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

Today’s “Fab 5” +1/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, OCT. 05, 2013

Crafts Festivals (Saturday and Sunday)
The annual Autumn Crafts on Columbus — the 34th — will run for three consecutive weekends 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. And at Lincoln Center, the Autumn Crafts Festival, in its 24th year, will run for the next two weekends, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; craftsatlincoln.org.

JOHN MAYALL
“In the sixties, Mayall’s Bluesbreakers band was a fertile breeding ground for musicians who would go on to join, or form, such groups as Cream, the Stones, and Fleetwood Mac. Mayall is celebrating his eightieth birthday here, and he remains a forceful keyboardist, guitarist, flutist, and harmonica player, who also has a singularly sinuous blues singing style.” (NewYorker mag)
Iridium, 1650 Broadway, at 51st St.
8PM and 10PM / $45 and $65 with $15 minimum
212-582-2121/ theiridium.com

Regina Carter Quartet
“Ms. Carter, the violinist, has explored timbres both rustic and cosmopolitan throughout her career. After a long stretch working with the band from her West African-inspired 2010 release, “Reverse Thread,” she surfaces here with music from a forthcoming album, bearing the self-descriptive title “Southern Comfort.” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./ $40 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

RUFUS, FEATURING SLY STONE
“Promoting Sly Stone appearances has been a dodgy occupation for bookers and, certainly, audiences for about forty years. It doesn’t exactly say “Plays well with others” on his report card. But he is one of America’s greatest pop masters, and if he is present—and on—this collaboration with the funk band Rufus, whose “Tell Me Something Good,” with Chaka Khan, burned the airwaves in 1974, should be something to behold.” (NewYorker mag)
B.B.King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St.
At 8PM / $50 with $10 minimum
212-997-4144 / bbkingblues.com

GOTHAM BURLESQUE- THE BEST OF BURLESQUE
Labelled ”CONEY ISLAND IN NEW YORK CITY SPECTACULAR!” this showcase of music, burlesque and comedy has 14 acts that should be lots of fun.
Stage 72, 158 West 72nd Street,
At 10 p.m. / $39 and $5
gothamburlesque.com

Fall for Dance Festival (last day!)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems.

This bargain dance sampler finishes well with the drag ballet of the Trocks and sophisticated hip-hop by the Alvin Ailey troupe.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
212-581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.

Next year buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

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, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – 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” +1/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, OCT. 04, 2013

The New Yorker Festival
“The literary smorgasbord known as The New Yorker Festival is offering ample servings of readings, discussions and screenings with writers, actors and others, at several locations. Online sales are closed for many events, but tickets to some notable ones are still available.

Among them are a talk on Sunday at 2 p.m. by Jill Lepore (“Book of Ages: The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin,” just released by Alfred A. Knopf) at the SVA Theater 2, 333 West 23rd Street, Chelsea; and a conversation on Friday at 10 p.m. with Sam Lipsyte (“The Fun Parts,” released last March) and Thomas McGuane whose most recent novel is “Driving on the Rim,” at the SVA Theater. Tickets are $35. A limited number of tickets to most festival events will be available for purchase on Friday from noon to 4 p.m. at the SVA Theater. A schedule is at festival.newyorker.com.” (NYT-Anne Mancuso)

Irish Film Festival (through Sunday)
Six contemporary films — fiction and nonfiction — will be shown during this festival presented by Irish Film New York.  A screening of “Run & Jump,” a 2013 feature by Steph Green about the relationship of an Irish family and the American doctor (Will Forte) who temporarily lives with them, will open the festival on Friday at 7:30 p.m. A discussion with Ms. Green will follow the screening.
New York University’s Cantor Film Center, 36 East Eighth St., Greenwich Village.
At 7:30PM/$12, $10 for students and 62+ for each screening
998-4100, irishfilmnyc.com

Bill Bryson Book Reading: “One Summer: America, 1927”
In One Summer, Bill Bryson, one of our greatest and most beloved nonfiction writers, transports readers on a journey back to one amazing season in American life.
Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th St.
At 7:00 PM / FREE
212-253-0810

Mannes Festival – an Evening of Piano Fantasies: 
Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Scriabin and Carter
Since 1999, Mannes College has presented a yearlong music festival every year. Each festival has a theme and a program of more than 20 concerts performed by Mannes’ gifted young student artists, distinguished faculty members, and renowned guests and held at prestigious New York City concert venues and cultural institutions.

Each festival is an exploration of an individual composer, a musical group, a stylistic movement, or a historical period. The 2013 festival,” Sounds of Change: Music in Transition” explores music written during transitional periods, from the baroque to the present. This concert, presented by the Mannes Piano Department, will feature a performance the Piano Fantasies of Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Scriabin and Corigliano.
Mannes College The New School for Music, Concert Hall,
150 West 85th St. (btw Amsterdam/Columbus)
at 7:30 pm / FREE

Balanchine Black and White / NYC BALLET
George Balanchine redefined classical ballet with his groundbreaking “black and white” canon, works that forego decorative costumes and sets to focus attention on music and movement. The Four Temperaments references the medieval concept of psychological humors through classically grounded but definitively modern movement, while Episodes uses Webern’s edgy tones as the basis for a series of four arresting scenes. Duo Concertant alternates lively dancing and restful passages for two dancers before ending with a poignant play on light and shadow. Bold and breathtakingly jet-propelled, Symphony in Three Movements is a kinetic tour de force — a staggering finale to an impressive program.
Lincoln Center, DHK Theater,
8pm / $29-$159
nycballet.com

Jimmy Greene Quartet (Friday and Saturday)
“Jimmy Greene, an authoritative tenor saxophonist loosely in the Coltrane lineage, suffered an unspeakable tragedy last year when his 6-year-old daughter, Ana, was among the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. He recently recorded an album inspired by her memory, “Beautiful Life,” from which he’ll draw here, leading a quartet with the pianist Renee Rosnes, the bassist Ben Wolfe and the drummer Jeff (Tain) Watts.” (Chinen-NYT)
Smoke, 2751 Broadway, at 106th Street,
At 7, 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $38 cover
(212) 864-6662, smokejazz.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

Michael St. John, “Country Life” (ONLY until Oct.05)
“Over the past several years, St. John has managed, with some success, to evoke America’s propensity for racism, violence, grandiosity, self-delusion and general cheesiness through relatively simple collage-on-canvas compositions, using personal and pop-cultural detritus as elements. He continues to do so in these latest works, which hearken back to American 19th-century trompe l’oeil painting.” (TONY Mag)
Andrea Rosen Gallery 544 W 24th St, (btw 10th/11th Aves)
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm / FREE
212-627-6000 / andrearosengallery.com

Sol LeWitt (until Oct. 12)
“Reincarnated here for the first time since its presentation in the 1988 Venice Biennale, Sol Lewitt’s “Wall Drawing #564: Complex forms with color ink washes simperimposed” offers 2,448 square feet of visual sumptuousness covering three walls of Paula Cooper’s main exhibition space. Bold, black lines about half a foot wide divide the surface into rectangular compartments occupied by multicolored, crystalline forms surrounded by single-color fields. It’s beautiful.” (Johnson-NYT)
Paula Cooper Gallery, 521 West 21st St.
255-1105, paulacoopergallery.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 (10/02) and (09/30).

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, OCT. 03, 2013

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 – West Village

Corner Bistro  /  331 W. 4th St.

Sometimes you just need a beer and a burger. If so, Corner Bistro is the place you want. Located just outside the hip Meatpacking district, this corner bar and grill is decidedly unhip, but it’s not uncrowded, especially at night. Seems that everyone knows this place has one of the better burgers in town.

In the maze of streets known as the West Village, where West 4th intersects with West 12th (and West 11th, and West 10th, go figure), you will eventually find Corner Bistro on the corner of West 4th and Jane Street. An unassuming neighborhood tavern, it looks just like dozens of other taverns around town. The bartender tells me that the Corner Bistro will be celebrating it’s 50th anniversary next year. The well worn interior tells me that the place itself is much older.

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

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

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

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

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – 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 – WEDNESDAY, OCT. 02, 2013

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “Notable Events-Oct.”, “on Broadway”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦  For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.

Ben Sollee + River Whyless
“Inventive Kentucky cellist Ben Sollee comes to town to play at City Winery; expect to hear from Sollee’s swoonworthy latest offering, Half Made Man” (TONY mag)
get a sneak peek of Sollee performing live at the TONY office at video.ny.timeout.com/playlist/live-at-tony.
City Winery, 155 Varick St. at Vandam St.
8PM / $22
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com

Festival of New Trumpet Music*
“The annual hornucopia founded just over a decade ago by Dave Douglas is dedicated this year to Marcus Belgrave, a trumpeter and teacher long revered in and around Detroit. Mr. Belgrave, 77, closes out the festival with a two-night quartet engagement featuring several of his well-traveled former students: the pianist Geri Allen, the bassist Marion Hayden and the drummer Kassa Overall.” (Chinen-NYT)
Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th Street, Manhattan,
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $20
576-2232, jazzstandard.net
This venue is not on the WestSide, but good trumpet players are worth a short detour.
Subway: #1-2-3 to Times Square; transfer to N/R south to 28th St.; short walk: 1 blk S to 27th St.; 3 blocks E to Jazz Standard.

Emma Dean: Imaginarium
Internationally acclaimed Australian chanteuse EMMA DEAN premieres her new show EMMA DEAN’S IMAGINARIUM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.  Part theatre piece, part cabaret show, EMMA DEAN’S IMAGINARIUM opens the door to a magical performance experience. It is created by Emma Dean (songs, arrangements, performer), James Dobinson (musical director, arrangement, performer) and Kate Lee (choreographer, performer).
Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Café, 407 W 42nd St. (btw 9th/10th Aves)
7:30PM / $18 + $15 minimum
212-695-6909 / beechmantheatre.com

Fall for Dance Festival (through Oct. 5)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems. Highlights include three new works commissioned by City Center in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.

Next year buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

The Charles Tolliver Residency*
“During the so-called “Loft Jazz” era of the 1970s, one beacon of quality was the trumpeter Charles Tolliver, who released a series of vital albums on his Strata-East label, notably the 1971 quartet outing “Music Inc.” Then Mr. Tolliver disappeared from the scene, returning only within the last decade, often with a big-band format. He’ll hold down a Wednesday-night residency this fall, starting next week, and an early teaser — “the resurgence of Music Inc.” — is promising.” (Chinen-NYT)
The Cell Theater, 388 West 23rd Street, Chelsea
At 8 and 10 p.m. / $25
(646) 861-2253, brownpapertickets.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 @ 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

“Old Masters, Newly Acquired” (through Oct. 6)
“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
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
All exhibitions from Oct 4, 2013–Jan 19, 2014:
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

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 09/30 and 09/28.

Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, OCT 01, 2013

Due to Back End Development work,
Selected Events will be suspended from 29 Sept to 01 Oct.

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, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – 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.
===========================================================================================

Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, SEPT 30, 2013

Due to Back End Development work,
Selected Events will be suspended from 29 Sept to 01 Oct.

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 will be the world’s biggest and most elaborate display of LEGO® art ever and will feature 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
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
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
New Exhibitions begin Oct.4
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge.
(easy to get to via subway: #2 or 3 express to Clark St., the 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (LAST 2 DAYS!)
“When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos.

The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org
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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 (09/26) and (09/28).

Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT. 29, 2013

Due to Back End Development work,
Selected Events will be suspended from 29 Sept to 01 Oct.

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

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – 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 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, SEPT 28, 2013

For other useful and curated NYCity event info for Manhattan’s WestSide check out:
♦ “Notable Events-Oct.”, “on Broadway”, and “Top10 Free” in the header above.
♦  For NYCity trip planning see links in “Resources” and “Smart Stuff” in the header above.

Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day Live! 
Being short of cash needn’t be a reason not to visit a museum thjis Saturday, especially when there is no admission to many during this annual event sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine. The only catch is the free passes — good for two people — have to be obtained by e-mail.

They can be downloaded through Saturday at smithsonian.com/museumday/tick.
A list of participating museums is at smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues.

Taste of France (through Sunday)
Visitors to Bryant Park this weekend will feel transported to Europe during this two-day immersion in French food, music, products and workshops.

Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Bryant Park, Avenue of the Americas, at 40th Street, tasteoffrance.com; free, but tickets to special events, called Mariannes, range from $10 to $150 and can be bought online or at the park.

Fall for Dance Festival (through Oct. 5)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems. Highlights include three new works commissioned by City Center in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.

Next year buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

Governors Island Events (Last weekend!)
Free activities offered by the Figment NYC art project include interactive events in the Sculpture Garden, an artist-designed miniature golf course and installations in the “City of Dreams” pavilion that encourage visitor participation. The pavilion is a combined venture of the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Structural Engineers Association of New York. figmentproject.org

Tours of a new park under construction on the island are among the activities planned for the last weekend that the island will be open this year. The design of the park will be covered on tours on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30, while the park’s horticulture is the topic on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30

The Governors Island Art Fair, which is now in its sixth year  features a hundred rooms of painting, photography, sculpture, video installations, and other work, on display in the ornate and colorful houses of Nolan Park. (4heads.org)

“Fête Paradiso,” a French-style amusement park, with rides and games dating to the 19th century, including a carousel and bumper cars, will operate through Sept. 29; rides and games are $3. The rides are charming (don’t miss the nineteenth-century velocipede, a bicycle carousel that is a noisy and rickety delight), and there is food from Le Gamin and a beer garden in the center of it all. The festival is presented by two wealthy French collectors, so the rides, while ticketed, tend to be of a generous length.
(NYT & NewYorker Mag)

Free ferry service is available from the restored Battery Maritime Building, at South and Whitehall Streets, near Battery Park and the Staten Island ferry terminal.
From 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. / govisland.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

Michael St. John, “Country Life” (until  Oct.05)
“Over the past several years, St. John has managed, with some success, to evoke America’s propensity for racism, violence, grandiosity, self-delusion and general cheesiness through relatively simple collage-on-canvas compositions, using personal and pop-cultural detritus as elements. He continues to do so in these latest works, which hearken back to American 19th-century trompe l’oeil painting.” (TONY Mag)
Andrea Rosen Gallery 544 W 24th St, (btw 10th/11th Aves)
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm / FREE
212-627-6000 / andrearosengallery.com

Sol LeWitt (through Oct. 12)
“Reincarnated here for the first time since its presentation in the 1988 Venice Biennale, Sol Lewitt’s “Wall Drawing #564: Complex forms with color ink washes simperimposed” offers 2,448 square feet of visual sumptuousness covering three walls of Paula Cooper’s main exhibition space. Bold, black lines about half a foot wide divide the surface into rectangular compartments occupied by multicolored, crystalline forms surrounded by single-color fields. It’s beautiful.” (Johnson-NYT)
Paula Cooper Gallery, 521 West 21st St.
255-1105, paulacoopergallery.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 (09/26) and (09/24).

Today’s “Fab 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, SEPT 27, 2013

Dumbo Arts Festival (through Sunday)
This annual event features indoor and outdoor art installations, as well as music and dance performances in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn. Area artists will also be opening their studio doors for tours. Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday from noon to 9 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.; nightly projections are planned from sundown to midnight. More information: dumboartsfestival.coms

subway: #2-3 express to Clark St.; walk W on Clark to the spectacular Bklyn Heights promenade; walk N along the promenade, continuing on Furman St. to Water St. and Dumbo (maybe 15 minutes)

Melissa Aldana & the Crash Trio*
“A couple of weeks ago Melissa Aldana, a 24-year-old tenor saxophonist originally from Santiago, Chile, and now living in New York, won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, becoming the first female musician to do so. So this one-nighter will probably have the air of a victory lap — or at least a triumphant homecoming, given that the Jazz Gallery has been a kind of second home for her. She leads her Crash Trio, with Pablo Menares on bass and Francisco Mela on drums.” $20, $10 for members.” (Nate Chinen-NYT)
Jazz Gallery at Salt Space, 1160 Broadway, fifth floor, at West 27th St.
At 9 and 10:30 p.m./$20, $10 for members.
242-1063, jazzgallery.org

Fall for Dance Festival (through Oct. 5)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems. Highlights include three new works commissioned by City Center in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.
Next year buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

Barry Altschul and the 3dom Factor*
“The drummer Barry Altschul, who turned 70 this year, has been a stealth eminence in jazz — known mainly within the avant-garde, and for music he made many years ago. But that’s changing, thanks to work like “The 3dom Factor” (Tum), his first album as a leader since the mid-’80s, which features the youngish saxophonist Jon Irabagon, who has been one agent of Mr. Altschul’s recent re-emergence, and the veteran bassist Joe Fonda, who has been another. $10 cover, with a $10 minimum.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village
At 9 and 10:30 p.m./ $10 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 989-9319, corneliastreetcafe.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm 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

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

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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 – THURSDAY, SEPT 26, 2013.

Fall for Dance Festival (through Oct.5)
New York City Center is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Fall for Dance Festival with a very special season featuring performances by 20 acclaimed dance companies and artists from around the world. The Festival’s five unique programs offer an exciting mix of treasured favorites and undiscovered gems. Highlights include three new works commissioned by City Center in celebration of the 10th anniversary.
City Center, 131 West 55th St.
At 8 p.m./ $15*
581-1212, nycitycenter.org

*Unfortunately, presales are sold out. Tickets returned to the Box Office will be made available for sale starting at 6:30pm on the day of the performance. A maximum of two tickets per customer may be purchased on a first come, first served basis.
Next year, need to buy tickets (only $15) when they go on sale. This year they went on sale Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 AM. Mark your calendar.

Sudhir Venkatesh
Floating City: A Rogue Sociologist Lost and Found in New York’s Underground Economy
Columbia sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh (Gang Leader for a Day) interviews all species of human strata (prostitutes, socialites, academics and high/low level drug dealers) in Floating City, his in-depth look at New York’s underground economy.
Barnes & Noble, 82nd & Broadway
At 7PM / FREE
212-362-8835 / barnesandnoble.com

Taste of the Village 
Join hundreds of neighborhood foodies at the 11th Annual Taste of the Village benefit for Washington Square Park, sponsored by the Village Alliance.

“With over 30 local food and wine purveyors, this year’s  event will be our most exciting yet! From the beautiful vistas of the Washington Square arch and fountain, to our newly-expanded seating area and jazz performers, we promise a fun and flavorful evening under the stars.”

Taste of the Village tickets are $50 and are available online until 3:00 PM today (9/26), (A limited number of tickets will be for sale in person at the Washington Square Arch after online ticket sales close and at the door until we sell out.
(212) 777-2173, villagealliance.org

Eleventh Annual New York Burlesque Festival
“The Teaser Party,” a burlesque show with international performers, will open this festival running through Sept. 29 at several locations. The show is for those 18 and older.
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St, near Thompson St, Greenwich Village
At 7 p.m./ $20
Thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com

Boyzie Cekwana and Panaibra Canda
“One of the most important choreographers to have emerged from post-apartheid South Africa, Boyzie Cekwana, teams up with the Mozambican choreographer Panaibra Canda in “The Inkomati (dis)cord,” a work inspired by a failed 1984 agreement between their respective countries, and drawing on their personal histories and experiences. There will be a post-performance talk.” (Sulcas-NYT)
New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, Chelsea
At 7:30 p.m. / $20
924-0077, newyorklivearts.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

“Old Masters, Newly Acquired” (through Oct. 6)
“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
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
All exhibitions from Oct 4, 2013–Jan 19, 2014:
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

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

One more photo exhibition, this one in a special setting – the lovely, new Bklyn Bridge Park with spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and of course, the Brooklyn Bridge. (easy to get to via subway: #2 or 3 express to Clark St. 1st stop in Bklyn.)

‘The Fence’ in Brooklyn Bridge Park (through Oct. 1) “When is a fence not a fence? When it is the backdrop for a free display of over 200 jury selected images of people, animals and daily life by 39 photographers from the United States and abroad. Presented for the second year by United Photo Industries, a Brooklyn arts cooperative, as a showcase for young photographers, the display consists of a 1,000-foot-long waterproof mesh banner superimposed with color and black-and-white photos. The banner stretches through Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Pier 15, at Joralemon Street and the East River in Brooklyn Heights, to Main Street in Dumbo.” (Anne Mancuso-NYT)
Pier 5, Joralemon Street and the East River
From 6am to 1am / FREE
(718) 215-9075 / fence.photovillenyc.org ==========================================================

For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 09/24 and 09/22.