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

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, DEC. 24, 2013

It’s Christmas Eve, and there are many choices for religious music:
(thanks to the NYT)

Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (Episcopal), 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, at 112th Street, Morningside Heights. At 4 p.m.: New York premiere of Barber’s “Christmas Eve” (Op. 8); Handel’s “Rejoice Greatly” from “Messiah”; and motets by Warlock and Britten. At 10:30 p.m.: Buxtehude’s Cantata “Das Neugeborne Kindelein,” Palestrina’s Missa Brevis and motets of John Rutter and Bassi; with orchestra; Raymond Nagem, organist; Kent Tritle, music director. 212-316-7490, stjohndivine.org.

Church of St. Luke in the Fields (Episcopal), 487 Hudson Street, at Grove Street, West Village. A Baroque Christmas, with Purcell’s Christmas Anthem, Buxtehude’s “In Dulci Jubilo” and Schütz’s “Hodie Christus natus est.” At 9:30 p.m.: Schubert’s Mass in G and Haydn’s “Verbum Caro Factum Est,” with period instruments; David Shuler, music director and organist. At 10 p.m., 212-924-0562, stlukeinthefields.org.

Church of the Ascension (Episcopal), Fifth Avenue at 10th Street, Greenwich Village. Palestrina’s “Alma Redemptoris Mater”; Victoria’s “O Magnum Mysterium”; Bruckner’s Ave Maria; Vaughan Williams’s “On Christmas Night”; Gregorian chants and traditional carols; Dennis Keene, organist and choirmaster. At 10:30 p.m., 212-254-8620, ascensionnyc.org.

St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral (Roman Catholic), Mott and Prince Streets, SoHo. At 10:30 p.m.: Praetorius’s “Lo How a Rose”; Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter”; Victoria’s “Jesu, Dulcis Memoria”; Gregorian chant, congregational carols and organ works. At 11 p.m.: Balbastre’s “Deuxième Suite de Noël”; Gounod’s Messe Brève No. 7; Palestrina’s “Hodie Christus Natus Est”; congregational carols and other works; Amor Artis Chorus; Jared Lamenzo, organist; Stephen Somary, music director and conductor. 212-874-4513, amorartis.org.

Trinity Church (Episcopal), Broadway at Wall Street, Lower Manhattan. Malcolm’s Missa ad Praesepe; anthems by Howells, Darke and Britten and traditional hymns and carols; with Trinity Baroque Orchestra. At 9:15 p.m. A webcast can be viewed at trinitywallstreet.org. (212) 602-0800.

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

Nossa Mesa Supper Club: Christmas Eve Seven Fishes Tasting Menu
“Chef David Santos serves up his own interpretation on the Feast of the Seven Fishes this Christmas Eve at his west village spot, Louro. Giving the Italian-American tradition a global spin, Santos arrives at a menu that includes Uni Crudo with truffle and grapefruit, Lobster Fra Diavolo, Piri Piri Shrimp and Roasted Monkfish with winter bean ragu. After the worldwide tour, the meal concludes with an American standby, a chocolate brownie with white chocolate pudding and candy cane ice cream.”(Mindy Bond, Flavorpill)
Louro, 142 WEST 10TH ST.
At  5:30pm / $85
212.206.0606 / louronyc.com/december-24/

DR. MICHAEL WHITE AND THE ORIGINAL LIBERTY JAZZ BAND OF NEW ORLEANS
The Village Vanguard winds down December in what has become a traditional fashion. The clarinettist and musicologist White is a proud scion of the Crescent City, who lives to celebrate the riches of jazz’s first golden era. Hurricane Katrina laid waste much of his archival material, but he is exuberant in his renditions of classics by Armstrong, Bechet, King Oliver, and other Big Easy icons. His band plays with gusto, unhindered by historical pieties.
Village Vanguard,  178 Seventh Ave S, at 11th Street, West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 and $30 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Michael Feinstein (through Dec. 28)
“It wouldn’t be the holidays without Michael Feinstein —he’s no less a seasonal landmark than the tree at Rockefeller Center. Chances are you know people who’ve come from all over the country to see the decorations on Fifth Avenue, and the Feinstein Holiday show, no less than Radio City’s annual holiday pagent (which, this year, features the excellent singer Jennifer Sheehan ) is always on their must-see list.

Although Feinstein’s at the Regency has shuttered its chimney, the good news is that Mr. Feinstein himself is bringing his traditional holiday package to Times Square, and he always puts together a stunning mix of the old-time holiday standards we expect and something new and/or offbeat. And yes, there’s always Tom Lehrer’s classic “Chanukah in Santa Monica.” (WSJ)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. (btw 8/9 Ave.)
At 8:30 PM / $75 (at the bar) – $200
(212) 581-3080

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – Tribeca

B-Flat  /  277 Church st (Btw Franklin/White)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges  – 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 – MONDAY, DEC. 23, 2013

Holiday Markets
More than 150 vendors are selling their goods in Union Square Park, bordered by Park Avenue South, Broadway and 14th Streets, through Christmas Eve. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; urbanspacenyc.com. (through Dec 24)

The Holiday Shops are just part of the seasonal events in Bryant Park, at Avenue of the Americas and 40th Street, through Jan. 5. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (through Jan. 5)

In Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, the 14th annual Holiday Fair offers 76 stalls of goods through Christmas Eve. Hours: Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. These shops have some nice stuff. Try to shop before noon and avoid the lunch time worker bee crowds. (through Dec 24)

While in GrandCentral check out the Holiday Train Show (through Feb. 23) which features a 34-foot-long Lionel model train layout. It’s on display at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store near the Station Master’s Office. To be honest, this year’s setup is not as good as previous years and not worth a special trip to GCT. But it is FREE and  can be viewed weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. see mta.info/mta/museum.

Christmas at Birdland (variations through Dec. 28)
Holiday music will be the theme of several sets at Birdland jazz club. Tonight, “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” will feature the cabaret performers Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch.

In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch will perform swinging arrangements of “Christmas Waltz,” Kay Thompson’s “Holiday Season,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” among other favorites. The singers will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Carmen Intorre on drums.
Birdland – 315 West 44th St (btw 8th/9th ave)
at 6 p.m./$30 cover (includes a drink if you sit at the bar, which are not bad seats)
(212) 581-3080 / birdlandjazz.com

Duduka Da Fonseca and Helio Alves + ANAT COHEN: Jazz Samba Christmas
“Duduka Da Fonseca, a drummer, and Helio Alves, a pianist, have carved out a strong niche together, playing in each other’s bands and on each other’s albums. For this holiday engagement they enlist the clarinetist Anat Cohen, the guitarist Mike Moreno, the bassist Hans Glawischnig and the singer Maucha Adnet.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway,
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m./$40 and $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

Eric Alexander Quartet featuring Louis Hayes (through Dec 25)
To kickoff the third annual “Countdown: A John Coltrane Festival,” Saxophonist Eric Alexander leads a quartet featuring the legendary Louis Hayes. Louis Hayes, a drummer at the heart of straight-ahead jazz for the past 50 years, established his reputation in the 1950’s and 60’s during extended stints with Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, and Cannonball Adderley.

His innate swing and effortless feel sometimes make it seem like he invented jazz drumming. He has worked with everyone from Dizzy and Newk to Ravi Shankar and, of course, Trane. As The New York Times reports, “You know the drummer Louis Hayes if you have a halfway decent jazz record collection.”
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, at 106th St.
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $40 cover
(212) 864-6662, smokejazz.com

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

xx

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 4 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.
==========================================================

‘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.

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

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Al Hirschfeld Exhibition
(through Jan. 4, 2014)
“The Line King’s Library,” a display of work by Al Hirschfeld, whose specialty was theatrical caricatures, includes rare works as well as those familiar to theatergoers and readers of various publications, including The New York Times. The exhibition also includes video interviews with Mr. Hirschfeld, who died in 2003 at 99, and works by some of his contemporaries.”
NY Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center
111 Amsterdam Ave and 65th St.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m.,
until 8 on Mondays and Thursdays
(917) 275-6975, nypl.org/events/exhibitions/line-kings-library.

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

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

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

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

  Museum of Modern Art
XL: 19NewAcquisitions in Photography (through Dec. 31)
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
New Photography 2013 (through Jan. 6, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
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

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (12/21) and (12/19).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, DEC. 22, 2013

It’s the Sunday before Christmas, just the right time for some religious music of the season in church, and elsewhere. [thanks to the NYT for these listings]

Corpus Christi Church (Roman Catholic), 529 West 121st Street, Morningside Heights.
Gregorian chant, Missa XVII Adventus et Quadragesimae; Sanctus; Finck’s “Agnus Dei”; Schütz’s “Joseph, du Sohn David”; Sweelinck’s “Ecce Virgo Concipiet”; and organ works by Bach and Buxtehude; Louise Basbas, organist and music director.
At 11:15 a.m., 212-666-9350, corpus-christi-nyc.org.

First Presbyterian Church in the City of NY, 5th Ave at 11th St., GreenwichVillage.
Candlelight service including works by Britten (“A Boy Was Born,” “In the Bleak Mid-Winter” and “Jesu, as Thou Art Our Saviour”); Willan’s “The Three Kings”; English carols arranged by Willcocks and other works; followed by congregational singing of traditional carols and a reception; William Entriken, music director and organist.
At 4 p.m., 212-675-6150, fpcnyc.org.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sculpture Court.
David Lang’s “Little Match Girl Passion,” for which he received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for music, based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen, as well as Wolfgang Rihm’s “Astralis”; The Crossing, a chamber choir; Donald Nally, conductor.
At 6 p.m., 212-570-3949, metmuseum.org/tickets; $60.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band presents a “Creole Christmas” at the Brooklyn Bowl. Doors open at 6 p.m. /$20

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

Nostalgia Train Ride
Last chance to take a trip back into time onboard the 1930s-era Nostalgia Special, which will run along the M Line between Long Island City, Queens and Lower Manhattan during the first four Sundays in December.

The Nostalgia Special is made up of subway cars in service from the 1930s to the 1970s, running along the lettered lines from the Grand Concourse to Coney Island.  They were also the cars that originally operated along the A Line.  Their ceiling fans, padded seats, and incandescent light bulbs were state-of-the-art when these cars were first placed in service.  The last of the cars were removed from service more than 35 years ago. “They aren’t the first subway cars, but these R 1/9 cars served for five decades and are historically significant as the rolling stock that originally served the IND.”

STREB “Forces” (last day)
“Action heroes are usually the stuff of summer blockbusters, but thanks to Elizabeth Streb they have made their way to the world of dance as well. This pioneering daredevil choreographer showcases the long fall season with her fearless dancers at their home base, the Streb Lab for Action Mechanics in Brooklyn. The new piece, “Forces,” like all of her work, is equal parts circus, stunt and acrobatics, with the aid of Ms. Streb’s homegrown gadgets and contraptions.” — (NYT-BrianSchaefer)
Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Brooklyn
$40 to $60; family four-pack, $130
(866) 811-4111  / http://streb.org
this is not manhattan’s westside, but it is brooklyn’s westside (hipster williamsburg),
and definitely worth the trip – this show is awesome!
subway: #1-2-3 to 14th St.; transfer to L train to Bedford (1st stop in bklyn)
walk 6 blocks S on Bedford to 1st St; 3 blks W on 1st St. to STREB (12 min)
and stop at the radegast biergarten, which is right on the way before or after the show.

Bobby Womack*
“Mentored by Sam Cooke, covered by the Rolling Stones, a guitarist for Aretha Franklin and then a superstar in his own right with a string of successful albums in the 1970s, Bobby Womack is a living soul legend. But by the ’80s, he fell from the spotlight to deal with a drug addiction. But in 2009, his gritty, powerful voice appeared “Stylo,” by the cartoon band Gorillaz, proving he still had singing chops. Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn took Mr. Womack into the studio for his 2012 comeback album, “The Bravest Man in the Universe”: Mr. Womack’s formidable singing voice remains undiminished.” (WSJ)

If you want to hear one of the iconic NYCity songs of all time, hunt up a copy of his “Across 110th Street”. If he still sounds like that, then this performance will be a nice holiday treat, and the City Winery is a wonderful place to hear music.
City Winery, 155 Varick St., near Spring St., South Village,
At 8 p.m./ $90 to $125.
608-0555, citywinery.com

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – 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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges  – 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 – SATURDAY, DEC. 21, 2013

Holiday Light! “Singing Angels, Silver Bells”
Early English Carols; Renaissance music by Praetorius, Guererro, Victoria, Hassler.
German and Latin American Baroque works.
Early American Music, Spirituals, 20th century works by Hugo Distler.
Contemporary music by Matthew Harris, Elliot Levine, Gayla Morgan.
“A kaleidoscopic tapestry of vocal hues …” — New York Times
Church of St Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street
AT 8:00 pm / $25-$35
212-873-2848

Circus Der Sinne (through Jan. 5)
Fans of contemporary circus may be used to the surreal worlds of Cirque du Soleil, but “Mother Africa” by Circus Der Sinne (“Circus of the Senses”) offers a warmer and more spirited journey through a specific cultural landscape. Riding a wave of propulsive rhythms, the show mixes the spectacle of contortionists, jugglers and other tricksters with live African music and dance.” (Schaefer-NYT)
New Victory Theater,  209 West 42nd St. (btw 7th/8th ave)
at 2 and 7 p.m. / $17 to $60
223-3010, newvictory.org

Bring Home The Sun
Paul Winter’s 34th Annual Winter Solstice Celebration
featuring the Paul Winter Consort, vocalist Theresa Thomason,
Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, legendary Brazilian singer Ivan Lins,
Brazilian guitarist and vocalist Renato Braz, and more.

The NYT says: “an immersive, multi media extravaganza”.
The Cathedral is a grand space for what I remember as a grand spectacle.
The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, 111th St and Amsterdam Ave
AT 2PM, 7:30PM / $35 and $55
solsticeconcert.com

GERI ALLEN
“Forming what amounts to a post-bop supergroup, the lauded pianist and composer stocks her quartet with the increasingly influential saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, as well as the drummer Jeff (Tain) Watts and the bassist James Genus, as rock solid a rhythm section as could be wished for.” (NewYorker mag)

Look for her solo piano version of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 and $30, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Mark Dresser Quintet*
A master of abstract texture and extended techniques, the bassist Mark Dresser has an expressive new album, “Nourishments,” that puts a hard spin on the postbop quintet language. For this one-nighter, he reconvenes the album’s uncompromising personnel: Rudresh Mahanthappa on saxophone, Michael Dessen on trombone, Denman Maroney on prepared piano and Michael Sarin on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village
At 9 and 10:30 p.m./$15 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check 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:

Raqib Shaw, “Paradise Lost” (last day)
East meets West in the work of this London artist, who originally hails from India, and whose sumptuous, jewel-and-enamel inlaid paintings and intricately detailed sculptures combine numerous traditions and canons—including Indian miniatures and textiles, Old Master painting, Orientalism and Surrealism. His works might be best described as visions of paradise being invaded by the forces of hell. It’s a strange mix that plays upon our notions of exoticism while sending them up. For his debut at Pace, the artist fills all three of the gallery’s Chelsea locations.
Pace Gallery 508 W 25th St. btw Tenth and Eleventh Aves
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm
212-255-4044 / thepacegallery.com

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

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.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (12/13) and (12/11).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, DEC. 20, 2013

Caroling at The Morgan (also Sun. Dec. 22, from 3 to 5.)
The Morgan Library and Museum, which is currently displaying Charles Dickens’s original manuscript of “A Christmas Carol,” has singers from Mannes College The New School for Music roaming its halls, performing seasonal fare.
Morgan Library, 225 Mdison Ave. (btw 37th/36th St.)
From 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Free with museum admission. No tickets or reservations required.
Admission: $18 Adults, $12 Seniors (65 and over)
N.B. Admission is free on Fridays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
212-685-0008, themorgan.org

Darlene Love*
“Her lovelorn “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a holiday rock showstopper for the ages; her annual year-end festivities are a New York institution. Truly, Ms. Love, Phil Spector’s former protégée, has been an indelible voice in pop from the 1960s onward, and has reaped extra rewards lately — the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted her in 2011 and the documentary “20 Feet From Stardom,” released this year, followed her rise reverently.”(Anderson-NYT)
B. B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd St
At 8 p.m./ unfortunately, looks sold out, but the venue says tickets may be available the day of the show. Here’s the deal – another show on Jan 4, 2014 has been added – get your tickets now.
bbkingblues.com, (800) 745-3000

‘Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Hals: Masterpieces of Dutch Painting From the Mauritshuis’ (through Jan. 19)
This is one of the most anticipated shows of the year.

Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” has not been seen in New York for nearly 30 years, but it’s only one of 15 quality paintings in this show on loan from the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, which is under renovation.

The NYT art critic thinks that Carel Fabritius’s palpitating little “Goldfinch” is the star of the show, but there are also four Rembrandt’s and Jacob van Ruisdael’s well respected “View of Haarlem With Bleaching Grounds,” among others. Pick your own favorite.
Frick Collection, 1 East 70th Street, Manhattan,
The Frick has been tweeting: “psst: insider tip: we’re keeping the show open free next 2 Friday evenings 6-9pm. Tends to be oddly quiet after 7pm”. Sounds like a plan.
288-0700, frick.org

A Broadway Christmas with the Philharmonic (also Dec. 21 @ 2PM)
There’s no better place than the New York Philharmonic for the holidays, especially with Broadway superstar Brian Stokes Mitchell to bring alive all your favorites — from “White Christmas” to “The Little Drummer Boy,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and much more.
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
At 7:30 p.m. (Dec. 21 at 2 p.m.) / Orchestra tickets $59
212-875-5656, nyphil.org/holidays

Bobby Womack* (through Sunday)
“A slyly radical soul music veteran, Bobby Womack wrote and recorded songs like “It’s All Over Now,” which the Rolling Stones covered (and it became their earliest No. 1 hit). At 69, he has had his share of health problems, and this year he opened up about suffering from memory loss.

After spending years away from the spotlight, he re-emerged last year with his first record of original songs in nearly two decades, “The Bravest Man in the Universe.” The album, co-produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell of XL Records, features a jazzy duet with Lana Del Rey (“Dayglo Reflection”) and plenty of indomitable attitude.” (Anderson-NYT)

If you want to hear one of the iconic NYCity songs of all time, hunt up a copy of his “Across 110th Street”. If he still sounds like that, then this performance will be a nice holiday treat, and the City Winery is a wonderful place to hear music.
City Winery, 155 Varick St., near Spring St., South Village,
At 8 p.m./ $90 to $125.
608-0555, citywinery.com

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

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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges  – 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.
===========================================================================================

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. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

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

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

There are also some casual dining, chain restaurant locations in this neighborhood that have decent food, provide a good hotel breakfast alternative, and have free Wi-FI:

A. Pret a Manger @ 821 Broadway (betw 12/13 st)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st; transfer to n/q/r to 14th st/union sq

B. Potbelly @ 41 W14th st (betw 5th/6th ave)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 14th st

C. Cosi @ 53 E 8th st (betw greene/mercer)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st; transfer to n/r to 8th st

◊ For a few more PremierPubs and Good Eating places see previous Featured Neighborhoods in the right sidebar.

◊ 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 Winter 2013)

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, DEC. 19, 2013

Holiday Markets
More than 150 vendors are selling their goods in Union Square Park, bordered by Park Avenue South, Broadway and 14th Streets, through Christmas Eve. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; urbanspacenyc.com. (through Dec 24)

The Holiday Shops are just part of the seasonal events in Bryant Park, at Avenue of the Americas and 40th Street, through Jan. 5. Hours: weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (through Jan. 5)

In Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, the 14th annual Holiday Fair offers 76 stalls of goods through Christmas Eve. Hours: Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. These shops have some nice stuff. Try to shop before noon and avoid the lunch time worker bee crowds. (through Dec 24)

While in GrandCentral check out the Holiday Train Show (through Feb. 23) which features a 34-foot-long Lionel model train layout. It’s on display at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store near the Station Master’s Office. To be honest, this year’s setup is not as good as previous years and not worth a special trip to GCT. But it is FREE and  can be viewed weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. see mta.info/mta/museum.

Explore the life of Leonardo da Vinci, the artist and scientist.
Leonardo da Vinci (1552–1519) has been especially popularized as the universal genius of the Renaissance for his activity as artist and scientist. Carmen C. Bambach, Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will attempt to explain some of Leonardo’s methods and innovations, based on an examination of his extant notebooks and practices, and how he was perceived historically. The exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: Treasures from the Biblioteca Reale, Turin, will be open at 5:30 pm for lecture attendees. This lecture is co-organized by the Morgan Drawing Institute.
Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave. (btw 36/37 St.)
At 6:30PM / $15
212-685-0008

Michael Feinstein (through Dec. 28, no Dec. 22 & 23)
“It wouldn’t be the holidays without Michael Feinstein —he’s no less a seasonal landmark than the tree at Rockefeller Center. Chances are you know people who’ve come from all over the country to see the decorations on Fifth Avenue, and the Feinstein Holiday show, no less than Radio City’s annual holiday pagent (which, this year, features the excellent singer Jennifer Sheehan ) is always on their must-see list.

Although Feinstein’s at the Regency has shuttered its chimney, the good news is that Mr. Feinstein himself is bringing his traditional holiday package to Times Square, and he always puts together a stunning mix of the old-time holiday standards we expect and something new and/or offbeat. And yes, there’s always Tom Lehrer’s classic “Chanukah in Santa Monica.” (WSJ)
Birdland, 315 W. 44th St. (btw 8/9 Ave.)
At 8:30 PM / $75 (at the bar) – $200
(212) 581-3080

STREB “Forces” (through Dec. 22)
“Action heroes are usually the stuff of summer blockbusters, but thanks to Elizabeth Streb they have made their way to the world of dance as well. This pioneering daredevil choreographer showcases the long fall season with her fearless dancers at their home base, the Streb Lab for Action Mechanics in Brooklyn. The new piece, “Forces,” like all of her work, is equal parts circus, stunt and acrobatics, with the aid of Ms. Streb’s homegrown gadgets and contraptions.” — (NYT-BrianSchaefer)
Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Brooklyn
$40 to $60; family four-pack, $130
(866) 811-4111  / http://streb.org
this is not manhattan’s westside, but it is brooklyn’s westside (hipster williamsburg),
and definitely worth the trip – this show is awesome!
subway: #1-2-3 to 14th St.; transfer to L train to Bedford (1st stop in bklyn)
walk 6 blocks S on Bedford to 1st St; 3 blks W on 1st St. to STREB (12 min)
and stop at the radegast biergarten, which is right on the way, before or after the show

Carnegie Hall – “Under the Mistletoe,”
Traditional and contemporary holiday songs with the New York Pops, directed by Steven Reineke; with the actress and singer Ashley Brown; and Essential Voices USA, directed by Judith Clurman.
Carnegie Hall, 57th St. @ 7th ave
At 8 p.m./ $34 to $120.
212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org

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

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

“Eighteenth Century Pastels” (through Dec. 29)
“Julia Margaret Cameron” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
“Medieval Treasures From Hildesheim” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
“Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500-1800″ (through Jan. 5, 2014)
‘Balthus: Cats and Girls — Paintings and Provocations’ (through Jan. 12, 2014)
“Brush Writing in the Arts of Japan” (through Jan. 12, 2014)
“Venetian Glass by Carlo Scarpa, The Venini Co., 1932–1947” (through March 2, 2014)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

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

‘Robert Motherwell: Early Collages’ (through Jan. 5, 2014)
‘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’ (through Jan. 19, 2014)
Frick Collection, 1 East 70th St., at Fifth Ave.
admission is by timed tickets.
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
XL: 19NewAcquisitions in Photography (through Dec. 31)
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014) 

Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
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)

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 12/17 and 12/15.

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18, 2013

Performance of early music
In the context of European classical music, which had its best-known pieces written in the 1700s & 1800s, the “early music” means earlier than that. In this way, early music usually designates the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods of Western music.

Juilliard musicians share their talent with the community in these free, hour-long lunchtime concerts on Wednesday afternoons throughout the season.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Central Park West & 65th St.
subway: #1 to 65th St.
At 1PM / FREE
1-212-877-6815

Optimizing and Sharing Photos With Lightroom 5 with Tim Grey
There can be tremendous satisfaction in sharing your favorite photographic images, but of course you want to be sure every image looks its best before sharing it with others. In this session you’ll learn how to use Lightroom, including the latest features in Lightroom 5, to truly make the most of your digital photos, and then how to share those images in various ways with others.

You’ll learn to optimize the tonal range and overall luminance values in your photos, how to ensure the most pleasing color possible, how to correct common image-quality issues, and much more. You’ll then see some of the ways you can quickly and easily share your photos with others through various online services, through printing, as slideshows, and more. The result is that you’ll be better able to optimize your photos, and then share those images quickly and easily in a variety of ways.
B&H Event Space, 9th ave @ 34 th St.
At 4:00 PM / FREE

Arielle Eckstut and Joann Eckstut – The Secret Language of Color
Arielle Eckstut and Joann Eckstut take the audience on a journey through time and space, visiting color past and present, and revealing along the way myriad surprising facets of color in both the natural and man-made worlds. Come learn how color colors nearly every aspect of our universe.

Why is the sky blue, the grass green, the rose red? Most of us have no idea, nor are we aware that color pervades all aspects of life, from the subatomic realm and the natural world to human culture and psychology. In this beautiful and thorough investigation, The Secret Language of Color explores everything from why and how we see color to the nature of rainbows; from why red is universally the first color named after black and white to why grass really does appear greener on the other side of the fence; from why purple is associated with royalty to how Starbucks got in trouble for using bugs to color its strawberry frappuccinos.
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Margaret Liebman Berger Forum (Map and directions)
At 6PM / FREE – Berger Forum doors open at 5:30 p.m.

GERI ALLEN
“Forming what amounts to a post-bop supergroup, the lauded pianist and composer stocks her quartet with the increasingly influential saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, as well as the drummer Jeff (Tain) Watts and the bassist James Genus, as rock solid a rhythm section as could be wished for.” (NewYorker mag)

Look for her solo piano version of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 and $30, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Karrin Allyson (through Dec. 19)
“The cover of Karrin Allyson’s new “Yuletide Hideaway” shows a rather generic winter scene: a cozy looking house at twilight, surrounded by snow. While the image is strictly from Hallmark, the music itself cuts considerably deeper. “Yuletide Hideaway” does include a few well-known standards, but the emphasis is on new songs, mostly by keyboardist Chris Caswell, that render the season in a more melancholy mood. “Winter Oasis” is about using the end of the year as an excuse to stop and contemplate, take stock and conduct what amounts to an internal inventory. “Christmas Bells Are Ringing” is a minor key holiday waltz that encompasses a wordless episode in which Ms. Allyson’s notes fly in the air like reindeer and land like snow flakes or baubles upon the tree. Even “Winter Wonderland” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” seem darker and moodier than ever before.” (WSJ)
Birdland. 315 W. 44th St., (btw 8/9 ave)
At 11PM / $40
(212) 581-3080

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

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating places / 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).

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

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.

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges  – 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 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, DEC. 17, 2013

Gotham Holiday Swing*
Acclaimed clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen and Boardwalk Empire‘s sexy chanteuse Margot B join the incredible cast of GOTHAM HOLIDAY SWING. The irrepressible Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, New York’s leading swing band that recently won a Grammy Award for its music in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, leads an all-star ensemble celebrating music from the ‘20s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, along with stories and poems about New York. Special guests Garrison Keillor, Nellie McKay, The Hot Sardines, Jon Batiste and Stay Human and more.

Even before they added Anat Cohen to the program, this was pretty special. Now it’s a must see / hear event. Get your ticket before they sell out!
Town Hall, 123 West 43rd St.
At 8 p.m./ $55, $60 and $65.
982-2787, the-townhall-nyc.org

Viewpoint of Billions (through Dec. 18)
Step Right Up! See the American Flag with our Google Glass

David Datuna’s Viewpoint of Billions, an interactive exhibition recently unveiled during Art Basel in Miami, will make its New York debut at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium. Viewing the artwork—a large American flag covered with optical lenses—through Google Glass reveals photos, videos, and sounds that narrate the artist’s concept of the American cultural, political, and social journey.
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
from 8 am to 10 pm / FREE

GERI ALLEN
“Forming what amounts to a post-bop supergroup, the lauded pianist and composer stocks her quartet with the increasingly influential saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, as well as the drummer Jeff (Tain) Watts and the bassist James Genus, as rock solid a rhythm section as could be wished for.” (NewYorker mag)

Look for her solo piano version of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave South, at 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 and $30, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

The 42nd Street Jazz Festival
NYU Steinhardt Music and Performing Arts Professions, New York Foundation for the Arts, Yamaha Pianos, RS Berkeley Horns, presents the 42nd Street Jazz Festival. Performances: Monday- Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 5pm. Tickets are $21.25 and are available at telecharge.com.

The 42nd Street Jazz Festival features a wide variety of jazz artists from New York City and around the world, with a diversity of styles from Senegal to Prague, and Buenos Aires to Brooklyn. The festival programs today is: Rudy Linka Trio – Rudy Linka, guitar; Dan Fabricatore, bass; Norman Edwards, drums.
Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd St.
212-239-6200;
telecharge.com/Off-Broadway/42nd-Street-Jazz-Festival/Overview

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

WHAT’S ON VIEW: Special Exhibitions @ 4 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.
==========================================================

‘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.

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

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Al Hirschfeld Exhibition
(through Jan. 4, 2014)
“The Line King’s Library,” a display of work by Al Hirschfeld, whose specialty was theatrical caricatures, includes rare works as well as those familiar to theatergoers and readers of various publications, including The New York Times. The exhibition also includes video interviews with Mr. Hirschfeld, who died in 2003 at 99, and works by some of his contemporaries.”
NY Public Library for the Performing Arts, at Lincoln Center
111 Amsterdam Ave and 65th St.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m.,
until 8 on Mondays and Thursdays
(917) 275-6975, nypl.org/events/exhibitions/line-kings-library.

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

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

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

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

  Museum of Modern Art
XL: 19NewAcquisitions in Photography (through Dec. 31)
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
New Photography 2013 (through Jan. 6, 2014)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
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

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : … …” dated (12/15) and (12/13).

Today’s “Fab 5”+1 / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, DEC. 16, 2013

Festival: Watch Renowned Sculptors Carve Ice Sculptures
Celebrate the winter holidays with two free afternoons of live ice carving in midtown. For the third year in a row, master artisans from the renowned New York City-based artist collective Okamoto Studio will transform ordinary blocks of ice into a menagerie of frolicking canines. Chainsaws will roar and ice chips will fly as spectacular pooches take shape.
Grace Building Plaza, 1114 Ave. of the Americas, @ W. 43rd St.
at 12:30PM / FREE
1-212-417-7000

Inez & Vinoodh Book Signing
“If you’re a fan of photography you’re likely aware of the work Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The Dutch pair’s photographs have appeared in advertising campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Chanel, in editorial spreads for magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as in galleries around the world. Prince, Lady Gaga, Bjork, Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Natalie Portman, Bill Murray and Daniel Day-Lewis are just sampling of their celebrity subjects.

In 2011, a drool-worthy 3-volume limited edition book offering a comprehensive overview of the duo’s work was published. Clocking in at upwards of $700, “Pretty Much Everything” wasn’t your average stocking stuffer. But now, a fully illustrated single softcover version is available for a more affordable $69.99. Today, you can pick up a copy and have it signed by the artists at the Gagosian Shop.’ (Mindy Bond, Flavorpill)
Gagosian Shop, 976 Madison Avenue
at 5pm / FREE
212.796.1224 / gagosian.com/shop/

Arthur Darvill & Friends
Join us as we say goodbye to Arthur Darvill from Broadway’s ONCE. Arthur will be leaving New York City and the ONCE cast this December. He’s celebrating his time in NYC with one last performance, incorporating Broadway performers and musicians he has met during his stay. Arthur is also well known for playing Rory Williams in the BBC series Doctor Who.
Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16th St.
8pm./ $20, $10 Minimum Per Person
Proceeds to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids & Macmillan Cancer Support (UK).
212-414-5994, highlineballroom.com

Spotlight on Broadway: New York’s Theater Design and Architecture
Enjoy a special evening featuring Spotlight on Broadway, a multimedia project of the City of New York exploring the design and architectural history of the Broadway theater district.

The evening will begin with a tour by curator Donald Albrecht of the theater designs on view in Norman Bel Geddes: I Have Seen the Future. Then join Commissioner Katherine Oliver of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment as she introduces a panel of distinguished theater artists for a discussion about how their work intersects with Broadway’s design, architecture, and cultural legacy.

Video clips of Spotlight on Broadway will introduce viewers to the unique history of several individual Broadway theaters.
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., New York
at 6:30 pm / $16; $12 seniors and students; free for members
212-534-1672 / Museum of the City of New York

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

The Graff Family Holiday Special
One of Broadway’s most beloved musical families conquers our stage! Ilene Graff, Randy Graff, Todd Graff and Nikka Graff Lanzarone, along with special guests Liz Callaway, Joanna Gleason, Max Von Essen, Julia Murney & others, will perform a host of holiday favorites & tunes from their various forays on the Great White Way. In the tradition of the Andy Williams Christmas specials that warped them as children, expect tight, four-part harmonies, color coordinated hats and mufflers, indoor sleigh rides, audience participation, mistletoe & plenty of high belting. As a bonus, watch in wonder as Nikka dances all the parts to Turkey Lurkey Time in a four by four foot space! It’s gonna be terrifying!
54 Below, 254 W. 54th St.
At 7pm / $30-$40
646-476-3551/ 54 Below
Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change ================================================================================

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.
————————————————————————————————————————
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

===========================================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars, cocktail lounges  – 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.
===========================================================================================

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.

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

There are other casual dining options in this neighborhood that provide good food, especially as alternatives to overpriced hotel breakfasts, and most importantly,
have free Wi-FI:

>Pret a Manger @ 11 W 42nd st (Betw 5th/6th)
Subway: #1/2/3 to 42nd st / times square

>Potbelly @ 30 Rockefeller Plaza (Betw 49/48 st)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

>Pret a Manger @ 1200 6th ave (Betw 47/48)
Subway: #1 to 50th st

◊ For a few more PremierPubs and Good Eating places see previous Featured Neighborhoods in the right sidebar.

◊ 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 Winter 2013)

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, DEC. 15, 2013

STREB “Forces” (through Dec. 22)
“Action heroes are usually the stuff of summer blockbusters, but thanks to Elizabeth Streb they have made their way to the world of dance as well. This pioneering daredevil choreographer showcases the long fall season with her fearless dancers at their home base, the Streb Lab for Action Mechanics in Brooklyn. The new piece, “Forces,” like all of her work, is equal parts circus, stunt and acrobatics, with the aid of Ms. Streb’s homegrown gadgets and contraptions.” — (NYT-BrianSchaefer)
Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 3 p.m.
Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Brooklyn
$40 to $60; family four-pack, $130
(866) 811-4111  / http://streb.org
this is not manhattan’s westside, but it is brooklyn’s westside (hipster williamsburg),
and definitely worth the trip – this show is awesome!
subway: #1-2-3 to 14th St.; transfer to L train to Bedford (1st stop in bklyn)
walk 6 blocks S on Bedford to 1st St; 3 blks W on 1st St. to STREB (12 min)
and stop at the radegast biergarten, which is right on the way before or after the show.

Benjamin Britten Centenary Celebration
“On the occasion of the British composer’s centennial, the Paley Center for Media presents two special screenings. Five documentary shorts from the General Post Office scored by Britten — “The Way to the Sea” (1936), “Coal Face” (1935), “The Tocher” (1938), “The King’s Stamp” (1935) and “Night Mail” (1936) — will be shown at 1:30 p.m., and will be followed, at 3 p.m., by the American premiere of the documentary “Britten’s Endgame,” which explores how the opera “Death in Venice” took a toll on his health.” (NYT)
Paley Center for Media, 25 West 52nd St.
$10; $8 for students and 65+; free for members.
(212) 621-6800, paleycenter.org

The Fellowship Band*
“While employing such hard-hitting players as the drummer Brian Blade and the saxophonist Myron Walden, this group concentrates on an ensemble approach that makes use of Americana and gospel-inflected jazz. There’s room for heroic improvisation, but group identity—the sound of a band—is always paramount.” (NewYorker mag)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Bobby Watson and Horizon 
The alto saxophonist Bobby Watson formed his first version of Horizon more than 25 years ago, managing to iron a sharp new crease into the legacy of Jazz Messengers-inspired hard bop. His current iteration of the group consists of Terell Stafford on trumpet, Edward Simon on piano, Essiet Essiet on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.” (NYT-Chinen)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway,
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m./$40 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

Damon Wayans
“As with many no-longer-young comics, this member of the Wayans clan now focuses his material on the vagaries of family and parenting, but he’s still essentially the same guy we fell in love with on In Living Color. And if you look closely, you can still make out the fluffy wig, bulbous red nose and loaded sock of Homey D. Clown.” (TONY Mag)
Carolines, 1626 Broadway, at 49th St.
at 7:30PM / $60-$130
757-4100, carolines.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check 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:

Raqib Shaw, “Paradise Lost” (until Sat. Dec. 21)
East meets West in the work of this London artist, who originally hails from India, and whose sumptuous, jewel-and-enamel inlaid paintings and intricately detailed sculptures combine numerous traditions and canons—including Indian miniatures and textiles, Old Master painting, Orientalism and Surrealism. His works might be best described as visions of paradise being invaded by the forces of hell. It’s a strange mix that plays upon our notions of exoticism while sending them up. For his debut at Pace, the artist fills all three of the gallery’s Chelsea locations.
Pace Gallery 508 W 25th St. btw Tenth and Eleventh Aves
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm
212-255-4044 / thepacegallery.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.

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

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (12/13) and (12/11).