likely to follow suit. Next week he also plays uptown, with a trio.” (Chinen-NYT)
Monday from 9 p.m. to midnight, Mezzrow, 163 West 10th Street, near Seventh Avenue, Greenwich Village, 646-476-4346, mezzrow.com; $20 cover.
Tuesday from 7 to 11 p.m., Minton’s, 206 West 118th Street, Harlem, 212-243-2222, mintonsharlem.com; $20 cover at tables, $10 at the bar; with a one-drink minimum.

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar dated (10/31) and (11/02).
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Selected Events + Today’s Featured Neighborhood: Greenwich Village (11/03)

Posted on 11/03/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, NOV. 03, 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 History of New York in 101 Objects:
A Book Talk and Signing with Sam Roberts
Join us for a lively conversation with two leading authorities on the history of New York City: New York Times urban affairs correspondent Sam Roberts and Civil War scholar Harold Holzer, who is also the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Vice President for Public Affairs. They will discuss Robert’s latest book, A History of New York in 101 Objects (Simon & Schuster, 2014), which chronicles the city’s 400-years-plus evolution via a carefully-selected collection of quintessentially New York artifacts, from an oyster and a bagel, to an elevator brake and a Checker taxicab. The objects Roberts selected are also currently the subject of an exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.
Book signing and reception to follow.
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. at 103rd St.
6:30pm / $16
212-534-1672

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
There’s a tradition in many New York City jazz clubs – Monday nights are reserved for big bands. The Village Vanguard, the most storied of clubs, has observed this practice since 1966. The Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, established by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, is definitely a big band with 4 trumpets, and 4 trombones to accompany 6 reed players. Why not make it your tradition, too.

The band features music with complex yet warm harmonies and memorable melodies mostly written by Thad Jones. We play various styles, from relaxing swing, 70’s-style jazz-funk, ballads with complex harmonic structures, avant-garde tunes with modern rhythms. In addition to the classic Thad Jones charts our library includes music of Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, Slide Hampton, Bob Minzter, Kenny Werner and others. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has gained world-wide respect for their wide-ranging repertoire and rich sound.
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Avenue South, just below West 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 pm / $25
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

Elsewhere but looks worth the detour:
KIMBRA
“When Gotye’s breakthrough hit, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” dominated the U.S. airwaves, in 2012, many listeners wondered about Kimbra, the co-star of the fiery duet, who brought muscle and conflict to a song that might otherwise have been shrugged off as a stalker’s lily-livered lament. Kimbra, whose full name is Kimbra Lee Johnson, is a New Zealand native, and her quirky and stylistically acrobatic solo work has also commanded attention. Her second album, “The Golden Echo,” came out this summer. It draws on elements of R. & B., jazz, rock, and electro-pop, and features a versatile roster of guests, including John Legend, Flying Lotus, and Matt Bellamy, of Muse.” (NewYorker)
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. Sixth St., Brooklyn
800-745-3000; 718-486-5400 / musichallofwilliamsburg.com
At 9 p.m. / may be a tough ticket
this is not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Bklyn’s WestSide.
subway:#1-2-3 to 14th St.; transfer to L to Bedford, (1st stop in Bklyn).
short walk to venue – 3 blks West on N 6th S

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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 and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’ ”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Good Eating places

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

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

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

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

================================================================================
“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
This covers a wide range of food – the traditional pizza, burgers, & hot dogs; but also food trucks / carts, bbq, soup & sandwiches, picnic fixins’, raw bars & lobster rolls, vegetarian / falafel, ramen, chopped salad & salad bars – – no reservations needed. ================================================================================

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99, available Fall 2014).

Order before December 31, 2014 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.

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Selected Events + Museum Special Exhibitions: Manhattan’s 5th Avenue (11/02)

Posted on 11/02/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, NOV. 02, 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.”

Todd Rundgren (also Monday)
“Wizard, true star, shoulda-been teen idol, psychedelic prog-rocker, covers master, hits producer, blue-eyed soul man, analog guitar hero, online pioneer, and all-around Bearsville badass Todd Rundgren embraces hella multitudes…far more than your average rock legend. Expect him to show off whatever jazz chops he’s got when he joins Les Paul Trio guitarist Lou Pallo to unveil a new Gibson guitar and perhaps riff on some “standards” in addition to his own substantial body of work.”(Richard Gehr-VillageVoice)
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
(212) 997-4144
8:00pm / $42.00-$75.00

Anita Rachvelishvili, mezzo-soprano and David Aladashvili, piano
Music of Rachmaninoff, Taktakishvili, Duparc, Falla, and Bernstein
Anita Rachvelishvili became internationally known when on December 7th 2009, the opening night of the La Scala season, she sang the title role in Carmen opposite Jonas Kaufmann as Don José, in a production staged by Emma Date and conducted by Daniel Barenboim. This performance, which was her first of any major role in the West and which was her debut in the role, was also televised all over the world.
7:30pm / $15
(le) poisson rouge, 158 Bleecker St
212-505-3474

Kenny G
In a recording career that spans almost three decades and 24 albums, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G has grafted elements of R&B, pop, and Latin music to a jazz foundation, solidifying his reputation as the premier artist in contemporary jazz. Since the early ’80s, his combination of unparalleled instrumental chops and indelible melodies has resulted in sales of more than 75 million records worldwide (45 million in the U.S. alone) and more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart.
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street,
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net;
8:00 & 10:30PM /$75 cover at tables, $45 at the bar, $5 minimum.

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5” is now the “Top 3”. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

===============================================================
♦ 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:
Special Exhibitions @ 2 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:
‘Early American Guitars: The Instruments of C.F. Martin’ (through Dec. 7)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org
—————————————————————————————————————————————-

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.
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar dated 10/31 and 10/29.
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Selected Events + Todays Featured Neighborhood-WestVillage (11/01)

Posted on 11/01/2014 by GregD

Today’s “TOP 3″/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, NOV. 01, 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.”

Cyrus Chestnut Trio
Dynamic pianist Cyrus Chestnut’s trio brings together old-school jazz, blues, and gospel with the heartfelt passion that has made him a long-standing favorite at Miller. From a childhood spent playing the piano at church, Chestnut grew to perform alongside jazz greats such as Chick Corea and Dizzy Gillepsie. Today, he has earned his own place amongst today’s standout players with Time magazine calling him “the best jazz pianist of his generation.”
Columbia University Morningside Campus Miller Theatre
8:00pm / $20-$30
millertheatre.com

The New York Times Magazine Photographs (LastDay)
“This exhibition gives a behind-the-scenes look at photographs that have appeared in the magazine over the past 15 years. The show, which features the work photographers from The Times and others, is drawn from a 2011 book by Kathy Ryan, the director of photography for the magazine. Ms. Ryan was a curator, along with Lesley A. Martin, publisher of the book program at the Aperture Foundation.” (NYT)
10 a.m. to 6 p.m./ FREE
Aperture Gallery and Bookstore, 547 West 27th Street, Chelsea,
212-505-5555 / aperture.org;

Elsewhere, but these look worth the trip:
NYC Craft Beer Festival: Autumn Harvest
This weekend the 69th Regiment Armory is the place to sample brews (for those 21 and older) and learn about the brewery process. More than 70 brewers will be featured in the event, which will have tastings of 150 varieties of beer as well as seminars in brewing techniques and critiquing beers.
Sat. from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and 7 to 9:30 p.m./$65 or $85 for V.I.P. tickets
69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue and 26th Street,
nyccraftbeerfest.com

Bobby McFerrin
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College will open its 60th Anniversary Season with a concert by 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin.

Titled “Bobby Meets Africa in New York,” this one-of-a-kind event will feature Bobby’s extraordinary improvisational skills as he is joined by several New York City-based African musicians. These artists will come together, meeting for the first time ever on the Whitman Theatre stage to create a totally original and unique concert.
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College,
Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues,
at 8pm / $36-$60
BrooklynCenter.org / 718-951-4500
subway: #2 to brooklyn college (50 min from Times Square)

editor’s note: a 2nd hard drive failure in 7 months (what’s going on here Apple!) requires a reduction in daily event info on this site until the hardware issues have been resolved. while we use borrowed equipment and until further notice, the daily “Fab 5″ is now the “Top 3″. we look forward to restoring full service soon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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