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

Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2014.

World Cup
Soccer fans will be glued to their screens today as team USA faces Portugal in World Cup 2014 in Brazil. Kickoff at 6PM.

Thirty-two nations battle it out during the Group Match stage from June 12 – 26, and there’s no shortage of venues to watch the games in New York City — every competing nation has presence here. One of my fave places is Penn6 on W31st St. with an awesome 9 large flat screen array behind the bar, makes the players almost life size.

Divided into eight four-team groups, the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. Team USA is in the tough Group G, with Germany (ranked 2) and Portugal (13). Host nation Brazil will have a big home turf advantage and were the pre-tournament favorite, but there have already been some surprises and this tournament looks wide open. Team USA won their first match against a strong team from Ghana and if they beat Portugal today they will advance to the next round.

World Cup Screenings at the Paley Center (through July 13) In partnership with ESPN and ABC, the Paley Center for Media will screen many of this year’s World Cup matches. A full schedule is at paleycenter.org. 25 West 52nd Street, Manhattan, 212-621-6800.

Bang on a Can Marathon
Bang on a Can returns to the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place with its annual incomparable super-mix of boundary-busting music from around the corner and around the world! The 2014 Bang on a Can Marathon will feature 8 hours of rare performances by some of the most innovative musicians of our time side-by-side with some of today’s most pioneering young artists. Here’s just a sample (2pm):
Great Noise Ensemble
Armando Bayolo: Caprichos
Carlos Carrillo: De la brevedad de la vida
Adrianna Mateo, violin
Molly Joyce: Lean Back and Release
Great Noise Ensemble
Marc Mellits: Machine V from 5 Machines
Bearthoven
Brooks Frederickson: Undertoad
Anonymous 4
David Lang: love fail (selections)
Dawn of Midi
Amino Belyamani and Aakaash Israni: Excerpt from Dysnomia
Brookfield Place, Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street,
2:00pm – 10:00pm / FREE

Sud de France Festival
“The Sud de France Festival has been quietly throwing events at some notable restaurants around the city including Contra and Reynard; now, they’re taking their celebration to the streets at the “La Guinguette due Languedoc-Roussillon”, a free block party inspired by fromguinguettes, cabarets full of feasting and eating and dancing.

On Sunday from noon until 5 p.m., they’ll take over 74th Street between 5th and Madison, installing a giant table that runs down the center of the block. On it, enjoy things like brandade de morue (a salt cod dish made with olive oil), ice cream from Van Leeuwen, as well as chocolates and Fleur de Sel samplings. There will also be live music if you choose to enjoy on-site; otherwise, treats are available to take home.” (Gothamist)

Under the Western Sky
Distinguished Concerts International New York presents a family-friendly afternoon of lively music for treble voices including the world premiere of a new Latin American-inspired Gloria. Other works in the program include Alberto Grau’s La Cucaracha and Michael Huff’s arrangement of America the Beautiful.

PERFORMERS:
Utah Voices
Michael Huff, Director
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International
Cristian Grases, Conductor

PROGRAM
ALBERTO GRAU Acto Del Viento
ALBERTO GRAU La Cucaracha
LARRY FARROW Jamaican Marketplace
CRISTIAN GRASES Gloria
CRISTIAN GRASES Tottoyo
CRISTIAN GRASES Calypso
Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium, 57th St. & Seventh Ave.
(212) 247-7800
AT 2:00pm / $20 to $100

SummerStage in Association with Blue Note Jazz Festival Presents:
Buika / Marques Toliver
Since her introduction to the American marketplace in 2007 with her album Mi Niña Lola (My Little Girl Lola), Buika has experienced a meteoric rise, earning lavish praise from The New York Times, The Miami Herald, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as NPR which quickly included her in their “50 Great Voices” radio gallery.

Rare is the artist to garner comparisons to Nina Simone, Chavela Vargas, and Cesaria Evora, but Buika has been compared to all of them. The New York Post has said, “A singer like Buika comes only once in a generation.”

While Marques Toliver seemed to burst onto the scene via the UK with an arresting television performance in 2010, and a declaration from Adele as her “new favorite artist,” his story really began many years ago in Florida. It was there he began his training in classical violinist at the age of 10, and would later enroll in music school. Keen to throw him-self into the real world of music making, Toliver took a leap of faith and traveled to New York City, where his busking in subways and working as a freelance musician, quickly gained him attention from fellow artists.

Soon enough he found himself playing live and on records for the likes of Holly Miranda, Grizzly Bear, and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, followed by his full-length debut “Land of CanAan,” a work brimming with his own unique R&B and Classical music influences.
At 7:00pm / FREE
Central Park SummerStage, Rumsey Playfield. Enter at 69th and 5th Ave.

Elsewhere, but worth the detour:
“On Tuesday, June 24 more than 100 remnants of rock ‘n’ roll history are going on the auction block at Sotheby’s New York. Included in the cache are posters, signed Beatles albums ($30,000 – $120,000), a Buddy Holly gold record ($1,000 – $1,500), Kurt Cobain’s smashed guitar ($30,000 – $40,000), Elvis Presley’s cream white concert jacket ($7,000-$9,000) and many other pop culture curiosities. The item with the highest estimate (up to $2 million) is an autographed manuscript for Bob Dylan’s 1965 masterpiece, “Like A Rolling Stone.” The auction items are on exhibition today from 1- 5 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Monday 10 a.m until 1 p.m at 1334 York Ave., Upper East Side.” (DNA Info)

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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Jolly Old Souls – Midtown

Patrons on a recent Thursday evening at the King Cole Bar and Salon at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Behind the bar, Maxfield Parrish’s 1906 mural “Old King Cole.”
(June 15, 2014)

Every Sunday in the NYT Metropolitan section, a photographer offers a new slice of New York. A wonderful slice of life it is – Thanks NewYorkTimes: N.Y. / Region section

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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 will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

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

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

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).

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

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

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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Today’s “Fab 5″+2/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014.

Adventures NYC
“A bit of the great outdoors can be experienced in the city during this free, two-day celebration of rock climbing, kayaking, fly casting, slacklining and other activities in Central Park (on Saturday) and Marine Park, Brooklyn (on Sunday).
Presented by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and Backpacker Magazine, the events, for land and water, will come with instruction for novices.

There will also be snowboarding clinics — on grassy hills — along with health and fitness classes, mountain bike obstacle courses and a giveaway of 1,500 bicycle helmets, by the city’s Transportation Department. The Slackline World Championships will also be part of the festivities on Saturday. (Slacklining involves maneuvering while balancing on a line suspended several feet off the ground.)
at and around Central Park Bandshell, midpark at 72nd St.
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A little water, bug spray and sunscreen wouldn’t hurt.” (NYT-Anne Mancuso)

Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade (also June 22.)
“The pianist Pérez, the bassist Patitucci, and the drummer Blade have provided the structural framework for the saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s highly interactive quartet since its inception, in 2000. Although Shorter’s absence might be the elephant in the room, these exceptionally gifted, idiosyncratic improvisers (each of whom also composes and has lead his own ensembles) are certainly capable of conjuring sonic mystery without their enigmatic leader at the helm.” (NewYorker)
Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
At 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / $20-$35
212-475-8592.

North River Historic Ship Festival (through June 24)
“The days when sailing vessels, steamships, and ocean liners filled New York Harbor are long gone, but there are still a few classic craft that call these waters home. On June 20-24, they are gathering at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25, for rides, tours, and other events. Expected vessels include the Lehigh Valley Barge No. 79 (built in 1914 and the sole surviving wooden railway barge of its type still afloat), the retired New York City fireboat John J. Harvey (built in 1931 and enlisted for assistance on 9/11), the former Coast Guard lighthouse tender Lilac (built in 1933 and the last remaining steamship in the Coast Guard fleet), and the South Street Seaport’s iron-hulled schooner Pioneer (built in 1885).” (NewYorker)
Hudson River Park, N. Moore St. at the Hudson River.
For more information, visit nrhss.org

SummerStage: Fête de la Musique: -M- and Emilie Simon
Matthieu Chedid is the son of French singer Louis Chedid, and the grandson of the Egyptian-born French writer and poetess Andrée Chedid. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Chedid performs and records under the stage name -M-. Created as a means of overcoming his shyness on stage, the pseudonym comes from Chedid’s first initial but also refers to the similar sounding French word “aime”, meaning “love”. The character -M- is a superhero, noted for having a playful nature, and recognized for his flamboyant costumes – primarily monochrome suits with slim trousers, long jackets with upward pointed collars and glasses styled into the shape of an M. Since 1997 and his first album and tour, he has been collaborating with a number of artists, both on stage and in the recording studio.

It’s been quite the ride for Émilie Simon since her debut album took off back in 2003, the electronic album was critically acclaimed and went on to become a huge commercial success. Side-stepping her pared-down electronic beginnings, Simon pirouettes Mue, her sixth album, into fresh, sonic territory with lyrical reveries that sensuously saddle up to lush, organically rich string and brass arrangements.
At 7:00pm / FREE
Central Park SummerStage, Rumsey Playfield. Enter at 69th and 5th Ave.

Make Music New York
Now in its eighth year, Make Music New York, “the largest music event ever to grace Gotham” (Metro New York), is a unique festival of 1,000+ free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on June 21st, the first day of summer. MMNY takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 726 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.

Completely different from a typical music festival, MMNY is open to anyone who wants to take part.
From 10 in the morning to 10 at night, musicians of all ages, creeds, and musical persuasions — from hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock — perform on streets, sidewalks, stoops, plazas, cemeteries, parks and gardens. From high school bands to marquee names, MMNY is open to anyone who wants to take part, enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend.
makemusicny.org

Elsewhere, but worth the detour:
NYC Craft Beer Festival Summer International
“There will be a tasting of more than 140 brews from 75 breweries during this festival for those 21 and older. Among the other offerings are chocolate ale ice cream, made with chocolate stout from Brooklyn Brewery, and brewery experts talking about beer in the connoisseur lounge. (A dollar from every ticket will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.)” (NYT)
Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. and 7 to 9:30 p.m. / $65
69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue, between East 25th and 26th Streets, nyccraftbeerfest.com

Mermaid Parade
“Dante and Chiara de Blasio — the son and daughter of Mayor Bill de Blasio — will be King Neptune and Queen Mermaid at this annual procession of colorful floats and marchers, which travels along Surf Avenue in Coney Island. It begins at 1 p.m. at West 21st Street and continues to West 10th Street, where it turns toward the boardwalk and heads toward West 17th Street. The parade, sponsored by Coney Island USA, ends at Steeplechase Plaza; coneyisland.com.” (NYT)

and don’t miss this ConeyIsland treat:
Coney Island Circus Sideshow (until Sun Sep 28)
One of the last of its kind, this ten-act extravaganza of human oddities aims to satisfy nostalgic and progressive temperaments alike. Now in its 29th season, the iconic spectacle adds a footnote to the controversial freak-show conversation by celebrating the talents of those “born different.” The lineup includes contortionists, sword swallowers, fire eaters and escape artists.
Sideshows by the Seashore
1208 Surf Ave. at 12th St. (Coney Island, Brooklyn)
718-372-5159 / coneyisland.com
at 1:00pm / $10, children under 12 $5

=============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 2 MUSEUMS (Manhattan’s WestSide)

‘A World of Its Own: Photographic Practices in the Studio’ (through Oct. 5)
‘Designing Modern Women 1890-1990’(through Oct. 5)
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.

Designing Modern Women 1890-1990:

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The Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya (ongoing)
This exhibition by artist Nathan Sawaya is a critically acclaimed collection of intriguing and inspiring works of art made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world — LEGO® bricks. The Discovery Times Square exhibit is the world’s biggest and most elaborate display of LEGO® art ever and features brand-new, never-before-seen pieces by Sawaya. This show was named ‘One of CNN’s Ten Global Must-See Exhibitions.’
Discovery Times Square, 226 West 44th St. (btw 7th/8th ave)
866.987.9692 / http://www.discoverytsx.com

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (06/13) and (06/11).

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2014.

Dave Chappelle (through June 26)
“In the years since the demise of Chappelle’s Show, this comic’s mystique has grown almost as much as his fans’ reverence. He laid low until last year, when his Oddball Festival gigs proved that his incisive mind and delivery had not suffered. Some things are different—he’s ripped, and he smokes like a fiend now—but anyone going to this show not just to hear him say “I’m rich, bitch” will be satisfied.” (TONY)
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave, at 50th St

Benedikt Jahnel Trio
“Though it didn’t make much of a splash at the time, “Equilibrium,” released on ECM in 2012, was a sure-footedly atmospheric debut by this trio, consisting of the German pianist Benedikt Jahnel, the Spanish bassist Antonio Miguel and the Canadian drummer Owen Howard. The group surfaces here, no doubt playing music from that album, among other things.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village,
212-989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com;
At 9 and 10:30 p.m. / $10 cover, with a $10 minimum.

Swedish Midsummer Festival 2014
Decorate the midsummer pole and make flower wreaths at this annual Swedish celebration.
“For the love of all things Swedish, this annual festival transforms Robert F. Wagner Park in Battery Park City into a Swedish haven for one evening. The culturally curious can snack on Swedish food from Smorgas Chef, Crepe du Nord or Red Rooster Harlem, watch Swedish folkdancers, listen to traditional music, decorate the midsummer pole, make flower wreaths, or engage in Swedish games. If you thought the country was only known for its meatballs and affordable furniture, think again.”
(Mindy Bond, Editor-FLAVORPILL)
Robert F. Wagner Park, Battery Park City in lower Manhattan
at 5-8 pm. / FREE – Rain or shine

Terri Lyne Carrington, Geri Allen, and Esperanza Spalding (through June 22)
“It takes special gifts to draw attention away from Allen, a brilliant, eclectically minded pianist who seems to have the history of jazz at her fingertips, but the bassist Spalding and the drummer Carrington are the players to do it. As yet undocumented on recordings, this sporadically convened, continually maturing trio has a special affinity for the music of Wayne Shorter, Carrington’s former employer.” (NewYorker)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 and $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
212-255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Dar Williams
Dar Williams’ career began in the New England folk scene of the mid-1990s but since then she’s become one of the premier singer/songwriters in America. In 1993, she released The Honesty Room under her own label, Burning Fields Music. In 1998, Dar’s song “What Do You Hear In These Sounds” charted on MTV’s cutting edge channel M2 and became on of the Top 50 Grossing touring acts.

She’s sold well over a quarter-million records. Dar was the highest-charting independent artist on Triple-A radio for her 1997 album “End of the Summer.” Recent albums include The Beauty of the Rain (2003), My Better Self (2005), Promised Land (2008), Many Great Companions (2010), and her latest In the Time of Gods (2012). “One of America’s very best singer-songwriters.” – The New Yorker
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St.
212.220.1459
at 8PM / $55, $45, $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 is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

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

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

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

There is also a good selection of 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. I should note that 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

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

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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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. $8 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.

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

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

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and descriptions of my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods (plus 27 casual dining places with free Wi-Fi) order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99).
(available Fall 2014)

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2014.

Surface to Structure: Folded Forms

This exhibition of origami artwork brings together the work of 88 artists spanning five continents. The 134 works in the show encapsulate a broad spectrum of origami’s possibilities, both artistic and scientific, and push the perceptions of this art form beyond its traditional boundaries.

Surface to Structure marks the 55th anniversary of the very first origami exhibition held in the United States, which was also housed within The Cooper Union. The historic works of that seminal exhibition served as a foundation for the contemporary origami of today, which has progressed into a far greater range and complexity of styles, techniques, and genres.
OPENING RECEPTION, 7–10PM / FREE
On view until July 3, 2014, 11AM–10PM every day
The Cooper Union, 41 Cooper Square, on 3rd Avenue (betw 6th and 7th St.)

River to River Festival 2014: R2R Bash
The free summer arts festival kicks off with a block party featuring People Get Ready

Join LMCC and River To River artists, partners, and sponsors for a block party on North End Way, co-sponsored by Conrad New York, Goldman Sachs, and the area’s restaurants and retailers. Enjoy samples and discounts at area restaurants and retailers, performances by rock band People Get Ready, and activities for the whole family.

Since 2002, the River To River arts festival has been creating new ways to experience downtown Manhattan’s waterfronts, parks, plazas, hotels, historic landmarks and temporarily vacant office spaces. Commencing this week, River To River runs for 11 days with 35 projects involving over 90 artists.
At 5pm – 8pm, North End Way

Poor Rich Boy: The Mast debuting Tidal
Poor Rich Boy, Lahore’s underground indie rock phenomenon, plumbs the interior life of the urban middle class in a city of stark contrasts. A love of rock, metal, and blues layered with the improvisatory structures of the classical traditions of Pakistan marks the band’s songwriting, influenced by artists like Bon Iver and experimental American composers including John Cage and Harry Partch.

Brooklyn-based husband and wife duo The Mast featuring vocalist/guitarist Haleh Gafori and percussionist/beatsmith Matt Kilmer bring their high-energy electro-pop sound to the Atrium. The team will present their new work, Tidal, a merging of live electronics, vocals, and various instruments including the balafon and clay drums. On Tidal, The Mast unites the propulsive electronic sounds of their recent release Pleasure Island (2014) and the more organic, acoustic-based sounds of 2011’s Wild Poppies.

The Mast has been touring in the U.S. and has shared the stage with Reggie Watts, Teebs, Blonde Redhead, and Foster the People. CMJ said of a recent show: “The Mast seemed to instantly magnetize people to the stage…the venue was completely packed with blissed-out enthusiasts thoroughly hypnotized by their primal beats and astral sound effects.” “The Mast plays futuristic-electro pop inspired by early IDM and experimental beat music – James Blake on mescaline.” —Village Voice
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, 61 W 62 St
At 7:30pm / FREE (but get there early – no later than 7PM)
212-875-5350

Ravi Coltrane Quartet (through June 21)
“A tenor and soprano saxophonist with a dry tone and a sleek but undemonstrative style, Ravi Coltrane leads a quartet with several sharp-minded partners: the young Cuban pianist David Virelles, the bassist Dezron Douglas and the drummer Kush Abadey.” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
At 8:30 and 11 p.m. / $40 cover, with a $10 minimum.
212-581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

Jerry Dugger’s Acoustic Blues Caravan
w Big Frank Mirra & Karl Schwarz
Lucille’s Grill,
BB Kings Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd St.,(btw 7^th/8^th Ave)
8:00 p.m. / $12
(212) 997-4144 / bbkingblues.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 is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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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: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (06/05) and (06/03).

Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014.

Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins kicks off the 2014 Mad. Sq. Music: Oval Lawn Series. Atkins, a New Jersey native, was recognized shortly after her debut by Rolling Stone as one of the top ten artists to watch in 2006. Known for her “smoky vocals and dishy delivery,” Atkins has been the recipient of three Asbury Music Awards in 2002 for “Top Female Vocalist”, “Best Solo Act”, and “Song of the Year”, as well as an ASCAP award in 2005.

The New York Times aptly states, “Critics began to fall for her darkly laced, almost surrealistic songs and her soaring, dramatically powerful voice,” making her a force to be reckoned with in the blues, rock, and pop scene. Atkins’ newest album Slow Phaser was recently released in January of 2014 and has received critical acclaim from The Daily News, The Boston Globe, American Songwriter, Paste Magazine and many others. –
Madison Square Park, 23rd St to 26th St, Btw Fifth and Madison Aves,
At 7pm / FREE

Word for Word: Jenny Mollen & Jason Biggs
The actress and Twitter star discusses her brand new hysterical memoir “I Like You Just the Way I Am: Stories About Me and Some Other People” with her husband and fellow actor Jason Biggs (Orange is the New Black, American Pie). Mollen is writer who tells it like it is, and refuses to acknowledge boundaries of any kind.

“Word for Word Author” is an outdoor reading series that features bestselling authors, celebrity writers, and expert-panelists sharing anecdotes, answering questions from the audience, and signing copies of their latest books.

The Bryant Park Reading Room located on the 42nd Street side of the park – under the trees – between the back of the NYPL on 5th Avenue & 6th Avenue. Look for the burgundy and white umbrellas. In case of rain, events are held under a tent at the Reading Room. In case of severe weather, please check bryantpark.org for the indoor location.
The Bryant Park Reading Room, 1065 Avenue of the Americas, 42nd Street Side of the Park between 5th and 6th Avenues
212-768-4242

Paquito D’Rivera (through June 22)
“This clarinetist, alto saxophonist and longtime Cuban exile favors bright extroversion in his music, which usually incorporates Latin rhythm. In this club engagement, bearing the subtitle “Jazz Meets the Classics,” he will interpret themes from the classical canon, with an adaptable band made up of the trumpeter and valve trombonist Diego Urcola, the pianist Alex Brown, the percussionist Pernell Saturnino and the drummer Mark Walker.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway,
212-258-9595, jalc.org
7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $40 and $45 cover, with a $10 minimum

AN EVENING WITH REGGIE WATTS
Reggie Watts, internationally renowned vocalist/ beatboxer/ musician/ comedian/ improvisor, amazes audiences with his unpredictable performances, which are created on-the-spot using only his formidable voice and looping pedals. Blending and blurring the lines between comedy and music with his unique lyrical style, LA Weekly calls Reggie ”the most wildly inventive new talent of the past five years.”
The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street
at 8:00 PM / $42, $47, $57

Michael Hastings: The Last Magazine: A Novel
Friends and colleagues of Michael Hastings pay tribute to the writer and reporter, reading excerpts from his posthumously published book, The Last Magazine: A Novel. Participants include BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith; Anderson Cooper 360 producer Jack Gray; Hastings’s widow, Elise Jordan; and others.” (TONY)
Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 E 17th St. btw Broadway and Park Ave South
212-253-0810 / bn.com

PlusOne
Jane Lynch (through June 21)
“You’ve loved to hate her as coach Sue Sylvester on Glee these many moons. When she played Miss Hannigan in the recent Annie revival on Broadway, you loved to hate her then, too. Now she’s offering another chance to love to hate her. Or perhaps in an as-herself switch, she’s offering the opportunity to love to love her. When Lynch was younger, she worked on her comedy technique in Chicago area church basements. See how she does in this much swankier NYC basement.” (David Finkle- VillageVoice)
54 Below, 254 West 54th St.
646-476-3551, 54below.com
at 7pm / $75 to $145 in advance; $80 to $150 at the door, with a $25 minimum.
(Friday & Saturday @ 8PM)

===============================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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The Week That Was in NYCity
(courtesy NYPost, with the most unique front/back pages anywhere)

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A PremierPub / Midtown West.

Russian Vodka Room / 265 W 52nd St (btw 7th/8th ave)

Sure, you could travel to Minsk or even Brighton Beach, for an authentic Russian experience, but why bother. On those days when you feel you must wash down your dish of kasha with a few glasses of icy, cold vodka, the Russian Vodka Room will definitely satisfy your urge.

From the outside this place looks a bit drab, and with no windows, a bit mysterious. Midtown tourists walk right by on their way to see “Jersey Boys”, just down the block.

Those in the know enter a secret hideaway, a dimly lit front room with soft jazz playing – a perfect spot for an illicit late-night rendezvous, or maybe a meet-up with your Russian spy handler, but that’s later in the evening. Early in the evening the large U-shaped bar fills with the after work happy hour crowd, a group made very happy by the much reduced prices.

Their website says: “Welcome Comrades”. Of course, this welcome focuses on dozens of different vodkas, including their own special infusions, which marinate in giant, clear glass jugs visible around the room. The large vodka martinis ensure that you won’t confuse this place with your mother’s Russian Tea Room.

But man does not live by vodka alone. Eat some food, especially the tapa like appetizers. Be decadent and try the cheese blintzes with chocolate, or try a main dish like beef stroganoff with kasha.

Your best bet is to go on a night when the piano man is playing. This guy, who looks like he has eaten a lot of those cheese blintzes, plays five nights a week from 7 to 12 (no Mondays and Thursdays). When the piano man is playing American pop tunes, and you are at the crowded, dimly lit bar testing the horseradish infused vodka, that’s when the RVR shines.

It’s the kind of place where the noise gets louder and the crowd gets happier as the happy hour goes on. I’m generally a beer guy, but I like to come here with a group of friends. We find a table in the back room; we eat, and we drink vodka ‘till it hurts (and it will hurt).

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Website: http://www.russianvodkaroom.com/
Phone #: 212-307-5835
Hours: 4pm-2am; Fri-Sun closes 4am (that could be trouble)
Happy Hour: 4-7pm every day
$4 shots infused vodka (2oz), $5 cosmos; $4 czech draft beer
Music: FR-SU; TU-WE / 7pm-12am
Subway: #1 to 50th St.
Walk 2 blk N. on B’way to 52nd St.; 1 blk W. to RVR
Confusingly, the Russian Samovar is right across the street, on the S. side of 52nd St.
The RVR, your destination, is on the N. side of 52nd St.
Update: music some nights includes a sax player with a younger, trimmer piano man.

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

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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Today’s “Fab 5″+1/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014.

Cody Chesnutt
Universally hailed as a thrilling new figure in music for his edgy, lo-fi debut, The Headphone Masterpiece, back in 2002, Cody ChesnuTT is a soul troubadour whose frank, socially conscious ruminations on life continue to challenge popular notions of what modern soul music can look and sound like: a raw storyteller for the people wearing a guitar and a toothpick-chewing smirk; a wide-eyed, intense soul brother in a crazy-fly get-up singing about bedraggled love in the land of Lost Angeles – he’s all of that, but wiser now while still wearing poetic license on his skin like a battle scar.

Keeping it truthful is ultimately what matters most in Cody’s songs: how it reveals itself in your darkest thoughts, how it can heal old wounds with a handclap and a foot stomp. Truthfulness emanates from Cody’s vocal chords and the strings of his guitar while his, strong, sensitive voice continues to command listeners with its riveting sound, leading them to their own higher ground.
City Winery, 155 Varick St, Tribeca (btw Vandam/Spring St. – #1 to Houston).
from 5PM-7:30PM / FREE
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com
This is part of the 6th Annual Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival.
This after-work Backyard Party is held every Tuesday from June 3rd through August 26^th, in the back parking lot behind City Winery.

Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade (through Friday, June 22.)
“The pianist Pérez, the bassist Patitucci, and the drummer Blade have provided the structural framework for the saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s highly interactive quartet since its inception, in 2000. Although Shorter’s absence might be the elephant in the room, these exceptionally gifted, idiosyncratic improvisers (each of whom also composes and has lead his own ensembles) are certainly capable of conjuring sonic mystery without their enigmatic leader at the helm.” (NewYorker)
Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St.
At 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. / $20-$35
212-475-8592.

Virginia Craft
Foodstuffs, craft beer, Virginia wines,  and other things made in Virginia are featured at Chelsea Market. Virginia Craft is a culinary reception hosted by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, to introduce us to some of Virginia’s best craft food and drink.
Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave. (btw 15th/16th St.)
4 to 9 p.m. / chelseamarket.com
Follow the event via #VACraft on Twitter.

Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band (also Wednesday)
“The most happy-go-lucky Beatle has developed a non-Fab Four career to match: releasing more than a dozen studio albums, hamming in a British comedy with Peter Sellers and John Cleese (“The Magic Christian”) and narrating a pack of anthropomorphized trains on “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.” His All Starr Band, a rotating jam group currently cobbled from high-profile friends like Todd Rundgren, is a good-natured classic rock saloon.” (NYT- Anderson)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St.
800-745-3000, beacontheatrenyc.com
At 8 p.m. / $59.50 to $129.50.

Mercan Dede & Istanbul Tribe + The Secret Trio
“Making his first local appearance in a decade, Dede (AKA DJ Arkin Allen) is a popular Turkish progressive who fronts a traditional ensemble on turntables, electronics, and occasional ney flute. The concept behind his 2013 double-CD album _Dunya_ is environmental apocalypse. The Secret Trio – Tamer Pinarbasi (kanun zither), Ismail Lumanovski (clarinet), and Ara Dinkjian (ud lute) – play mesmerizing originals and traditional music from Turkey, Armenia, and Macedonian Roma.” (Richard Gehr-VillageVoice)
Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza, 220 Vesey Street, near West Street
brookfieldplaceny.com
At 7:30 p.m. / FREE

PlusOne
Other Rooms: A Conversation with Jo Ann Callis and Lesley A. Martin
Join artist Jo Ann Callis for a conversation with Lesley A. Martin, publisher of Aperture’s book program. They will discuss Callis’s mid-1970s investigation of the nude body and sexuality, featured in her new Aperture book, Other Rooms. The artist’s playful, evocative use of constrictions and overlays on the human form, including twine, belts, tape, and other everyday materials, is both humorous and fraught. Her work offers an intensely personal assessment of the variable meanings of pleasure, eros, and the female nude as a staple of fine art photography.
Aperture Foundation Gallery and Bookstore, 547 West 27th St, 4th Floor
AT 6:30pm / $5
aperture.org/event

=============================================================================
♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==============================================================================

What’s on View:
Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

‘Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia, 5th to 8th Century’ (through July 27)
The Flowering of Edo Period Painting: Japanese Masterworks from the Feinberg Collection’ (through Sept. 7)
‘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

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Guggenheim Museum: ‘Italian Futurism, 1909-1944: Reconstructing the Universe’ (through Sept. 1)
“This epic, beautifully designed exhibition may be one of the more thorough examinations of modernism’s most obnoxious and conflicted art movement that you are likely to see. Awash in the manifestoes that its members regularly fired off, it follows Futurism through to its end with the death of its founder, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, in 1944. It covers the Futurist obsessions with speed, war, machines and, finally, flight and the aerial views it made possible. And the show highlights relatively unknown figures like the delightful Fortunato Depero and Benedetta Cappa, Marinetti’s wife. 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500, guggenheim.org.“ (Smith-NYT)
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.
————————————————————————————————————–
‘Degenerate Art: The Attack on Modern Art in Nazi Germany, 1937’ (through June 30)
Neue Galerie, 1048 Fifth Avenue, at 86th St.
212-628-6200 / neuegalerie.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: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 06/15 and 06/13.

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014.

The Global Beat Festival
“Rolling Stone magazine recently called dakhabrakha the best kept secret at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The Ukraine quartet perform free this evening at The Global Beat Festival. Also on the bill is Poor Rich Boy, an indie art rock band from Lahore, Pakistan, where they are known for their subversive and frenetic live shows.” (DNA Info)
Brookfield Place New York Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street at West St.
7:30pm / FREE.
212-417-7000 / brookfieldplaceny.com/GlobalBeat

Joyce’s Dubliners at 100: 33rd Annual Bloomsday on Broadway
Ode to the language, life and love in James Joyce’s work.
Featuring Cynthia Nixon, Malachy McCourt & more
Symphony Space’s 33rd annual ode to the language, life, and love in James Joyce’s work centers on his short story collection Dubliners to celebrate the book’s 100th anniversary.

The event will feature readings by Cynthia Nixon, Malachy McCourt, Kelli O’Hara, and National Book Award-winning author Colum McCann of several of the book’s stellar stories, including the beloved final story “The Dead.” Between readings, songs from the stories will be performed by soprano Lisa Flanagan. Introductions by Irish writer Belinda McKeon.
“The stories contain some of the most beautiful sentences ever written in English.” -Colum McCann, from the Foreword to the anniversary edition of Dubliners
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
at 7pm / $25
symphonyspace.org

Night of a Thousand Judys
“This fourth annual Judy Garland birthday celebration has a serious purpose behind it—to raise funds for the Ali Forney Center. But its chief strength is that it captures not only the solemn diva of Garland’s classic ballads and the larger-than-life sacred monster that we all adore, but also the zany, irreverent Garland, born in 1922, with a wicked sense of humor, that comes through in her movies and TV shows.

Justin Sayre of the Meeting, a comedy/variety show he created, has cast a wide net for artists in styles from Broadway to soul and disco. There may not be a thousand Judys, but there will be more than enough: Natalie Douglas, Jane Monheit, Julia Murney, Jackie Hoffman, Karen Wyman, Gabrielle Stravelli, Sarah Dash, and the Judy-licious violinist Aaron Weinstein.” (WSJ-Friedwald)
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center, 129 W. 67th St.,
(212) 501 3330

Andy Bey, vocals & piano
After a twenty two year absence from recording Andy Bey returned with four albums that have become a permanent part of the musical landscape. The 2005 Grammy Nominated American Song is a delicious celebration of one of America’s great gifts to the music world: The American Songbook.

On his new release Ain’t Necessarily So Bey brings the energy of live performance to compositions by the gods of American Songwriting. Insiders have always known about Andy Bey. Given his limited output of studio recordings, live performances were the source of Bey’s reputation as singer.

Aretha Franklin reminisces about the nights when Andy and The Bey Sisters worked the Village in New York: “Soon as I finished my gig I’d run over to hear them. Andy never got the recognition he deserved . . . jazz originals . . . brilliant and precious.”
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net
At 8 and 10:30 p.m.,/ $35 cover at tables, $20 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.

Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio
“Last fall Ms. Aldana, a tenor saxophonist originally from Santiago, Chile, and now living in New York, won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, becoming the first female musician to do so. She works here with her Crash Trio, which features Pablo Menares on bass and Francisco Mela on drums, and has a new self-titled debut album on the Concord label.” (Nate Chinen-NYT)
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. / $25 cover, with a $10 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 is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==============================================================================

Jolly Old Souls – Midtown

Patrons on a recent Thursday evening at the King Cole Bar and Salon at the St. Regis Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Behind the bar, Maxfield Parrish’s 1906 mural “Old King Cole.”
(June 15, 2014)

Every Sunday in the NYT Metropolitan section, a photographer offers a new slice of New York. A wonderful slice of life it is – Thanks NewYorkTimes: N.Y. / Region section

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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 will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

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

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

For the classic Bistro experience, order your burger with a McSorley’s draft, the dark preferably. This is the same beer that you can get over at the original McSorley’s in the East Village, the pub that claims to be the oldest continually operating bar in NYCity. The only difference is that this McSorley’s ale is served with a smile by the bartenders here. Or you can get a Sierra Nevada, Stella, or Hoegaarden on tap if you want to go upscale a bit. Either way this is a simple, but quality burger and beer experience that is just too rare these days (sorry for the pun).

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

===========================================================================================
“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.
===========================================================================================

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014.

American Crafts Festival
Almost missed this one – it’s their last day. One hundred and eighty master artisans from every region of the United States selected on the basis of quality of workmanship and uniqueness of design, will be at their displays at the 38th ANNUAL CRAFTS FESTIVAL at LINCOLN CENTER for the Performing Arts, in addition to continuous entertainment and delicious food.

This biannual display in Lincoln Center sponsored by the American Concern for Art and Craftsmanship — it also takes place in the fall — will fill Damrosch Park.
Damrosch Park, at 62nd Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues
from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. / FREE
craftsatlincoln.org.

The 9th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party
Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra invite you to the beloved Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island. Now in its ninth year, the event has become the quintessential outdoor celebration of the Jazz Age and its living legacy.

This trip through time begins on a breezy ferry with views of Lady Liberty en route to NYC’s local treasure, Governors Island. Once ashore, a sprawling green awaits, nestled under a canopy of century-old trees, caressed by fresh sea air, surrounded by historic architecture – a dream of the 1920s hidden right in the heart of New York Harbor.

For the sixth consecutive year, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur will be our signature spirit partner. In addition, we are pleased to announce that legendary mixtress Julie Reiner (co-owner of Clover Club, Flatiron Lounge and Pegu Club) and Andy Seymour (one of America’s top mixologists) join the Lawn Party family to lend their magic to our refreshing summer cocktail list.

Jazz Age Lawn Party chef Jimmy Carbone (proprietor of Jimmy’s No. 43 in the East Village) returns to serve up his tasty fare (including “Squab on Toast,” “Sliced Beefsteak Sandwich,” “Shrimp Roll,” “Portabello Sandwich” and fresh grilled Mexican corn) to complete your al fresco feast on the Lawn.

Fabulous new features include: an additional stage for featured entertainers, brand new deluxe ticket packages, shorter lines and fun filled raffles throughout the day, along with other special surprises.
Governors Island
Free ferry service is available from the restored Battery Maritime Building, at South and Whitehall Streets, near Battery Park and the Staten Island ferry terminal.
From 11a.m. to 5p.m. / $35
dreamlandorchestra.com / govisland.com.

Aretha Franklin
The Queen of Soul is sometimes also the queen of “undisclosed health reasons,” which is why 72-year-old Aretha Franklin’s January Radio City dates are happening tonight. With recent shows topping out at a dozen or so extended numbers over 90-some minutes, the slimmed-down diva replaces stamina with nuance, blending full-range jazz improvisation with just enough full-throttle gospel flair to remind you who you’re dealing with.

Perhaps echoing the Motown musical currently on Broadway, her big band includes a half-dozen backing singers and a fulsome horn section. Franklin’s next album is reportedly a concept project on which she covers female pop faves including Donna Summer’s “Last Dance,” Barbra Streisand’s “People,” and perhaps even Beyoncé, with Babyface and Andre 3000 producing.” (Richard Gehr-VillageVoice)
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave, at 50th St
at 8:00 p.m. / $55-$150
866-858-0008 / radiocity.com

Big Backyard BBQ & Music Festival
“After this week’s ceaseless cloud cover, we’re finally due for some sunshine and with it the desire to be outdoors. The New York Botanical Garden throws a fitting party on Saturday and Sunday with its Big Backyard BBQ & Music Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days at their Daffodil Hill.

Purchase plates of meat and fixins from The Strand Smokehouse including pulled pork, ribs, sides and more or a pretzel from Bronx Baking Co. There will be craft brews on hand as well like Coney Island Mermaid, Jonas Bronck’s Beer Co. and others, plus complimentary items for sampling courtesy of Taste NY. For entertainment, enjoy the sounds of some live bands, try your luck at the putting greens or one of many other activities happening over the weekend.” (Gothamist)
New York Botanical Garden
Tickets cost $30 and include access to special exhibitions at the garden.

Elio Villafranca Jass Syncopators
“The Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca favors a hardy and intelligent species of Latin jazz. Returning to the scene of a new live album, “Caribbean Tinge,” he enlists, along with the dancer Julia Gutierrez-Rivera: Steve Turre on trombone, Greg Tardy and Vincent Herring on saxophones, Carlos Henriquez on bass, Lewis Nash on drums and others.” (Chinen-NYT)
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., / $40 and $45 cover, with a $10 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 is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
==============================================================================

WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 2 MUSEUMS (Manhattan’s WestSide)

‘A World of Its Own: Photographic Practices in the Studio’ (through Oct. 5)
‘Designing Modern Women 1890-1990’(through Oct. 5)
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.

Designing Modern Women 1890-1990:

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The Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya (ongoing)
This exhibition by artist Nathan Sawaya is a critically acclaimed collection of intriguing and inspiring works of art made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world — LEGO® bricks. The Discovery Times Square exhibit is the world’s biggest and most elaborate display of LEGO® art ever and features brand-new, never-before-seen pieces by Sawaya. This show was named ‘One of CNN’s Ten Global Must-See Exhibitions.’
Discovery Times Square, 226 West 44th St. (btw 7th/8th ave)
866.987.9692 / http://www.discoverytsx.com

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (06/13) and (06/11).

Today’s “Fab 5″+2/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 2014.

The Ultimate Hall of Fame Spectacular
The 7th Annual, pre-Father’s Day doo wop event is a tradition at the Beacon. Throughout the years, loyal patrons have requested many of the original artists of the era, and we were able to fulfill those requests. Except for one. Until now. One name says it all….Dion.

Headlining, will be the “King of the New York Streets”, who has been our #1 requested artist for good reason with scores of #1 hits and dozens of hit albums. A very rare occasion, this is the first time in over a decade that Dion has performed in a Rock ‘n Roll extravaganza in NYC!

Dion is revered by such luminaries as Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and the late, great Lou Reed to name just a few. Not only timeless, but he is the embodiment of rock and roll and its history. Hall of Famer, Dion, will do a full concert encompassing the entire second half of the show.

He will be supported by a stellar cast befitting this special concert, Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductees all: Charlie Thomas’ Drifters, Shirley Alston-Reeves, original lead singer of The Shirelles, the Soul Stirrers featuring Willie Rogers with a tribute to Sam Cooke plus acappella and the Blue Suede Orchestra.*
Beacon Theater

Jessy Carolina & the Hot Mess
Jessy Carolina & The Hot Mess is a New York City based ensemble specializing in American music from the late 1800’s-1930’s, primarily jazz and blues reminiscent of The Ziegfield Follies, The Great American Song Book, and early medicine shows. The group features Jessy Carolina on vocals and washboard, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton on piano, banjo, and vocals, Jordan Hyde on guitar, Jay Sanford on bass, Mario J. Maggio on clarinet and saxophone, an Satoru Ohashi on trumpet and trombone.
Jessy Carolina & the Hot Mess @6:00PM / $15
followed by the Saron Crenshaw Band @10:00P
Terra Blues, 149 Bleeker St.
terrablues.com

Anat Cohen (also Sunday, June 15.)
“The accomplished Israeli-born clarinettist and saxophonist personifies the multicultural and pan-stylistic eclecticism that are hallmarks of the contemporary-jazz scene: she is comfortable flitting from Middle Eastern strains to Brazilian choro to swing, bebop, and modal idioms. The drummer Matt Wilson and the bassist Martin Wind will be Cohen’s support team, and special guests are promised.” (NewYorker)

“What’s not to love about a young clarinetist and saxophonist who plays everything we love—modern jazz, world music, “hot” New Orleans style jazz—and does it all brilliantly?” (WSJ)

I have said this before, I’ll say it again. This is one of NYC’s Jazz treasures playing at an iconic NYCity Jazz Club. You gotta go.
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village,
212-255-4037, villagevanguard.com
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

Eric Alexander Quartet
“As is the case on his most recent album, “Chicago Fire,” the tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander enlists trusted partners in this hard-bop quartet: the pianist Harold Mabern, the bassist John Webber and the drummer Joe Farnsworth.’ (Chinen-NYT)
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, at 106th Street,
212-864-6662, smokejazz.com;
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m.,/ $38 cover, with a variable minimum.

The Duckathlon
Food fests are a dime a dozen these days but food fest competitions are something else altogether. Enter this Saturday’s Duckathlon, a culinary competition that tests your knowledge of all things edible while also treating you to some tasty eats prepared by some notable chefs and farmers. Here’s how it goes: 25 teams endure some interactive challenges (identify cuts of meat using a map; swine anatomy; squab husbandry, etc) with winners taking home fancy wines, fancy knives and gift certificates to fancy restaurants. All throughout, eats and bites and general revelry and some music to boot. The whole shebang is put on by D’Artagnan, a top supplier of all-natural and organic poultry and game.
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St., btw Sixth and Seventh Aves.
noon to 5 p.m / teams can enter or snag single $60 tickets
metropolitanevents.com / 212-463-0071

PlusTwo /
Bonus Picks – off the beaten track, but definitely worth  a detour:

The Feast of St. Anthony
Head to what Bronx locals claim is New York City’s real Little Italy this weekend for The Feast of St. Anthony. A highlight today is the “The Dancing of the Giglio” from 2 p.m. The giglio, a 50-foot-high handmade wooden structure weighing several tons, depicts images of saints and is the focus of a traditional procession in Italian neighborhoods throughout the world. 2014 marks the third year that a locally made giglio has been built and carried through the streets of Bronx Little Italy. 2 to 6 p.m., Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, on Belmont and East 187th Street, Bronx.

‘Biggest Subway Birthday Bash Ever!’
Transit aficionados will get a chance to ride vintage subway cars between two Brooklyn stations. As Laurel Graeber writes:
“Saturday’s “Biggest Subway Birthday Bash Ever!,” which will celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Interborough Rapid Transit and raise funds for museum education programs, will briefly revive the HH shuttle, a train that from 1936 to 1946 traveled between the old Court Street station and the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Brooklyn Heights.”

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places

Jimmy’s Corner / 140 W 44th St (btw B’way & 7th ave)

Jimmy’s Corner is right in the heart of Times Square, but you won’t find it on the corner, it’s mid-block. Enter this long narrow bar and you are struck by the walls covered with mostly black-and-white boxing photographs, and memorabilia. Soon enough you learn that “Corner” refers to proprietor Jimmy Glenn’s long career as a corner man for some of boxing greats – Liston, Tyson, even “the greatest”, Ali.

Jimmy’s is a sort of time machine, taking you back to a time and place that no longer exists. All around you Times Square has cleaned up, grown up, assumed a new identity. Jimmy’s probably hasn’t changed a bit since it first opened in 1971. Certainly the bar itself looks original and the prices haven’t changed much either. When I brought a friend, who owns her own bar, she was surprised when she got the small tab for a round of drinks. Figured there must be a mistake, that maybe they forgot to charge for all the drinks.

Times Square today is filled with neon glitz and wandering tourists from Dubuque, but not Jimmy’s. You’ll likely find some old timer’s at the bar nursing their drinks, some younger locals at tables in the back, and maybe a few adventuresome tourists clutching their trusty guidebooks. There’s no food served here because this is just a bar, and sometimes that’s all you need.

On nights when no local team is playing, it’s a fine place to sip some drafts and listen to a great old time jukebox (40s, 50s, R&B, and soul). On sports nights this very narrow bar can get a bit claustrophobic, filled with excited fans watching their team on the TVs. Either way, Jimmy’s is the place to be if you are looking for an old time bar in the new Times Square.
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Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

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

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

It’s not difficult finding 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:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 st (Betw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. On a street filled with Broadway theaters, this is a real hole in the wall, but don’t let the dive look scare you away. You can never go wrong with a slice of NYC pizza, and this one is a classic thin crust. Only a few seats here, but pizza was made to eat standing up.

Shake Shack – 691 8th ave (Betw 43rd/44th st)
Danny Meyer has revolutionized the high quality burger in this town. Now he has a branch on the West Side that was desperately needed, with none of the insane lines that you find at the Madison Sq. Park location. Plus, it may be the cleanest joint to eat in all of Hell’s Kitchen.

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

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

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide (plus 27 casual dining places with free Wi-Fi) order a copy of my e-book: “Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($3.99).
(available Fall 2014)

Today’s “Fab 5″/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2014.

Mumbo Jumbo With Bobby McFerrin and Questlove
“Mr. McFerrin, the playful, multi-octave songbird behind the 1988 smash “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and so much more, is a far-flung talent of a jazz and classical bent. A true hip-hop eclectic, Questlove drives the beat for the Roots on “The Tonigh Show With Jimmy Fallon” and drops flawless transitions as a top party D.J. They collaborate on their first full-length show as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival.” (Anderson-NYT)
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street, Manhattan,
800-982-2787, bluenotejazzfestival.com, the-townhall-nyc.org;
At 8:30 p.m. / $45 to $85.

Crazy Pyes Food Truck Tour (through Sunday)
“A food truck inspired by a line (“I threw my pie for you”) delivered by Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, a character played by Uzo Aduba on the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” will be traveling around New York City doling out free fruit-flavored hand pies and ice cream cones. On Friday, from 4 to 8 p.m., the truck will be parked just off Madison Square Park, near the Flatiron Building, between 22nd and 23rd Streets. It will travel to South Seventh Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Saturday, from 2 to 6 p.m., and then back to Manhattan on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., where it will be parked on the west side of Central Park, near Columbus Circle.” (NYT)

Michael Formanek (also June 14)
“The veteran bassist, a linchpin of Tim Berne’s Bloodcount and many other bands, has shown tremendous versatility over the years, favoring a fairly experimental sound in his own projects. In 2010 he gained new visibility as a leader with the ECM release The Rub and Small Change, followed in 2012 by Small Places. Formanek builds on that momentum in a three-night stint at Cornelia Street Café (June 12-14), covering a wide range: first the Elusion Trio with pianist Kris Davis and drummer Ches Smith, then a quartet featuring Berne (alto sax), Craig Taborn (piano) and Dan Weiss (drums), and finally the Resonator Sextet with altoist Loren Stillman, multi-reedist Andrew Bishop, cornetist Kirk Knuffke, pianist Angelica Sanchez and drummer Tyshawn Sorey.” (VillageVoice)
Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia St. (btw W4th/BleeckerSt.)
at 9 and 10:30pm / $10, with $10 minimum
212-731-0574/corneliastreetcafe.com

Emily Bergl
“My real love is television,” Emily Bergl announces. “I only do cabaret for the money.” It’s a typically arch aside from the “Shameless” singer-actress, who might just be the most subtly subversive pop deconstructionalist since Richard Cheese. Ms. Bergl’s specialty is radically recontextualizing songs from across the generations and genres, often in the service of illuminating a clearly-defined character, like the Muscovite trophy bride who belts a minor-key mashup of Cole Porter and Tchaikovsky.” (WSJ-Friedwald)
54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.,
(646) 476-3551

Global Beat Festival (through June 17)
“Brookfield Place Winter Garden has assembled a line up of diverse international sounds for their The Global Beat Festival, which begins today and ends on June 17. Tonight’s highlights include France’s Mélanie Pain (Nouvelle Vague) in her first New York City appearance and Paris-based, Haitian-Canadian singer-songwriter Mélissa Laveaux.” (DNA Info)
Brookfield Place New York Winter Garden, 220 Vesey Street, Financial District.
7:30 p.m. / Free.

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.

♦ NYCity is a big town with many visitors where quality shows draw crowds. Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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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: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (06/05) and (06/03).