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

Today’s “Fab 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, JAN. 23, 2014

Lauren Fox & Ritt Henn,
‘Ghosts of Love—Songs from the Reel World of David Lynch’
This atmospheric presentation, as much a theatrical event as a nightclub set, reduces narrative, both sung and spoken, to its barest essence with the singing of Lauren Fox and the fender bass and vocals of Ritt Henn. The two juxtapose songs heard in the unsettling films of the provocative auteur David Lynch alongside often cryptic dialogue from those same movies.

As in “Twin Peaks” or “Lost Highway,” the overall result is dark, dark, dark—and hypnotically compelling. There’s unexpected levity in their interpretations of cheerful songs like “I’ve Told Every Little Star” and “This Magic Moment” (as even the 1960 bubblegum hit “Sixteen Reasons”), which have now been thoroughly “Lynched.”
The Triad (Stage 72), 158 W. 72nd St.,
At 7PM / $20
(800) 838-3006 / stage72.com

J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions – SemiFinals
Top-ranked squash players will compete in this annual contest taking place in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal. Men’s semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m.; and finals Friday at 6 p.m.
Grand Central Terminal,Park Ave and 42nd St,
$8 to $170
(718) 569-0594, tocsquash.com

Simone Dinnerstein, piano
A pianist of “arresting freshness and subtlety” (TIME), Simone Dinnerstein returns to Miller Theatre for her second solo recital bringing together challenging keyboard works both old and new. Though Dinnerstein is perhaps best known for her interpretations of Bach, The Philadelphia Inquirer puts her “in a league with any of the great Beethoven pianists of our time.” She’ll pair one of Beethoven’s most profound piano sonatas with a clever work by George Crumb, the New York premiere of a recent piece by Nico Muhly written just for her, and Bach’s ingenious Two-Part Inventions, which are too-rarely performed in concert.

Bach: Two-Part Inventions for keyboard, Op. 772 – 786
Crumb: Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik (Ruminations on ‘Round Midnight by Thelonius Monk)
Nico Muhly: You Can’t Get There From Here – New York premiere
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Opus 11
Miller Theatre, 2960 Broadway (at 116th Street)
8:00 PM / $35 – $45
212-854-7799 / millertheatre.com

Irabagon Fest* (through Friday)
A smart young saxophonist who has successfully ducked in and out of the mainstream jazz tradition, Jon Irabagon spearheads three bands this week. Tonight he will work with a quartet that seems equally inclined toward progressivism, with Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Michael Formanek on bass and Tom Rainey on drums. On Friday he will be working in a trio format with the guitarist Mary Halvorson and the drummer Tyshawn Sorey.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village,
Thursday at 8:30 p.m., Friday at 9 and 10:30 p.m.,$10 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com

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

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”/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22, 2014

Hilliard Ensemble
“As part of its farewell tour, this a cappella vocal ensemble brings its signature sound and meditative vibe to the Temple of Dendur with a program linking ancient and contemporary spiritual music from across Europe, including works by Arvo Pärt, a composer with whom the Hilliard Ensemble has collaborated for decades.” (NYT-da Fonseca-Wollheim)
Gallery 131, Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art,
At 7 p.m. / $65.
(212) 570-3949,metmuseum.org/tickets

Selected Shorts: The Stories of Alice Munro
“This regular reading event pays homage to the winner of last year’s Nobel Prize in Literature, a supremely talented Canadian scribe whom the committee described as “a master of the short story.” Fellow fiction-writing giant Margaret Atwood will discuss her longtime friend, and performers including Holly Hunter will read selections from Munro’s body of work, drawing from her upbringing in rural Ontario.” (TONY mag)
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, at 95th Street,
At 7:30 p.m./ sold out, but the storm will likely keep some folks from attending.
returned tickets may be available for purchase through the box office, beginning Wednesday at 1 p.m.
(212) 864-5400 / symphonyspace.org

‘La Bohème’ (Saturday and Wednesday)
Franco Zeffirelli’s bustling, colorful production of this Puccini opera, introduced in 1981, is so popular that the Metropolitan Opera has not always taken care to cast it with the best singers. So it is good news that this revival has such a winning cast, headed by the lovely, plush-voiced soprano Maija Kovalevska as Mimi and the ardent, youthful tenor Joseph Calleja as Rodolfo.

The robust baritone Alexey Markov makes a hearty and impulsive Marcello, and the bright soprano Irina Lungu is a vivacious Musetta. Stefano Ranzani conducts a sensitive and textured performance.” (NYT-Anthony Tommasini)
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center,
Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Wednesday at 7:30 p.m./ $27-$445!
(212) 362-6000, metoperafamily.org

Early American Guitars: The Instruments of C.F. Martin
Legendary guitar maker Christian Frederick Martin built his first instrument in the United States in the 1830s. He settled in NYC on Hudson Street, establishing the forerunner of the still family-owned and -operated C.F. Martin & Company, which is located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

After emigrating from Saxony, Martin encountered the Spanish-style guitar and incorporated elements from that tradition into his own Viennese style of instrument construction. The result was a new form of the guitar, a style that would become important as a basis for other American makers of the instrument.

Tis exhibition includes roughly 35 instruments taken from the Martin Museum in Nazareth, The Met and private collections.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Ave. at 82nd St.
212-535-7710|/ / metmuseum.org/

Monty Alexander (through Jan. 26)
“Mr. Alexander, an effervescent pianist, shows two sides of his personality next week, in the company of longtime associates. Tonight through Friday he will lead a boppish trio with the bassist John Clayton and the drummer Jeff Hamilton.

With the Harlem-Kingston Express on Jan. 25 and 26, he will give his Jamaican heritage an uptown twist in a group that typically includes two bassists and an impressive clutch of drummers.” ((Nate Chinen-NYT))
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m. / $35 cover at tables, $20 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592,bluenote.net

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
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WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 3 MUSEUMS (Manhattan’s WestSide)

‘Walker Evans: American Photographs’ (through Jan. 26, 2014)
American Modern: Hopper to O’Keefe (through Jan. 26, 2014)
America’s cultural landscape shifted rapidly in the early 20th century. American Modern at the Museum of Modern Art looks at this change via some of the iconic works produced between 1915 and 1950. Artists highlighted include George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz and Andrew Wyeth. In organizing the art thematically, American Modern will highlight the connections between the artists’ works.
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.
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‘The Armory Show at 100: Modern Art and Revolution’ (through Feb. 23, 2014)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, at 77th St.
(212) 873-3400 / nyhistory.org.

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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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WHAT’S ON VIEW: Top Photography Exhibitions
(NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide)

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (01/20) and (01/18).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 2014

New York Jewish Film Festival (through Jan 23)
“This 23rd annual festival, sponsored by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, continues with screenings and special programming.

On Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. there will be a screening of Yael Bartana’s “…And Europe Will Be Stunned,” a film about the restoration of Jewish life to Poland. It will be introduced and discussed by the critic J. Hoberman, the co-author, with the scholar Jeffrey Shandler, of “Entertaining America: Jews, Movies, and Broadcasting.” (NYT listings)

A full schedule is at nyjff.org.
Screenings take place at Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street, and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street, Manhattan. Tickets are $13, $9 for students and 62+, $8 for members of the Film Society and the Jewish Museum.

Marsha Ambrosius – Soul, R&B & Funk
“Formerly a member of English R&B vocal duo Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius has lent her voice to tracks by Styles P, the Game, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Foxx; tonight she’ll be celebrating her eagerly anticipated second solo LP, Lovers and Friends.” (TONY mag)
S.O.B.’s, 200 Varick St. at Houston St
At 9pm / $30
212-243-4940 // sobs.com

‘Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul’ (through Jan. 26)
This exhibition, drawn from collections at the New York Public Library and the Morgan, comprises poems, short stories and letters and includes early editions of Poe’s work as well as his last published book.
Morgan Library & Museum,225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street,
Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
18, $12 for those 13 to 16, students and those 65+; free for members and children 12 and younger and for everyone on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m.
(212) 685-0008, Ext. 560,themorgan.org

“ASK ME ANOTHER”
“Recorded live before a bourbon-drinking audience, this comedic brouhaha from NPR and WNYC is one part game show, two parts variety show. The host, Ophira Eisenberg, invites pre-selected players to puzzle podiums to answer a madcap barrage of cranium conundrums largely based on wordplay and popular culture, such as irregular plurals, the plots of “The Monkees” TV show, and famous people named Ted. The musician Jonathan Coulton provides instrumental interludes along with music-oriented gaming, and each show features a special guest. On Jan. 21, it is Sarah Janssen, the editor of the 2014 World Almanac” (NewYorker listings)
The Bell House, 149 7th St., Brooklyn.
at 7:30 / $20
718-643-6510 / thebellhouseny.com
This event is worth the jaunt to Bklyn. – Take#1 to christopher st; walk 3 min E on w 4^th for F train to smith – 9 st (18 min); walk to bell house /(6 min)

Parsons Dance (through Jan. 26)
“This company’s 30th-anniversary engagement includes a premiere by its artistic director, David Parsons, and his signature work, “Caught,” which features copious strobe lights and one athletic male dancer. Just as hypermasculine is “The Hunt” by Robert Battle, a former company member.”(Burke-NYT)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea,
at 8 p.m./ $10 to $69.
(212) 242-0800, joyce.org

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

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 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 Spring 2014)

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, JAN. 20, 2014

‘Madama Butterfly’ *(and next Friday)
“This revival of the Metropolitan Opera’s potent, gorgeously colored production of Puccini’s masterwork features the Met debut of the South African soprano Amanda Echalaz as the betrayed Cio-Cio-San. The youthful cast features another debutant, the baritone Scott Hendricks, as Sharpless, as well as the talented tenor Bryan Hymel as the callous Pinkerton and the mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong as the loyal Suzuki.”(Woolfe-NYT listings)
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center,
At 7:30 p.m.,/ $27 to $445.
(212) 362-6000, metoperafamily.org

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
A popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland every Monday night. For the past nine years, it’s been the spot to mix and mingle with Manhattan show folk and their fans.

The buoyant, sharp and charming Broadway impresario Jim Caruso hosts a combination open-mic, networking event and party, where some nights you may hear the biggest stars on Broadway relax on their night off by performing their favorite songs in an informal setting. Always fun.
Birdland – 315 West 44th St (btw 8th/9th ave)
9:30 pm / $20 (includes a drink if you sit at the bar, which are not bad seats)
(212) 581-3080 / birdlandjazz.com

Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
If you haven’t yet checked out the Nighthawks’ new digs, what are you waiting for. “The band (which has just released their second volume of music from HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”) now actually sounds better, audio-wise, and the menu is a vast improvement over the band’s previous venue—overall, it is a step up, to the second floor, rather than a flight down, to the basement.

Although longtime fans are currently referring to the Nighthawks as “The Iguana Troubadours,” they continue to play with the same amazing combination of skin-tight historical authenticity and sheer, relentless energy, plus a tempo that has always characterized Mr. Giordano’s bands.” (WSJ-Will Friedwald)
Iguana, 240 W. 54th St., (Btw 8th/B’way)
8pm-11pm / $15 cover, $20 food/drink minimum
(212) 765-5454 / iguananyc.com

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.
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Avenue South, just below West 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 pm / $25
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

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

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.

WHAT’S ON VIEW: Here are 3 Special Exhibitions in Chelsea Galleries that you may want to see:

Martina Bacigalupo: ‘Gulu Real Art Studio’ (through Feb. 8)
“In 2010 the Italian photojournalist Martina Bacigalupo spent time in the city of Gulu in northern Uganda, where she came across a curious form of portraiture. In a local shop called the Gulu Real Art Studio she found dozens of full-length pictures of sitters from which the heads had been neatly cut out. The shop’s owner, Obal Denis, explained why. His machine for developing passport-size photos automatically produced four prints at a time, but most people coming for an ID picture needed only one. So it was easier, and cheaper, to shoot a regular full-length portrait, edit out a head shot and toss what was left. The pictures in this remarkable show are the result: studies in body language and clothing, accompanied by audio-taped interviews made with some of the sitters.”
(Cotter-NYT listings)
The Walther Collection Project Space, 508-526 West 26th Street, Suite 718,
(212) 352-0683, walthercollection.com.

‘Para-Real’ (through Feb. 8)
“This philosophically catchy 14-artist show reflects a few forms in which reality, whatever that is, impinges. It includes a pile of scrub brushes by Robert Therrien; a self-portrait of Maurizio Cattelan as a real puppet; Hiroshi Sugimoto’s photograph of stuffed golden eagles in a museum diorama; and Thomas Demand’s “Ghost,” a photograph of a colored paper and cardboard construction of a kitchen, wherein some culinary objects hover above the stove, as if tossed up by a poltergeist.” (Johnson-NYT listings)
601Artspace, 601 West 26th Street,
(212) 243-2735, 601artspace.org. 

Richard Serra, “New Sculpture” (until Sat. Jan. 25, 2014)
“Gagosian’s double dose of Richard Serra presents dueling sides of the sculptor: the popular artist name checked in a Vampire Weekend song, and the confrontational figure familiar from his earlier career.

The gallery’s West 21st Street location presents the former in fine form, with a single massive work. Curling ribbons of steel, set on edge and towering to ceiling height, nestle together to create Serra’s signature bowing and curving of space. They swallow viewers up in a phenomenological ecstasy one usually associates with, say, walking along a narrow canyon. The metal’s russet color only adds to the sensation of experiencing something more natural than man-made.

The tone, if not the scale, of the work shifts on West 24th Street, with a group of sculptures and nary a bend in sight. Hard-edged steel plates, patinated a carceral gray, get in your way like barricades around a government building. A set of enormous blocks serves as a memorial to the recently deceased sculptor Walter De Maria, a friend of Serra’s. Experiential warmth gives way to cold truths as Serra employs his legendary toughness to challenge not only gravity, but death itself.” (Howard Halle/TONY mag)
Gagosian Gallery, 522 W 21st St, btw 10th/11th Aves
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm
212-741-1717 / gagosian.com

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com)

Or check out TONY magazine’s list of the “Best Chelsea Galleries” and click through to see what’s on view.

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (01/12) and (01/10).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, JAN. 19, 2014

‘Dreams for NYC’
“This annual tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. features musical performances and a discussion about the future of New York City through the “lens of Dr. King’s moral compass.” This year’s event, sponsored by WNYC and presented at the Apollo Theater, will feature the author and filmmaker Nelson George; Gadadhara Pandit Dasa, author of “Urban Monk: Exploring Karma, Consciousness, and the Divine”; the Rev. Dr. Peter Heltzel of the New York Theological Seminary; the guitarist Vernon Reid; and the Gospel for Teens Choir. Brian Lehrer of WNYC and the novelist Farai Chideya are the hosts.” (NYT listings)
Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, Harlem
At 3 p.m./ FREE, but reservations are required.
(800) 745-3000,apollotheater.org

Christian Scott
Edison Award winning trumpeter-composer-producer-bandleader Christian Scott stands tall among a handful of talented young jazz artists who are expanding their artistic vision beyond the strict confines of the genre’s tradition. Throughout his career, Scott has been an intrepid explorer, from his Grammy nominated debut Rewind That to his genre stretching last album Yesterday You Said Tomorrow.

Scott ups the ante on his compelling new double album, Christian aTunde Adjuah, an inspired and provocative two-CD, 23-track collection that spans a range of beyond-jazz influences as he continues to make strides into uncharted jazz territory.;
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover at tables, $15 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net

J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions (through next Friday)
Top-ranked squash players will compete in this annual contest taking place in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal. The first round matches are Friday through Monday at noon, with today’s last match scheduled to start at 2:45PM.

Men’s quarterfinals and women’s rounds on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.; quarterfinals on Wednesday at 1 p.m.; semifinals on Thursday at 5 p.m.; and finals next Friday at 6 p.m.
Grand Central Terminal,Park Ave and 42nd St,
$8 to $170
(718) 569-0594, tocsquash.com

Christian McBride
It’s the last night of a two week gig at the Vanguard.

“In addition to his stature as a bassist of hale authority, Mr. McBride is an evangelist for the sort of feel-good enlightenment once routinely expected of modern jazz. This weekend he powers an effervescent trio featuring two insightful young bloods, the pianist Christian Sands and the drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.(Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Ave South, at 11th St., West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 to $30 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com

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

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 – SATURDAY, JAN. 18, 2014

‘La Bohème’ (Saturday and Wednesday)
Franco Zeffirelli’s bustling, colorful production of this Puccini opera, introduced in 1981, is so popular that the Metropolitan Opera has not always taken care to cast it with the best singers. So it is good news that this revival has such a winning cast, headed by the lovely, plush-voiced soprano Maija Kovalevska as Mimi and the ardent, youthful tenor Joseph Calleja as Rodolfo.

The robust baritone Alexey Markov makes a hearty and impulsive Marcello, and the bright soprano Irina Lungu is a vivacious Musetta. Stefano Ranzani conducts a sensitive and textured performance.” (NYT-Anthony Tommasini)
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center,
Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Wednesday at 7:30 p.m./ $27-$445!
(212) 362-6000, metoperafamily.org

Shen Yun Performing Arts (Through Jan 19)
“Heavenly maidens, brave warriors, mischievous monks, and, yes, even a flying pig! China’s 5,000 years of uninterrupted history has yielded an endless treasure trove of legends, myths, and literary classics. These stories come to life in vivid detail through Shen Yun’s awe-inspiring performances.

Let Shen Yun take you on an extraordinary journey spanning from the origins of Chinese civilization through the height of the Tang and Song dynasties all the way to the modern day. It’s a performance that not only entertains, but more broadly, educates and inspires.

Based in New York, Shen Yun has become the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company and a global, cultural sensation, reviving the authentic culture of China that was once almost lost. And now, after enchanting royals in London, performing for packed houses across Asia, and wowing a sold-out audience at Lincoln Center last season, Shen Yun is returning to the Lincoln Center stage with an entirely new program for 2014!” (CityGuide) 
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, DHK Theater, 20 Lincoln Center
At 7:30Pm / $80-$300
212-496-0600 – http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org

BILL FRISELL
“The guitarist Frisell can wring equal depth and beauty from a free-form Paul Motian composition or a Stephen Foster ballad and just about anything in between. For the second installment of his “Roots of Americana” series here, Frisell has invited a couple of his past collaborators, the singer-guitarist-songwriter Buddy Miller and the vocalist-fiddler Carrie Rodriguez, to join him in a program inspired by the Bristol Sessions.

It was at a small studio in this Tennessee town that what we think of as country music was first laid down, in 1927—hugely influential recordings by the Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, and others. A pre-concert discussion will accompany each of the four performances.” (NewYorker listings)
Allen Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St.
At 7 and 9:30 p.m./ $45-$75,
(212) 721-6500, jalc.org

Art Spiegelman & Phil Johnston ‘Wordless’
“Subtitled an “intellectual vaudeville,” this unusual work combines various disciplines of the popular arts: graphics, cartoons, jazz and narration. The images that are presented may be bereft of words, but, thankfully, Pulitzer Prize-winning illustrator and author Art Spiegelman has a few choice ones.

Often called “the father of the graphic novel,” Mr. Spiegelman presents illustrated examples of the graphic novel form going back decades before his own “Maus”-terpiece. The original score is by saxophonist and composer Phil Johnston, best known for the now-iconic Microscopic Septet, whose music is as quirky, eccentric and memorable as Mr. Spiegelman’s artwork.” (WSJ)
Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Ave, at Ashland Place
subway: #2 to atlantic ave; walk 1 block N on ashland to venue.
(not manhattan’s WestSide, but this looks worth the jaunt – about 30 min from times sq)
At 7:30 p.m./ $30
(718) 636-4100, bam.org

New York Jewish Film Festival (January 8–23)
Presented by the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this global survey of innovative and provocative movies focusing on the Jewish experience is back in 2014 for its 23rd installment. A number of films presented in years past have gone on to be distributed nationally in theaters and on TV (in fact, Ajami, a tense crime thriller that unfolds on the streets of Jaffa in Israel and was featured in the 2010 festival, received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film).

Today’s highlight is the program at 11:45 p.m. devoted to the work of the graphic designer and filmmaker Saul Bass. First a screening of his 1974 film, “Phase IV,” and “Ambling Alp,”, then a short music video by the filmmakers Kirby McClure and Julia Grigorian that was inspired by Bass’s film. A full schedule is at nyjff.org.
Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th St., and
Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th St.
Tickets are $13, $9 for students and 62+

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
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What’s on View:
Special Exhibitions @ 4 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

‘Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom’ (through Feb. 23)
“Venetian Glass by Carlo Scarpa, The Venini Co., 1932–1947” (through March 2, 2014)
‘Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China’ (through April 6)
‘The American West in Bronze, 1850-1925’ (ends April 13)
William Kentridge: ‘The Refusal of Time’ (through May 11)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

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‘Chagall: Love, War, and Exile’ (through Feb. 2)
this one is very special – don’t miss it.
Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Avenue, at 92nd St.
(212) 423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org

‘Christopher Wool’ (through Jan. 22, 2014)
“Kandinsky in Paris, 1934–1944“ (through Apr. 23, 2014)

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

‘Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Hals: Masterpieces of Dutch Painting From the Mauritshuis’ (last 2 days)
Frick Collection, 1 East 70th St., at Fifth Ave.
everyone wants to see “the girl with the pearl earring”, so admission is by timed tickets.
212-288-0700 / frick.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. ==========================================================

What’s on View: Top Photography Exhibitions
(NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide)   

Museum of Modern Art 11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014) 

Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969  (through Jan. 26, 2014)

ICP 1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000
Lewis Hine
The Future of America: Lewis Hine’s New Deal Photographs
JFK November 22, 1963: A Bystander’s View of History
Zoe Strauss: 10 Years
All these exhibitions run from Oct 4, 2013–Jan 19, 2014

American Museum Natural History 
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies (through May 31, 2014)

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 01/10 and 01/08.

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, JAN. 17, 2014

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, JAN. 16, 2014

Edgar Allan Poe Discussion with Paul Auster and Isaac Gewirtz
“The author Paul Auster, a longtime Poe fan (the first book he bought at the age of 9 was a collection of Poe stories and poems), will discuss Poe’s influence on his work with Isaac Gewirtz, curator of the Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the New York Public Library.

The talk is being presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul,” which comprises items from collections at the New York Public Library and the Morgan, where it is on view through Jan. 26.” (NYT)
Morgan Library, 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
At 7 p.m., the exhibition will be open at 6 p.m. for viewing
$25, $15 for museum members and Friends of the New York Public Library
(212) 685-0008, Ext. 560, themorgan.org

50 Great Portuguese Wines
Joshua Greene, editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits, hand picked 50 Portuguese wines for this vinous event. For $85, attendees can mix and mingle with some of the United States’ top sommeliers and Portuguese wine makers while snacking on light bites. Guests will also have the chance to win a free trip for two to Portugal. Reserve a ticket.
Celeste Bartos Forum – New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street,
At 6 p.m. / $85
212-340-0866 / nypl.org

Shawn Holt & The Teardrops
Performing for the first time in NYC since the passing of his father, the former leader of The Teardrops, Shawn Holt will his father’s legacy as a blues performer at Terra Blues. This will be an unforgettable night in blues history, one that no blues fan should miss!
Saron Crenshaw live acoustic set @7:00pm
Followed by Shawn Holt & The Tear Drops @10:00pm
Terra Blues, 149 Bleecker St.
At 7pm / $20

Diane Schuur (through Jan 18)
One of the premier vocalists in jazz, Seattle native Diane Schuur — nicknamed “Deedles” since the 1984 recording of the same name featuring saxophone icon Stan Getz — is beloved around the world. She has won two Grammy Awards and headlined the most prestigious music venues including Carnegie Hall and The White House.

She has also collaborated, toured and/or recorded with Quincy Jones, BB King, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Barry Manilow among many others. This engagement, marking her Birdland debut, is a double occasion in which Deedles will celebrate her recent 60th Birthday as well as preview material from her forthcoming CD “I Remember You: With Love to Stan and Frank,” a tribute to her mentors Stan Getz and Frank Sinatra.
Birdland, 315 W 44th St., btw Eighth and Ninth Aves
At 8:30 and 11PM / $45, plus $10 minimum
212-581-3080 / birdlandjazz.com

Parsons Dance (through Jan. 26)
“This company’s 30th-anniversary engagement includes a premiere by its artistic director, David Parsons, and his signature work, “Caught,” which features copious strobe lights and one athletic male dancer. Just as hypermasculine is “The Hunt” by Robert Battle, a former company member.”(Burke-NYT)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea,
at 8 p.m./ $10 to $69.
(212) 242-0800, joyce.org

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
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WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 3 MUSEUMS (Manhattan’s WestSide) 

‘Walker Evans: American Photographs’ (through Jan. 26, 2014)
American Modern: Hopper to O’Keefe (through Jan. 26, 2014)
America’s cultural landscape shifted rapidly in the early 20th century. American Modern at the Museum of Modern Art looks at this change via some of the iconic works produced between 1915 and 1950. Artists highlighted include George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz and Andrew Wyeth. In organizing the art thematically, American Modern will highlight the connections between the artists’ works.
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St. (btw 5th /6th Ave.)
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.
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‘The Armory Show at 100: Modern Art and Revolution’ (through Feb. 23, 2014)
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, at 77th St.
(212) 873-3400 / nyhistory.org.

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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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WHAT’S ON VIEW: Top Photography Exhibitions
(NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide)

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

  American Museum Natural History 
Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies          
(through May 31, 2014)
79th St. And Central Park West / (212) 313-7278 

   International Center Photography
Lewis Hine
The Future of America: Lewis Hine’s New Deal Photographs
JFK November 22, 1963: A Bystander’s View of History
Zoe Strauss: 10 Years
All these exhibitions run through Jan. 19, 2014
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (01/14) and (01/12).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15, 2014

Alejandro Escovedo
Texan guitarist and singer Alejandro Escovedo has covered a continent of musical terrain since he formed his first band, a punk rock outfit called The Nuns, in San Francisco in 1975. In 1997, Alejandro collaborated with Whiskeytown and Ryan Adams during the recording sessions for their album “Strangers Almanac.”

After falling ill in 2003 friends rallied, raising funds by recording a tribute album “Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo.” Contributing musicians included Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, John Cale and Son Volt, as well as Escovedo’s niece Sheila E. Escovedo has released 11 solo albums, most recently 2012’s “Big Station” which was produced by the legendary Tony Visconti (David Bowie, Morrissey).
City Winery in TriBeCa.
at 8PM/ $35-$45

The Moth GrandSLAM Championship XXXI
Before the Super Bowl rolls through, there’s another much more storied championship to be played. Tonight, the Moth heads to Brooklyn to crown a GrandSLAM victor. If you enjoy a good tall tale, then this event, which showcases the best and brightest yarn weavers from group’s events throughout the year, should not disappoint.” (Mindy Bond, Flavorpill)
Music Hall of Williamsburg
At 7:30pm / $20

Rosanne Cash: The River and the Thread
a musical performance by singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and a discussion with WFUV public radio host Carmel Holt.
Union Square B&N, 33 East 17th St.
at 7:00 PM / Priority seating will be given with purchase of The River and the Thread.
212-253-0810

Brainwave: The Skating Champion, Olympian Brian Boitano +
research psychologist Roy F. Baumeister
Skater Brian Boitano talks about strength, endurance, and the brain

In a conversation with the author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, three-time Olympic skater Boitano explores the processes of his brain as he addresses the endurance, stamina, and discipline required to stay at the top of his game and overcome injury.
Rubin Museum of Art (RMA)
At 7pm / $35
http://www.rmanyc.org/brainwave

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

No 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 to Harlem totally worthwhile.

This second incarnation of Dinosaur in Harlem is in an 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 door you are hit with that tantalizing aroma of barbecue coming from the large open kitchen. Reminds me of all 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 Mississippi 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. 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 humongous 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 Hwy, all may open before a table inside the main dining room. Otherwise, try Dinosaur for lunch, or come very late for dinner.

Website: http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
Phone #: 212-694-1777
Hours: M-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 10:00pm
Subway: #1 to 125th st
Walk 2 blk W on 125th to Dinosaur Bar-B-Q,
just past the elevated highway

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, 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.

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 – TUESDAY, JAN. 14, 2014

Parsons Dance (through Jan 26)
“Parsons Dance brings its blend of athleticism, stunning ensemble work, and pure joy to the stage for evenings of high-energy dance. The program includes the world premiere of David Parsons’ For EK, set to music by Steve Reich, a multi-media experience using the work of major American 20th century painters as a visual backdrop.

The season also includes Nascimento Novo, performed to music by South American legend Milton Nascimento and Caught, the stroboscopic masterwork that continues to wow audiences around the world. In addition, four special family matinees will include kid-friendly repertory and an opportunity to meet the dancers.” (NYC guide)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave.,
At 7:30 pm / $35-$59
212-242-0800, joyce.org

Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates shares his memoir, Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, during his only New York City book tour stop.
New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, at Richard Gilder Way (77th St.)
At 6:30 p.m./ $30
212-873-3400 / www.nyhistory.org

Habitats: Private Lives in the Big City.
Explore the private lives of New York City with author of Habitats: Private Lives in the Big City Constance Rosenblum. She was also the longtime editor of The New York Times‘s City section and former editor of the paper’s Arts and Leisure section.
Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place
AT 6:30 p.m. / FREE
212-968-1961 / skyscraper.org

David Broza
“A superstar in his native Israel, Mr. Broza regularly visits New York to croon his evocative folk-rock. (He has also called Cresskill, N.J., his home.) His next album, “East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem” (S-Curve), for which he tellingly covers Nick Lowe’s peaceable jam “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace Love and Understanding,” will be released on the day of this show.” (Anderson-NYT)
Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea,
At 8 p.m./$30 to $45 at the door.
414-5994,highlineballroom.com

Ute Lemper: Last Tango in Berlin
“Whether attracting or repelling her audiences, the superb international chanteuse Ute Lemper is never less than magnetic. Her style is perversely polymorphic: One moment she tears into a song with predatory hunger, then she might purr out a dreamy croon or toss back her head for a brassy squeal of jazz. At 54 below, she applies her subversive irony and aquiline glamour to a polyglot selection of songs from around the world.”
(TONY mag)
54 Below, 254 W 54th St (btw Broadway and Eighth Ave)
9:00pm / $40–$60 plus $25 minimum
866-468-7619 / 54below.com

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

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.

WHAT’S ON VIEW: Here are 3 Special Exhibitions in Chelsea Galleries that you may want to see:

Bing Wright (through Jan 18)
Over the years, Wright’s photography has been marked by a focus on surface as metaphor for the photograph itself, with his work achieving a poetical stillness as a result. The photos here, for example, include his color series “Broken Mirror/Evening Sky,” in which the setting sun is seen reflected within the cracks of a shattered mirror, scattering the oranges and violets of dusk to an almost stained-glass effect.
Paula Cooper Gallery 521 W 21st St, (between Tenth and Eleventh Aves)
Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
212-255-1105 / paulacoopergallery.com

“Martin Thompson: Positive/Negative” (through Jan 18)
This self-taught artist and mathematician from New Zealand creates mind-bogglingly intricate felt-tip pen drawings on graph paper that resemble the pixelated results of an Amish quilt mating with an old-school video game such as Pac-Man or Space Invaders.

Each piece is made according to a numerical formula that Thompson follows as he precisely fills in each square. When he makes a mistake, which he sometimes does, he excises the offending part of the composition with a scalpel, replacing it with a Scotch-taped piece of corrected paper that exactly fits over the elided area—creating, in the bargain, a textural effect. Suffering from a mental disorder that makes it difficult for him to interact with people, Thompson views making art as a coping mechanism for dealing with the world.
Ricco/Maresca Gallery, 529 W 20th St, third floor, (btw 10th/11th ave)
Tue–Sat 11am–6pm
212-627-4819 / riccomaresca.com

Richard Serra, “New Sculpture” (until Sat. Jan. 25, 2014)
Gagosian’s double dose of Richard Serra presents dueling sides of the sculptor: the popular artist name checked in a Vampire Weekend song, and the confrontational figure familiar from his earlier career.

The gallery’s West 21st Street location presents the former in fine form, with a single massive work. Curling ribbons of steel, set on edge and towering to ceiling height, nestle together to create Serra’s signature bowing and curving of space. They swallow viewers up in a phenomenological ecstasy one usually associates with, say, walking along a narrow canyon. The metal’s russet color only adds to the sensation of experiencing something more natural than man-made.

The tone, if not the scale, of the work shifts on West 24th Street, with a group of sculptures and nary a bend in sight. Hard-edged steel plates, patinated a carceral gray, get in your way like barricades around a government building. A set of enormous blocks serves as a memorial to the recently deceased sculptor Walter De Maria, a friend of Serra’s. Experiential warmth gives way to cold truths as Serra employs his legendary toughness to challenge not only gravity, but death itself.—(Howard Halle/TONY mag)
Gagosian Gallery, 522 W 21st St, btw 10th/11th Aves
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm
212-741-1717 / gagosian.com

For a listing of 25 essential galleries in the Chelsea Art Gallery District, organized by street, which enables you to create your own Chelsea Art Gallery crawl, see the Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com)

Or check out TONY magazine’s list of the “Best Chelsea Galleries” and click through to see what’s on view.

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (01/12) and (01/10).