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

Today’s “Fab 5”+1/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, OCT. 25, 2013

MADISON SQUARE EATS
Presented by UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy, Mad. Sq. Eats is a semi-annual culinary pop-up market.

The market brings together New York City’s most popular restaurants and well-respected chefs, who relish the opportunity to cook outdoors and prepare dishes that showcase the area’s local produce and ingredients. Now in its 5th year, Mad. Sq. Eats is one of the city’s most beloved dining destinations and uses of public space. Today from 11am-9pm.

Archtober /October 1–31
To the design world, October is Archtober, or Design and Architecture Month, in New York City. For 31 days, the entire city opens its doors for design tours, lectures, films and celebrations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the buildings that give this metropolis its distinct character. Presented by the American Institute of Architects New York and the Center for Architecture, more than 50 organizations are participating this year, including the Museum of Arts and Design, Queens Museum, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art.

A schedule is at archtober.org/calendar.

Among today’s activities:
AIANY/Center for Architecture
Around Manhattan Boat Tour: NYC Architecture- online promo code ARCHOB5 for $5 off
11:00am
Central Park Conservancy
Great Design Then and Now
1:00pm
Guggenheim Museum
Urban Film Series: Cinematic Sites
3:00pm
Building of the Day: The Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92
Tour Time: 12:00-1:00pm

PhotoPlus Expo 2013 (through Oct.26)
The PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo is the largest photography and imaging show in North America, attended by over 24,000 professional photographers and enthusiasts. Attend and learn to improve your personal style at any of more than 90 conference seminars. Explore over 250 exhibits, see thousands of new products, attend keynote presentations, special events & much more.
Javits Convention Center, far west 34th St. at 12th ave
10AM-5PM, Thur & Fri; 10AM-4PM Sat
photoplusexpo.com

Gillian Bell – The Porter Project: Undiscovered Melodies of Cole Porter
The Porter Project: Undiscovered Melodies of Cole Porter
Cole Porter is one of the most widely recognized writers if American Songbook repertoir within the jazz community. Love for Sale, Night and Day, I Love You, and other classics are performed on a consistent basis in countless styles and ensemble configurations. The goal of this project is to select and arrange seven compositions by Cole Porter that have never been played on a jazz stage. Arranged by Matt Vashlishan, the selected compositions were chosen from Broadway shows that never made it or from some familiar shows where these tunes never caught the eye of the jazz community. The arrangements also offer a modern harmonic twist that bridges the generation gap of two different generations of american music.

With live music seven days a week, The Listening Room at Caffe Vivaldi has become one of New York’s premier spots for original music by uniquely creative singer-songwriters. For an authentic Greenwich Village experience, Caffe V has fine dining, a full bar, coffee and desserts combined with great live music.
Caffe Vivaldi, 32 Jones St. (btw Bleecker/West 4th)
At 7:30PM / FREE
212-691-7538 / caffevivaldi.com/

Discussion: The Age of Ladyblogs, or, How Women’s Websites Are Shaping the Cultural Conversation
In honor of the publication of “The Book of Jezebel”, the first book by the popular website Jezebel, editors of influential online outlets for women come together to discuss the genre’s more recent history and female readers’ appetite for progressive discussions about contemporary womanhood, pop culture and politics.
Jessica Coen, editor in chief, Jezebel
Kate Harding, co-author of The Book of Jezebel (moderator)
Anna Holmes, founder, Jezebel
Lori Leibovich, executive lifestyle editor, Huffington Post Women
Samhita Mukhopadhyay, former executive editor, Feministing
Amelia McDonnell-Parry, editor in chief, The Frisky
Edith Zimmerman, founder, The Hairpin
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, (btw Houston/Prince)
AT 7:00PM / FREE
subway: 1-2-3 to TimesSq; transfer to N/R to Prince St; walk 1 block E, 1 block N

Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars (through Oct. 27)
Two decades after his death at 75, the irrepressible bebop ambassador Dizzy Gillespie lives on through several generations of trumpet inheritors, including two featured here: Freddie Hendrix, and Terell Stafford. Joining them in this tribute, which started on what would have been Gillespie’s 96th birthday, are the saxophonist Sharel Cassity, the pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and the drummer Lewis Nash, among others.” (Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $35 to $45 cover at tables, $20 to $25 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net

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

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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  – 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 – THURSDAY, OCT. 24, 2013

New York Television Festival, (through Oct. 26)
“The boob tube has long been derided as a haven of mindless entertainment, but the field is shifting and television has largely supplanted film as the go-to medium for intelligent, original storytelling. The ninth-annual New York Television Festival caters to TV tastes both highbrow and lowbrow, with seminars, parties, an Independent Pilot Competition and high-profile screenings galore for industry types, aspiring creators and fans alike. For more information, visit nytvf.com.” (nycgo.com)
Multiple locations

PhotoPlus Expo 2013 (through Oct.26)
The PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo is the largest photography and imaging show in North America, attended by over 24,000 professional photographers and enthusiasts. Attend and learn at any of more than 90 conference seminars. Explore over 250 exhibits, see thousands of new products, attend keynote presentations, special events & much more.
Javits Convention Center, far west 34th St. at 12th ave
10AM-5PM, Thur & Fri; 10AM-4PM Sat
photoplusexpo.com

WESLEY STACE
“John Wesley Harding, one of the brightest lights over the past few decades of what some people called neo-folk, others called the singer-songwriter movement, and still others just called music, was never really John Wesley Harding at all. He was, in actuality, Wesley Stace, a supremely intelligent and utterly charming Englishman who, midway through his performing and recording career, took a detour into writing novels. Currently, he does both things (and a whole lot more as well, including conceiving and overseeing the “Cabinet of Wonders” variety shows). He’s on tour with songs from his excellent new record, “Self-Titled,” which is his first musical work released under his birth name.” (NewYorker mag)
City Winery, 155 Varick St. At Vandam St.
At 8PM / $18-$25
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com

Gregory Porter*
“Mr. Porter is a jazz singer of thrilling presence, a booming baritone with a gift for earthy refinement and soaring uplift. His new Blue Note debut, “Liquid Spirit,” affirms his standing as a soul-jazz storyteller in the lineage of Bill Withers and Abbey Lincoln.” (Chinen-NYT)
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St., near Thompson St. Greenwich Village,
At 6:30 p.m. / $30 day of show.
(212) 505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com

“IN THE SPIRIT”
“This program, curated by Philip Glass, illuminates musical and cultural contributions from around the world. The centerpiece is the New York première of Glass’s “Songs of Milarepa,” set to poems by the Tibetan saint (1052-1135) and performed by the baritone Gregory Purnhagen and the pianist Nelson Padgett. There will also be sacred music of the Renaissance, ecstatic Sufi vocal improvisations, and Gambian kora music. The pipa player Wu Man will perform both traditional Chinese music and an original Glass composition with the Scorchio Quartet. The concert is a benefit for the Garrison Institute.” (NewYorker mag)
Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. (btw 6th ave./Broadway)
At 7:30PM / $35-$90
800-982-2787 / thetownhall.org

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

‘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 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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‘Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn’ (continuing)
This eclectic, imaginatively thought-out one-gallery immersion experience in world art, all from Brooklyn’s collection and installed in the museum’s revamped Great Hall, serves as a teaser to the fabulous collections in the galleries beyond.
‘Divine Felines: Cats of AncientEgypt’ (through Dec. 29)
Brooklyn Museum: 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park,
(subway: easy ride from midtown on #2 or #3 express to Eastern Pkway/Bklyn Museum)
(718) 638-5000 / brooklynmuseum.org

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts: Al Hirschfeld Exhibition (through Jan. 4)
“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, 111 Amsterdam Ave, at 65th St, Lincoln Center,
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.

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 

   ICP
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 (10/22) and (10/20).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23, 2013

NYC Food Film Festival 2013
FEATURING THE NYC PREMIERE OF THE KINGS OF BBQ: BARBECUE KUWAIT, PLUS A BOUNTIFUL BBQ BRISKET DINNER FROM CHAMPION PIT MASTERS NICOLE DAVENPORT, JOHNNY TRIGG, TUFFY STONE AND JOHN MARKUS.

THE FILMS
1 Minute Meal: Blessed by Brisket
David’s Brisket House is a Jewish Deli run by Yemenite Muslims in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bed-Stuy. A snapshot of pastrami, brisket, and corned beef sandwiches that aren’t strictly halal or kosher, but are 100% New York.
Mile High Pie
A short documentary film on the mile-high pies at Ed & Kay’s Restaurant in Benton, Arkansas
The Kings of BBQ: Barbecue Kuwait
Sitcom writer/producer, John Markus (The Cosby Show, Larry Sanders Show), teams up with the most legendary BBQ Pitmasters in America, travels to the Middle East, and cooks an unforgettable homestyle dinner of smoked brisket and chicken for 5,000 US troops stationed in Kuwait.

THE FOODS
BBQ Brisket Dinner from Grand Champion Pit Masters
Sides by Char No. 4, City Grit, Jacob’s Pickles, and more of your favorite NYC joints
Pastrami from David’s Brisket
Sweets from Max and Mina’s, Bubby’s, Leske’s and more!
A special cocktail from The Winslow
Plus a selection of drinks, including beers by Warsteiner, the exclusive imported beer of the 2013 NYC Food Film Festival. Be sure to grab a beer from Rev at the Idle Hands in-theater bar!

BENEFITING THE FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY / TICKETS: $95
Festival tickets are all-inclusive of food, beverages and entry to film screenings.

Matthew Bourne’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (through Nov. 3)
“Though best known for his all-male version of “Swan Lake,” Matthew Bourne has been reinventing the classics for years. Now “Sleeping Beauty,” set to the beloved Tchaikovsky score, has been given a new Bourne identity: cheeky humor, cartoonish sets and the occasionally goofy movement. But the man knows how to put on an entertaining show.” (Schaefer-NYT)
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
Wednesday and Friday at 8 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m./$30 to $130.
(212) 581-1212, nycitycenter.org

BILL MCHENRY
“The saxophonist has been a leading member of his generation since the early nineties, his strong sound and willingness to stretch stylistic boundaries garnering him considerable attention from peers and listeners alike. His quartet, documented on last year’s album, “La Peur du Vide,” draws much of its inventive focus from its brilliant drummer, the seventy-three-year-old Andrew Cyrille, an acclaimed avant-garde rhythm avatar of the nineteen-sixties.” (NewYorker mag)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th St., West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Concert: Novecento: Piano Works by Gershwin, Frank Zappa, and More
NOVECENTO is divided into two parts. In the first part, pianist Alessandra Garosi performs music by Frank Zappa, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Giorgio Gaslini and George Gershwin. In the second part, she is accompanied by a video featuring special inedited images of Nino Rota’s life and music carrier. The program includes extracts of famous soundtracks such as The Godfather,La Strada, Prova d’orchestra, I Vitelloni, 8 1/2, Amarcord and lesser known movies such as Il Treno Popolare, his first soundtrack.
At 7:00PM / FREE
NYU, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, 24 W. 12th St., (btw. 5th/6th Aves.)
1-212-998-8739

B.B. King
The blues stalwart B.B. King deserves a royal return to New York. Since he began recording in 1949, this string-bending singer-songwriter has performed some 15,000 concerts, reaped armfuls of Grammy and Hall of Fame accolades, supported numerous philanthropic causes and founded a string of music lounges. He headlines two shows at the boisterous Times Square incarnation.” (Anderson-NYT)
B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd St.
At 8 p.m./ $150.
(800) 745-3000, bbkingblues.com

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

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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  – 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 – TUESDAY, OCT. 22, 2013

BeBrasil Pop-Up Festival (last day!)
Nearly 5,000 miles separate New York from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But beginning Oct. 15 for a week, the flavors, fashions, foods, and other cultural arts from the South American nation will be on display as part of BeBrasil, a pop-up festival on West Broadway.

BeBrasil will introduce Brazil’s innovations to the world by celebrating new creative products and services developed through inspiring and collaborative work. During the week of October 15-22, 2013, the creativity of Brazil will take over New York. The weeklong festival will bring together Brazil’s most creative professionals and innovative companies from the following sectors: Fashion, Architecture, Design, Food and Beverages, Plastics, Cosmetics, Film, Music, Aerospace and Technology.
372 West Broadway @ Broome St.
12:00 pm to 8:00 pm / FREE

FIONA APPLE AND BLAKE MILLS
“Traditionally, the woman is the muse to the man, but in the case of these two, there’s a sense of a delightful role reversal at play. Mills, a singer-songwriter in his own right, who goes for a rootsy, ethereal vibe, served as both the supporting act and guitarist during Apple’s tour for her 2012 album, “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do.” This month, the pair are on the road together, with a collaborative set, “Anything We Want: An Evening with Fiona Apple and Blake Mills.” They are performing from their respective catalogues, along with original, yet to be released material. The duo has stated that it has only “26% of an idea of what the fuck we will be playing,” but for fans of the tempestuous Apple, an evening of the unexpected is always somewhat expected.” (NewYorker mag)
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, at 74th St.
At 8 p.m., $39.50 to $65.
745-3000, beacontheatre.com

Houston Ballet* (through Oct. 27)
One of the country’s top ballet companies pays a visit to New York with an impressively diverse program of one-word dances: “Pacific” by Mark Morris; “Play” by the Houston Ballet director Stanton Welch, set to the music of Moby; “Twilight,” a romantic duet by Ben Stevenson; and “Solo” (it actually features three men), a rare opportunity to see work by the Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen.” (Schaefer-NYT)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea
Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. / $10 to $69.
(212) 242-0800, joyce.org

CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE (through Oct. 27)
The Fred Astaire of the acoustic bass, McBride makes his extraordinary playing look easy. He might be a great illusionist, but he’s accomplished something else that’s grand, too: he’s one of the few highly touted “young lions” of the nineties jazz scene to have made good on all his promise. His sharp mainstream trio includes the pianist Christian Sands. (NewYorker mag)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St./Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., $35 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars (through Oct. 27)
Two decades after his death at 75, the irrepressible bebop ambassador Dizzy Gillespie lives on through several generations of trumpet inheritors, including the three featured here: Freddie Hendrix, Terell Stafford and Roy Hargrove. Joining them in this tribute, which starts on what would have been Gillespie’s 96th birthday, are the saxophonists Gary Bartz and Sharel Cassity, the pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and the drummer Lewis Nash, among others.” (Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $35 to $45 cover at tables, $20 to $25 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net

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 a few Special Exhibitions in Chelsea Galleries that you may want to see:

Taner Ceylan, “The Lost Paintings Series” (until Oct.26)
This Turkish painter employs photorealist techniques to deconstruct Orientalism, a 19th-century genre in Europe and the United States that featured exotic scenes of the mysterious Levant. Some artists relied on pure fantasy; others traveled to North Africa and elsewhere to base their visions on some observable reality. Either way, Orientalism went hand in glove with colonialism, as the stereotypes it helped foster were essential to the psychology of Western empire building. Ceylan plays with and against these same stereotypes, portraying dusky, alluring women as well as men in fezzes and kaffiyehs, though with notable twists (the inclusion of evidently gay subjects, for instance). More to the point, he juxtaposes one sort of illusion (paintings that look like photographs) with another—the myths and misconceptions that have emerged about the Middle East.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, 515 W 27th St. (btw Tenth/Eleventh Aves)
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm / FREE
212-563-4474 / paulkasmingallery.com

Raymond Pettibon* (through Oct. 26)
“Incisive, hyper-verbal and frequently profane, Raymond Pettibon’s latest installation of drawings and collages is one of his best in years. Titled “To Wit,” the show dispenses aphorisms along with the usual athletes, comic-strip figures, talking phalluses and other stock characters from the Pettibon universe. Some of these snippets of text are scrawled directly on the wall; others, drawn on paper and adorned with floral borders, bring to mind embroidered samplers.” (Rosenberg-NYT)
David Zwirner, 519 West 19th St.
727-2070, davidzwirner.com

Brian Adam Douglas: ‘How to Disappear Completely’ (through Oct. 26)
“Mr. Douglas makes paintings by gluing zillions of tiny bits of painted paper to wooden panels. Measuring from six to nearly seven feet across, the four most ambitious works here picture dreamlike scenes of catastrophic delirium. In one painting, a woman cleans a wall in a ruined house using her long red hair as a mop. In another, a woman in an icy cave suckles a penguin as an anthropomorphic walrus looms protectively over her.” (Johnson-NYT)
Andrew Edlin Gallery, 134 10th Avenue, near 18th St.
(212) 206-9723, edlingallery.com

Steve Roden: ‘ragpicker’ (through Oct. 26)
The latest exhibition of this multitalented multimedia artist based in Los Angeles is dominated by handsome abstract paintings whose brusque prismatic forms and bright color resemble stained glass and are derived from a system of linear configurations with which the German philosopher Walter Benjamin crossed out errors in his notebooks. Some smaller paintings and a series of large monoprint drawings have similarly strange back stories. The works themselves have wonderful visual qualities — Mr. Roden is a very good painter — but they too need to be stranger.” (Smith-NYT)
CRG, 548 West 22nd St.
(212) 229-2766, crggallery.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) ==========================================================

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (10/20) and (10/18).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, OCT. 21, 2013

New York Television Festival, (Oct. 21–26)
“The boob tube has long been derided as a haven of mindless entertainment, but the field is shifting and television has largely supplanted film as the go-to medium for intelligent, original storytelling. The ninth-annual New York Television Festival caters to TV tastes both highbrow and lowbrow, with seminars, parties, an Independent Pilot Competition and high-profile screenings galore for industry types, aspiring creators and fans alike. For more information, visit nytvf.com.” (nycgo.com)
Multiple locations

Clarinet Master Class with David Shifrin
One of only two wind players to have been awarded the Avery Fisher Prize since the award’s inception in 1974, Shifrin is in constant demand as an orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber music collaborator
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave.
At 2pm / FREE
1-917-493-4428
subway: #1 train to 125th St.

The Last Banquet: Stories of Obsession and a Discussion with Jonathan Grimwood and More
An evening of storytelling, lively literary conversation, and bizarre culinary tastes. Join novelist Jonathan Grimwood and special guests at a celebration of food, obsession, and literature. Dishes prepared especially for the occasion by The Works executive chef Emily Casey and inspired by The Last Banquet will be served (You have been warned.)

Set against the backdrop of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the delectable decadence of Versailles, The Last Banquet is the gripping story of one man’s search for the ultimate taste. A sumptuous and appealing novel about food and flavor, about the Age of Reason, about revolution, hunger, and obsession.
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, (btw Houston/Prince)
AT 7:00PM / FREE
subway: 1-2-3 to TimesSq; transfer to N/R to Prince St; walk 1 block E, 1 block N

Jazz Trumpet Player Sean Jones and His Quartet
Whether he’s exploring the emotional depths of a ballad or tearing it up in a high-tempo cooker, Jones is one of the most exciting trumpet players on the jazz scene. The former lead trumpet player of Wynton Marsalis’s Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jones plays the instrument with tremendous expressive power. The critics agree: The All About Jazz website said of his dynamic quartet’s new recording, “At times breathtaking, No Need for Words is an album of exceeding beauty.”
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd.
@ 135th St. Subway:#2, 3 trains to 135th St.
At 7:00PM / FREE
RSVP 1-212-491-2200

Juilliard Jazz Orchestra
The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, a prestigious showcase for some of the most talented emerging artists on the jazz scene, returns to the Mary Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center in a presentation hosted by Calhoun’s Performing Arts Series.

Since its inception in 2001, the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra–taught by today’s most active, innovative, and respected jazz musicians–has appeared at the Detroit Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and the renowned Blue Note in New York City, and plays week-long runs at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The group also performs across the globe, thrilling audiences in locales such as Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Japan and Spain. The orchestra is conducted by James Burton III, a New York-based trombonist who has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most sought after performers/educators in the jazz community.

Open to the public, the concert is not only ideal for the aficionado, but it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce children ages 8 and up to jazz, in an intimate setting with state-of-the-art acoustics. Tickets are only $10 adults, $5 students and seniors. Venue is wheelchair accessible.
The Calhoun School’s Mary Lea Johnson Performing Arts Center
433 West End Avenue at 81st Street
At 7PM / $10
 

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fish – 280 Bleecker St (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $8 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

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

Num Pang – 21 E 12th st (btw. University place/5th ave)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

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

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

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 – SUNDAY, OCT. 20, 2013

Crafts Festival (last day!)
The annual Autumn Crafts on Columbus — the 34th — will run from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the sidewalk of Columbus Avenue, near the American Museum of Natural History, Columbus Avenue, between 77th and 81st Streets; craftsoncolumbus.com.

This gathering of artisans brings together a selection of leather, textile and brass crafts from all across the United States as well as Australia and Israel. 250 stalls showcase woodwork, glassware, ceramics and other mediums. Demonstrations in pottery, metal and other crafts are offered. Refreshments, including poached pear tarts or strawberry stack cakes from New Amsterdam Baking Company, will be available when you finish perusing the stands.

TOM HARRELL
“Last week, the hard-blowing trumpeter led his customary quintet, and the second week of this prestigious engagement finds him fronting his leaner Trip ensemble. It includes the influential tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, whose smartly conceived improvisations deftly balance lyricism and rigor. Trip’s Ugonna Okegwo, on bass, and Adam Cruz, on drums, will set the horn players off in kinetic splendor.”
(NewYorker mag)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Archtober /October 1–31
To the design world, October is Archtober, or Design and Architecture Month, in New York City. For 31 days, the entire city opens its doors for design tours, lectures, films and celebrations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the buildings that give this metropolis its distinct character. Presented by the American Institute of Architects New York and the Center for Architecture, more than 50 organizations are participating this year, including the Museum of Arts and Design, Queens Museum, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art.

A schedule is at archtober.org/calendar.
Among today’s activities:
AIANY/Center for Architecture
Around Manhattan Boat Tour: NYC Architecture- online promo code ARCHOB5 for $5 off
9:45am, 1:45pm
Architecture & Design Film Festival
Architecture & Design Film Festival @ Tribeca Cinemas
2:30-10:30pm
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution
National Design Week
The Municipal Art Society of New York
Walking Tour: Noted and Notorious Women of Downtown 2:00pm
Building of the Day: Avenues: The World School New York Tour Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company (last day!)
The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, “a national treasure” (Variety), celebrates its 45th anniversary with two programs of works spanning more than 40 years.

Program B features a second world premiere, Crazy 8’s, also set to music by Woolf; Lubovitch’s recently premiered As Sleep Befell, a dance for six men with a score by Paola Prestini, performed live by Le Train Bleu conducted by Ransom Wilson; Listen, choreographed by longtime company member Katarzyna Skarpetowska, also set to music by Prestini; Lubovitch’s award-winning Crisis Variations, with an original score by Yevgeniy Sharlat; plus the beautiful and moving Transparent Things, inspired by a Picasso painting and set to Debussy, performed live by The Bryant Park Quartet.
Program B: at 2pm: Transparent Things, Crisis Variations, As Sleep Befell, Listen, Crazy 8′s
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea,
at 2 and 7:30 p.m. / $10 to $69.
(212) 242-0800, joyce.org

Wilson, Rosnes, Washington Trio
“The saxophonist Steve Wilson, the pianist Renee Rosnes and the bassist Peter Washington share acres of history together, in their own bands and in others. Pooling their resources in this collective trio, they should come up with a crisp, approachable representation of jazz modernity.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway,
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m./$35 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
258-9595, jalc.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 @ 4 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

‘The Roof Garden Commission: Imran Qureshi” (through Nov. 3)
“Legends of the Dead Ball Era” (1900-1919) (through Dec. 1)
“Eighteenth Century Pastels” (through Dec. 29)
“Julia Margaret Cameron” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
“Medieval Treasurse From Hildesheim” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
“Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500-1800” (through Jan. 5, 2014)
“Brush Writing in the Arts of Japan” (through Jan. 12, 2014)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
‘Tiepolo, Guardi, and Their World: Eighteenth Century Venetian Drawings’ (ends Jan. 5)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“Kandinsky in Paris, 1934–1944” (through Apr.23, 2014)
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

“La Bienal 2013: Here Is Where We Jump” (through Jan. 4, 2014)
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue, at 104th St.
(212) 831-7272 / elmuseo.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)

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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 10/18 and 10/16.

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

New York City Wine & Food Festival, (through Oct.20)
The New York City Wine & Food Festival returns for another food-and-beverage-filled few days—featuring a number of Food Network personalities, like Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri and Anne Burrell. The sixth-annual event is moving from the Meatpacking District to Midtown (Piers 92/94), but most of the event’s signature affairs are returning, including seminars, tastings, culinary demonstrations and kids’ events. The festival benefits the Food Bank for New York City and No Kid Hungry.

Wall Street Coin, Currency and Collectibles Show (last day!)
No currency is required to attend this annual event featuring displays, sales and an auction of historical documents. Also on view at the museum are exhibits devoted to the stock market and the banking and financial industries, including a display in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve System (the actual date is Dec. 23).
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street, at William St.
Hours for the show are Thursday from noon to 7 p.m.; next Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Oct 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m./ FREE
(212) 908-4110, moaf.org

Korean Food Fair USA 2013
Often excluded from America’s love of East Asian cuisine, Korean food is beginning to make an impact in the West. Soju, a light liquor similar to vodka, and Gochujang, a hot pepper paste, are among those quick to assimilate into American kitchens. Expanding on the rising mainstream popularity of Korean food signatures like bulgogi, bibimbap and kimchi, the Korean Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation is hosting a food fair to celebrate and promote Korean culture and foods. The Korean Food Fair USA 2013 will kick off in Times Square on October 19th and 20th, boasting over 29 food vendors and multiple cultural performances.
Times Square, Broadway and 45th Street,
11AM-8PM / FREE admission
koreanfoodfair.com

Flutist Tia Roper performs from her CD “The Magic Flute”
Celebrating the worldwide release of her debut album, musician extraordinaire and native New Yorker Tia Roper will be presenting a recital. This concert will showcase the flute through its versatility and captivating style. The musical selections will embrace a combination of classical, contemporary, and jazz modes. Exhibiting a full exploration of today’s modern flute, the afternoon concert will feature the instrument in works of virtuosity and lyricism, but will also highlight extended techniques, 21st century nuances, and contemporary lyrical genres, bringing to light the complete and modern capabilities of the flute.

Tia Roper will be performing works by Ransom Wilson, Gary Schocker, Theobald Boehm, Johann Quantz, and Mike Mower. She will be joined by pianist Mitchell Vines.
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral
263 Mulberry St. (btw. Prince & Houston Sts.)
At 3PM / FREE
1-212-226-8075

An Evening with Dar Williams
Singer/songwriter Dar Williams returns to Symphony Space with her unique brand of American folk that is tender, funny, poignant, and always beautiful. Chamber folk trio The Rebecca West opens.
Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway
At 8PM / $47
212-864-5400

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

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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  – 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 – FRIDAY, OCT. 18, 2013

Union Square Greenmarket night market
in addition to its traditional market of fresh produce, cheeses and meats, union square hosts an evening event that includes live music, family-friendly activities and area restaurants serving prepared dishes, desserts, wine, beer and hard cider. free admission.
4-8pm

Book Reading: Alain de Botton discusses his book “Art as Therapy”
In his new book, written in collaboration with philosophical art historian John Armstrong, Alain de Botton introduces a new method of interpreting art, one that argues that certain great works offer clues on managing the tensions and confusions of everyday life. Using 150 examples of outstanding art, architecture, and design in chapters on love, nature, money, and politics, de Botton aims to guide us to a deeper understanding of art and ourselves.
Cooper Union, Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St.(Btw. Third & Fourth Aves.)
At 6:30 pm / FREE
1-212-353-4195
subway: 1-2-3 to Times Sq, transfer to N/R to 8th St.

Benjamin Britten: The Complete Songs for Tenor and Guitar
Perhaps the greatest 20th century composer of art songs, Britten created a gorgeous and profound body of work for his partner, Peter Pears, and guitarist Julian Bream. Celebrating the Britten centenary, tenor Rufus Müller and guitarist David Leisner present a rare performance of the complete oeuvre, plus the landmark Nocturne for solo guitar. In collaboration with Guitar Plus.

Part of Symphony Space’s In the Salon series.
SYMPHONY SPACE, 2537 Broadway
at 7:230PM / $32
212-864-5400

Claudia Acuña , Latin Jazz Singer
A native Chilean and veteran of New York’s jazz scene who honed her skills performing at legendary clubs like the original Smalls and Blue Note, singer Claudia Acuña has been praised by The New York Times for the “strength and grace” of her singular voice. Singing primarily in Spanish, she transforms South American and jazz standards with her own distinctive, personal, and restlessly adventurous style.
BAMcafe, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn
at 9:00 pm / FREE
1-718-636-4182
not exactly Manhattan’s WestSide, but you still use #1-2-3 subway and this looks too good to pass on. subway: easy express #2, 3 to Nevins St.

Henry Threadgill’s Zooid *
“The multireedist Henry Threadgill has long been one of the most thrillingly elusive composers in and around the jazz idiom, specializing in bristling counterpoint, unconventional timbres, and tough but slippery rhythms. Zooid, his band, has Jose Davila on tuba and trombone, Christopher Hoffman on cello, Liberty Ellman on guitar and Elliot Kavee on drums. It performs here under the aegis of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, which counts Mr. Threadgill as a charter member.” (Chinen-NYT)
Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th St.
At 8 p.m., /$30
aacm-newyork.com

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 MUSEUMS
(Manhattan’s WestSide & the BrooklynMuseum) 

‘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 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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‘Connecting Cultures: A World in Brooklyn’ (continuing)
This eclectic, imaginatively thought-out one-gallery immersion experience in world art, all from Brooklyn’s collection and installed in the museum’s revamped Great Hall, serves as a teaser to the fabulous collections in the galleries beyond.
‘Divine Felines: Cats of AncientEgypt’ (through Dec. 29)
Brooklyn Museum: 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park,
(subway: easy ride from midtown on #2 or #3 express to Eastern Pkway/Bklyn Museum)
(718) 638-5000 / brooklynmuseum.org

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 

   ICP
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
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 : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (10/16) and (10/14).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, OCT. 17, 2013

Archtober /October 1–31
To the design world, October is Archtober, or Design and Architecture Month, in New York City. For 31 days, the entire city opens its doors for design tours, lectures, films and celebrations, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the buildings that give this metropolis its distinct character. Presented by the American Institute of Architects New York and the Center for Architecture, more than 50 organizations are participating this year, including the Museum of Arts and Design, Queens Museum, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Museum of Modern Art and Whitney Museum of American Art. A schedule is at archtober.org/calendar.
Among today’s activities:
AIANY/Center for Architecture
BOOMING BOROUGHS: Redesigning Aging-in-Place in NYC
6:00-8:00pm
AIANY/Center for Architecture
Around Manhattan Boat Tour: NYC Architecture- online promo code ARCHOB5 for $5 off
1:45pm
Architecture & Design Film Festival
Architecture & Design Film Festival @ Tribeca Cinemas
6:30-11:00pm
The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, The City College of New York
Lecture: Charles Waldheim
6:30pm
The Museum of Arts and Design
Curator-Led Tour of Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital
6:30pm

Pinsky Reads Poe
Robert Pinsky, United States Poet Laureate (1997—2000), essayist, translator, and founder of the Favorite Poem Project (favoritepoem.org), delivers a reading with commentary on selected works of Edgar Allan Poe to coincide with the exhibition Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul.

This program is cosponsored by Poets House.
The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue
At 6:30 p.m.* / $15; $10 for Morgan and Poets House Members
212-685-0008 /
*The exhibition Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul will be open at 5:30 p.m. especially for program attendees.

New York City Wine & Food Festival, October 17–20
The New York City Wine & Food Festival returns for another food-and-beverage-filled few days—featuring a number of Food Network personalities, like Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri and Anne Burrell. The sixth-annual event is moving from the Meatpacking District to Midtown (Piers 92/94), but most of the event’s signature affairs are returning, including seminars, tastings, culinary demonstrations and kids’ events. The festival benefits the Food Bank for New York City and No Kid Hungry.

Reading With Malcolm Gladwell
Mr. Gladwell, a writer for The New Yorker and the #1 bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw, will read from his new book “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants”. Some have called this his most provocative—-and dazzling—-book yet.
Barnes & Noble, 33 East 17th St.
At 7 p.m. / FREE
(212) 253-0810, tinyurl.com/p9jdnxv.

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
Opening Night: Strings Celebration
Opening Night 2013 features a thrilling display of music for strings, including Tchaikovsky’s colorful Serenade, Mendelssohn’s stately Sinfonia, and Bartók’s folk-infused Divertimento. An impressive roster of CMS artists joins forces to kick off the Chamber Music Society’s 45th season.

Mendelssohn Sinfonia No. 13 in C minor for Strings (1823)
Tchaikovsky Serenade in C major for Strings, Op. 48 (1880)
Bartók Divertimento for Strings, BB 118 (1939)

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

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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  – 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. ================================================================================

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 – WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2013

Wall Street Coin, Currency and Collectibles Show (through Oct. 19)
No currency is required to attend this annual event featuring displays, sales and an auction of historical documents. Also on view at the museum are exhibits devoted to the stock market and the banking and financial industries, including a display in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve System (the actual date is Dec. 23).
Museum of American Finance, 48 Wall Street, at William St.
Hours for the show are Thursday from noon to 7 p.m.; next Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Oct 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m./ FREE
(212) 908-4110, moaf.org

SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
Yo-Yo Ma’s travelling ensemble of classical and world-music players is a constant presence in the musical landscape, even if its New York concerts are infrequent. They come to Carnegie with a vibrant mix of works, including the local premières of pieces by John Zorn (a suite from “Book of Angels”), David Bruce, and the recently minted MacArthur fellow Vijay Iyer (“Playlist for an Extreme Occasion”).” (NewYorker mag)
Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium,
At 8 p.m./ $20.50 to $125
247-7800, carnegiehall.org

Bridget Jones Is MAD ABOUT THE BOY: Helen Fielding and Vogue’s Valerie Steiker
Join best-selling author Helen Fielding to celebrate her iconic heroine’s return after fourteen years of silence in the new book, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, as she discusses life, love, and the inimitable Bridget Jones with Vogue culture editor Valerie Steiker.
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby Street, (btw Houston/Prince)
AT 7:00PM / $15
subway: 1-2-3 to TimesSq; transfer to N/R to Prince St; walk 1 block E, 1 block N
212-334-3324, housingworks.org/events

Lucy Wainwright Roche
“The former schoolteacher just couldn’t ignore genetics. Born into one of the most talented families of folk (her parents are Loudon Wainwright III and Suzzy Roche, and her half-siblings are Martha and Rufus Wainwright), Ms. Wainwright Roche was inspired to trade her lesson plan for a guitar. She released her debut solo record, the gently raw “Lucy,” in 2010; now she celebrates the release of her follow-up, “There’s a Last Time for Everything.” (Anderson-NYT)
City Winery, 155 Varick Street, near Spring St.
At 8 p.m./ $18 to $25
(212) 608-0555, citywinery.com

TOM HARRELL (through Oct. 20)
“Jazz has had its share of triumph-over-adversity tales, but few have been as inspirational as that of Harrell.

Harrell is widely regarded as being among the most creative and uncompromising jazz instrumentalists and composers of our time. He is a past winner of both the Down Beat Readers and Critics Polls in the trumpet category. His roots go back to an early-seventies run with Horace Silver. Harrell is also a diagnosed schizophrenic.

Yet his condition hasn’t kept him from establishing himself as an active bandleader. While his communication with audiences is minimal, his forthright skills as a player are not affected. Last week, the hard-blowing trumpeter led his customary quintet, and the second week of this prestigious engagement finds him fronting his leaner Trip ensemble. It includes the influential tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, whose smartly conceived improvisations deftly balance lyricism and rigor. Trip’s Ugonna Okegwo, on bass, and Adam Cruz, on drums, will set the horn players off in kinetic splendor.” (NewYorker mag)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Ave. S., at 11th St.
at 8:30 & 10:30PM / $25 cover with a one drink minimum
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.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 a few Special Exhibitions in Chelsea Galleries that you may want to see:

Matthew Day Jackson, “Something Ancient, Something New, Something Stolen, Something Blue” (until Sat Oct.19)
“Space missions, military hardware and anatomy are some of the points of departure for the artist’s latest works, which, as usual, plumb the darker reaches of American history, life and popular culture.” (TONY Mag)
Hauser & Wirth New York 511 W 18th St. (btw 10th/111th Ave)
Tue–Sat, 10am–6pm / FREE
212-794-4970 / hauserwirth.com

Taner Ceylan, “The Lost Paintings Series” (until Oct.26)
This Turkish painter employs photorealist techniques to deconstruct Orientalism, a 19th-century genre in Europe and the United States that featured exotic scenes of the mysterious Levant. Some artists relied on pure fantasy; others traveled to North Africa and elsewhere to base their visions on some observable reality. Either way, Orientalism went hand in glove with colonialism, as the stereotypes it helped foster were essential to the psychology of Western empire building. Ceylan plays with and against these same stereotypes, portraying dusky, alluring women as well as men in fezzes and kaffiyehs, though with notable twists (the inclusion of evidently gay subjects, for instance). More to the point, he juxtaposes one sort of illusion (paintings that look like photographs) with another—the myths and misconceptions that have emerged about the Middle East.
Paul Kasmin Gallery, 515 W 27th St. (btw Tenth/Eleventh Aves)
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm / FREE
212-563-4474 / paulkasmingallery.com

Josh Smith (until Oct.19)
Smith’s painterly spin on bad-boy aesthetics is given ample room in this two-space show, taking up Luhring Augustine’s Chelsea and Brooklyn locations.
Luhring Augustine, 531 W 24th St. (btw Tenth and Eleventh Aves)
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm
212-206-9100 / luhringaugustine.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) ==========================================================

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (10/14) and (10/12).