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

Today’s “Fab 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, SEPT 25, 2013.

Juan Gabriel Vásquez, THE SOUND OF THINGS FALLING
Presented by Greenlight Bookstore, the Colombian literary star’s only NYC appearance for his award-winning new novel, in conversation with author Richard Price.

What a combo! Mr. Price, a Bronx boy who made good, is well known as a novelist (The Wanderers, Clockers, and The Lush Life) and screenwriter (Color of Money, Sea of Love).
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

Hilary Gardner Quintet (Hilary Gardner – Vocals, Ehud Asherie – Piano, Jason Marshall – Sax, Elias Bailey – Bass, Kevin Kanner – Drums)
“Hilary Gardner is not only a fine singer but she has an original turn of mind.  She wouldn’t have been the first singer to create a mini-concert around the theme of THE GREAT CITY, but another singer might choose nostalgia and celebrate New York in formulaic terms of bygone neighborhoods and landmarks, the musical world of the double-decker bus and a pocketful of nickels for the Automat.

Hilary has her eyes open to this century as well as to its predecessor.  Her world didn’t begin in 1990, but she knows that intriguing songs keep being written about the city that so fascinates her. Her songs — glorious evidence of the swinging, witty rapport between her and pianist Ehud Asherie — stretch back to Vernon Duke and Leonard Bernstein, but forward to Nellie McKay and Dan Hicks.  Hilary has a beautiful voice and a clear, focused delivery — you can hear she’s thought about the lyrics and how they ring most effectively — and a natural swing, a keen ebullience.” (Michael Steinman, JAZZ LIVES blog)
Jazz at Kitano, 66 Park Avenue, at 38th St.
sets at 8:00 and 10:00 pm ($10 cover + $15 minimum)
212.885.7119 / kitano.com/Jazz-Schedule

sometimes you just have to go over to the EastSide
a Hillary Gardner performance is one of those times.
subway: #1-2-3 to 34th St.; walk E 4 blocks to Park ave, N 4 blocks to Kitano.

Yosvany Terry Quintet*
“The saxophonist and percussionist Yosvany Terry has a fine recent album, “Today’s Opinion” (Criss Cross), that solidifies his stature as one of the serious younger faces of Afro-Cuban jazz. His band here, as on the album, has Michael Rodriguez on trumpet and Osmany Paredes on piano; joining them are the deft bassist Hans Glawischnig and the authoritative drummer Jeff (Tain) Watts.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St. and Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m./$30 cover, with a $10 minimum
258-9595, jalc.org

Zorn@60
The citywide celebrations of the 60th birthday of the indefatigable, brilliant John Zorn continue with a concert series at the Miller Theater, one of his longest-standing artistic homes.

Wednesday’s concert focuses on Mr. Zorn’s orchestral writing, including his 1999 violin concerto “Contes de Fées”; “Orchestra Variations” and “Kol Nidre” (both from 1996); and the American premiere of “Suppôts et Supplications.” (Woolfe-NYT)
Miller Theater, Broadway at 116th Street, Morningside Heights
at 8 p.m./ $25 to $40
(212) 854-7799, millertheatre.com

The Savassi Festival 
Rogerio Boccato Quarteto 
Dan Blake(Saxophone), Nando Michelin(Piano), Jay Anderson(Bass), Rogerio Boccato(Percussion)
“A ten-year-old Brazilian music festival makes its New York debut with more than a week’s worth of workshops and gigs, celebrating some of the nation’s leading composers in a jazz context. See ny.savassifestival.com.br for the full lineup.” (TONY mag)

55 Bar, 55 Christopher Street just east of Seventh Avenue.
At 7PM / FREE

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, 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 5”/ Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, SEPT 24, 2013.

ART SPIEGELMAN
Art Spiegelman discusses his new book, “CO-MIX: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics, and Scraps,” with Dan Nadel, the editor of The Comics Journal.
Housing Works Bookstore Café, 126 Crosby St.
At 7PM / FREE
212-334-3324 / housingworks.org

THE GERMAN SOUL
Author Thea Dorn will read from and discuss her book Die Deutsche Seele [The German Soul] with Martin Rauchbauer, Director of Deutsches Haus.

Thea Dorn and Richard Wagner’s Die Deutsche Seele is a sensuous, richly illustrated cultural history of the German soul: Two authors who could hardly be more different affectionately and critically, knowledgeably and without fear of contact examine what the German soul really is. They run the German soul to ground in words as different as “Abendbrot,” meaning a light evening meal, and “Wanderlust” (the joy of hiking); “Männerchor” (male choir) and Fahrvergnügen” (driving pleasure); “Abgrund” (abyss) and “Zerrissenheit” (conflict). The result is a profound and many-faceted cultural history of the German people in 60 chapters.
Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews
at 6:30 PM / FREE

‘Così Fan Tutte’
“James Levine, still nominally the Met Opera’s music director, returns to its podium for the first time since May 2011, after which he was sidelined with injuries and illness. He makes his comeback in a Mozart classic that he has led at the Met dozens of times, featuring a young, capable cast of Susanna Phillips, Isabel Leonard, Danielle de Niese, Matthew Polenzani and Rodion Pogossov. The Met’s production, light-filled and polite (originally directed by Lesley Koenig), is no great shakes, but everyone will be on his or her best behavior for this one. (Through Oct. 5.)” (Zachary Woolfe-NYT)
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center Plaza, W65th St. & B’way
At 7:30 p.m./$27 to $445.
metoperafamily.org

Juilliard415
Monica Huggett, violin/leader
MYSLIVECEK String Quintet No. 1 in G Major
MOZART String Quintet in C Major, K. 515
MOZART String Quintet in G Minor, K. 516
Internationally-renowned Baroque violinist, Juilliard Historical Performance artistic advisor and artist-in-residence Monica Huggett leads a program of select string quintets by Mozart and his colleague and friend, Czech composer Myslivecek. Upon programming these works, Ms. Huggett remarked, “it is generally accepted that the combination of two violins, two violas, and cello inspired Mozart to compose chamber music of paralleled beauty and depth…The string quintet was a relatively rare combination at that time, but Myslivecek composed some light-hearted pieces in that genre which may have sown the seed in Mozart’s imagination”
Paul Hall, Juilliard School, Lincoln Center, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza,
At 8 p.m./ FREE with tickets
(212) 769-7406, juilliard.edu

Igor Butman and the Moscow State Jazz Orchestra
“At a time of frosty diplomatic relations between the United States and Russia, Mr. Butman, a saxophonist of ironclad self-assurance, comes bearing peace and good will. He leads a big band stocked with his fellow countrymen, and welcomes the American jazz and cabaret singer Allan Harris as a featured guest.” (Chinen-NYT)
54 Below, 254 West 54th St.
At 7 and 9 p.m./ $35 to $45 cover, with a $15 minimum.
476-3551, 54below.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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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.
‘the Bruce High Quality Foundation: Ode to Joy’ (through Sept. 22)
‘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 

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 (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
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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 (09/22) and (09/20).

Today’s “Fab 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, SEPT 23, 2013.

Mannes Festival at Steinway Hall
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. The program will include piano music of Chopin, Beethoven, Liszt, Bartok, Prokofiev, Satie, Debussy, and Kurtag.
Steinway Hall, 109 W 57th (btw 7th/6th ave)
at 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm / FREE
please reserve online here – next concerts 10/22; 11/07

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
There’s a tradition in many New York City jazz clubs – Monday nights are reserved for big bands. The Village Vanguard, the most storied of clubs, has observed this practice since 1966. The Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, established by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, is definitely a big band with 4 trumpets, and 4 trombones to accompany 6 reed players. Why not make it your tradition, too.
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Avenue South, just below West 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 pm / $25
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

Marcus Strickland Quartet
“The industrious tenor and soprano saxophonist Marcus Strickland pursues a vision of modern jazz that’s rooted in tradition but open to contemporary influence. Here he pays a loose tribute to John Coltrane, with an excellent band that includes Luis Perdomo on piano, Dezron Douglas on bass and Jeff (Tain) Watts on drums.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St./Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $30 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

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

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

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.
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Website: are you kidding !
(although there is a facebook page with lots of photos –
facebook.com/jimmyscornernyc)
Phone #: 212-221-9510
Hours: 11am – 4 am, except Sunday they open 12 noon
Happy Hour: not necessary, low prices all day, every day
Subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare 42nd st
walk 2 blks N on 7th ave to 44th st; ½ blk E to Jimmy’s

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“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, 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”/ Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT 22, 2013.

BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL
“In some parts of Brooklyn these days, it’s difficult to turn around without bumping into a writer. This week, that will be truer than ever, and there’s a likelihood that one of those writers will be from abroad: the annual Brooklyn Book Festival, which has grown over the past seven years from a local gathering to an increasingly international one, is taking place on Sept. 22, in downtown Brooklyn. More than three hundred authors, including Edwidge Danticat, Pete Hamill, Lois Lowry, Colum McCann, Charles Simic, Jeff Smith, Art Spiegelman, Juan Gabriel Vásquez, and Tom Wolfe, are participating.” (NewYorker mag)
Various Locations, esp Borough Hall and its Plaza
at 209 Joralemaon St., downtown Bklyn.
10AM – 6PM / FREE
brooklynbookfestival.org

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; newyork.figmentproject.org.

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)
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.

Works and Process*(Sunday and Monday)
“This intimate encounter with artists and the creative process in the Guggenheim’s small theater is always a treat, and usually sells out. This week Andrea Miller discusses her new work, “Fold Here,” for her company Gallim Dance. The piece, based on a Raymond Carver short story, will be explored through performance and a discussion moderated by Jedediah Wheeler, the artistic director of Peak Performances, which commissioned the piece.” (Sulcas-NYT)
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
At 7:30 p.m./$25 to $35
(212) 423-3587, worksandprocess.org

Royal Ballet’s “The Metamorphosis” (through Sept.29)
“Arthur Pita choreographs and directs a dance-theater interpretation of Kafka’s classic novella, which features Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson as the pitiful Gregor Samsa, who awakes one morning as a giant insect. The production includes an original score performed live by Frank Moon and a set by Simon Daw.” (TONY mag)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St.
At 2PM / $10-$75
212-242-0800 / joyce.org

New Gary Burton Quartet  (last day!)
“Riding the wave of his seventieth birthday, as well as the release of a new album, “Guided Tour,” and an autobiography, “Learning to Listen,” the dazzling vibraphonist and his quartet are joined by special guests, including the guitarist Larry Coryell, who rose to fame with Burton’s pioneering fusion band of the sixties.” (NewYorker mag)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $45 cover at tables, $30 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.
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Chelsea is the heart of the NYCity contemporary art scene. Home to more than 300 art galleries, the Rubin Museum, the Joyce Theater, and The Kitchen performance spaces,   there is no place like it anywhere in the world.

Come here to browse free exhibitions by world-renowned artists and those unknowns waiting to be discovered in an art district that is concentrated between West 18th and West 27th Streets, and 10th and 11th Avenues. Afterwards stop in the Chelsea Market, stroll on the High Line, or rest up at one of the many cafes and bars and discuss the fine art – my fave is Ovest on W 27th St., where the aperitivo is like Happy Hour on steroids.

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

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

  Museum of Modern Art
Walker Evans: American Photographs (through Jan. 26, 2014)
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

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (last day!)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

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

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 (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 the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (09/18) and (09/20).

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

Governors Island Events (Saturday and Sunday)
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; newyork.figmentproject.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.
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.

Feast of San Gennaro (through Sept. 22)
Little Italy is really little these days, but the feast is not and has expanded beyond Mulberry St.. The neighborhood demographics change, but San Gennaro keeps to its traditional ways and attracts people from the entire New York tri-state area for the food, games, and rides. Lots of cannoli and sausage and peppers – Mangia!

The feast stretches along Mulberry Street, between Canal and Houston Streets, as well as Grand Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets and Hester Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets. In the evening be prepared to push through the big crowds.
Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
For a schedule of events: (212) 768-9320 / sangennaro.org.

NY Philharmonic Plays ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’
“The soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick’s epic film “2001: A Space Odyssey” sent curious ears scrambling toward the outré realms of contemporary classical music, which by the 1960s had steered strings and things toward eerie, experimental ends. As part of the series “The Art of the Score” (a related program, including an encore performance on Wednesday, was conceived for Alfred Hitchcock), the New York Philharmonic will play along to a full screening of the movie, with musical highlights delivered from otherworldly works by György Ligeti, Aram Khachaturian and Richard Strauss.” (WSJ – Battaglia)
Lincoln Center—Avery Fisher Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza,
At 8PM / $45 to $75
875-5656, lincolncenter.org

Jazz At Lincoln Center (double-header)
AHMAD JAMAL
“Still confounding expectations at age eighty-three, the pianist Ahmad Jamal is joined by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis. Jamal is a venerated master of spontaneous small-group interaction (just take a listen to his new album, “Saturday Morning”), and it will be fascinating to hear this willfully unpredictable stylist negotiate big-band arrangements of his own work.” (NewYorker mag)
Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway
8PM / maybe sold out. if so, try Bill Frisell (below)
(212) 721-6500, jalc.org

Bill Frisell: Gershwin & Beyond
“The visionary guitarist Bill Frisell, continuing his ongoing exploration of the American Songbook, devotes a program to the groundbreaking work of the composers William Billings, Stephen Foster, Charles Ives, and George Gershwin.” (NewYorker mag)
The Allen Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th Street and Broadway
7PM / $55-$75
(212) 721-6500, jalc.org

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).

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

===============================================================================
“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, cocktail lounges, wine bars, tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.
================================================================================

Today’s “Fab 4”/ Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, SEPT 20, 2013.

Literary Past, Present, Future:
Three of Brooklyn’s most ardent supporters of literary culture, The Sackett Street Writer’s Workshop, LargeHearted Boy music & literature blog and SLICE Literary Magazine, present a night of readings by three critically acclaimed authors—Joyce Johnson (Minor Characters), Alissa Nutting (Tampa) and Gabriel Roth (The Unknowns)—plus giveaways and complimentary refreshments by Brooklyn’s own SixPoint Brewery. Hosted by Julia Fierro, David Gutowski, Maria Gagliano and Celia Johnson.
BookCourt, 163 Court St. (btw. Pacific & Dean St.)
books and beer! can you beat that!
subway: #2,3 express to Borough Hall; walk S 6 blocks on CourtSt.
At 7:00 PM / FREE
Website: www.bookcourt.com, www.blog.largeheartedboy.com, www.slicemagazine.org, www.sackettworkshop.com

City and Colour
“The lithe pop singer Dallas Green offers a featherweight falsetto and the palpable humility of an artist with his feet firmly planted. This solo project of Mr. Green’s, long a cult favorite in his native Ontario, yielded a hearty, enriching release in 2012, “Little Hell” (Vagrant). With Lissie and Lucy Rose.”(Anderson-NYT)
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, midpark at 70th St.
At 6 p.m./$35. ticketmaster.com

VAMPIRE WEEKEND
Vampire Weekend’s third album, “Modern Vampires of the City,” with its rhythmic complexities, mellow singing, and textural references to seventies pop, departs from the slick yet groovy African-influenced sound that put it on the map. Opens with Solange, who is best known as Beyoncé’s sister but whose bouncy, minimal, eighties-influenced dance pop holds its own, and Sky Ferreira and her moody lyrics and breathy vocals. (NewYorker mag)
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave, at Flatbush Ave.
sometimes the event is special and we just have to go to Brooklyn.
fortunately, the #2-3 express will get you there quickly.
subway: #2-3 to atlantic ave.; walk upstairs and you are there!
At 8 p.m./ $35 to $49.99
(800) 745-3000, barclayscenter.com

Coltrane Revisited (Friday and Saturday)
“In advance of what would have been John Coltrane’s 87th birthday, the pianist Steve Kuhn — one of Coltrane’s sidemen, however briefly — assembles an astute and respectful cast. Mark Turner and Eric Alexander share tenor saxophone duties, each with his own style; the rhythm section has Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums.”(Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th St.
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./$35 and $45 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

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

Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

“Ken Price Sculpture: A Retrospective” (through Sept. 22)
‘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)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd St.
(212) 535-7710 / metmuseum.org

“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“Aten Reign” (through Sept. 25) ……the centerpiece of James Turrell’s first exhibition in a New York museum since 1980, recasts the Guggenheim rotunda as an enormous volume filled with shifting artificial and natural light. {see review below}
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th St.
(212) 423-3500 / guggenheim.org.

Light and color wash the Rotunda.  “Turrell works in a single medium: light. He has sliced into walls, designed seamless rooms with holes in the ceiling, and spent four decades building a giant naked-eye observatory in the Arizona desert—all to provide unexpectedly intimate and mysterious views of the sky, the sun, and the stars. For this segment of a three-part show running concurrently in L.A. and Houston, he’s turned the museum’s atrium into a giant light box. —J.D.” (NYmag) ========================================================== 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. ========================================================== 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
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)

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 09/18 and 09/16.

Today’s “Fab 5”+1 / Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, SEPT 19, 2013.

‘Re-Thinking Literature’ (through Sept. 21)
Writers, art critics and scholars will be among those taking part in this free conference focusing on the significance of literature in today’s world. Presented by New York University’s Center for French Civilization and Culture, the conference begins on Thursday with a keynote address at 7 p.m. by Peter Schjeldahl, art critic for The New Yorker, and presentations from 8 to 9:30 p.m. by Boris Groys, a writer and scholar, and Donatien Grau, an art critic and writer.
New York University, Hemmerdinger Hall, 100 Washington Sq East
A schedule is at french.as.nyu.edu/object/re-thinking.
(212) 998-8758

Is There Still Alternative Culture in New York?
From hotels to pickles, contemporary New York is the land of boutique consumption. Does alternative culture still imply authentic expression? Does the consumer’s taste for pricy, artisanal idiosyncrasy threaten to price out the cultural producers? Guests will include musician Claudia Gonson, of acclaimed band The Magnetic Fields; Astra Taylor, director of Zizek!; Jessica Dimmock, photographer and filmmaker, creator of The Ninth Floor; and writer Alissa Quart, author of Republic of Outsiders. Moderated by Carl Swanson, editor-at-large, New York magazine.
The Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 Fifth Ave @ 34th St. Martin E. Segal Theatre
at 6:30 PM / FREE

The Best American Poetry Reading 2013
David Lehman, series editor of The Best American Poetry and poetry coordinator of The New School’s MFA Program, joins guest editor of the 2013 volume, Denise Duhamel, to present poets and poems for the 25th edition of the acclaimed anthology.

Readers will include  Kim Addonizio, Timothy Donnelly, John Hennessy,  Major Jackson, Lawrence Joseph, Noelle Kocot, Dorianne Laux, Amy Lawless, Amy Lemmon, Anthony Madrid, Sally Wen Mao, Vijay Seshadri, Mitch Sisskind, Stephanie Strickland, Angela Veronica Wong, and Wendy Xu.
Tishman Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall
66 West 12th Street,
at 7:00 pm / FREE

Miles Davis’s Milestones
MSM Chamber Jazz Ensemble; Justin DiCioccio, Director
A recreation of the landmark album for Davis’s late 1950s quintet, featuring John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley and the group’s foray into modal jazz.
Manhattan School of Music, 120 Claremont Ave. Nr 122nd St. & B’way
At 7:30PM / FREE
917 493 4469 | www.msmnyc.edu

Acardenchados
Acardenchados take their name from the Mexican Cardenche style of popular music, which is created through the spontaneous interpretation of three or four voices. This improvisational yet traditional vocal ensemble joins together in exploring creative boundaries of singing in the Cardenche and Pirekua— the syncretism of religious music chants from the Spanish evangelizers and with Indian Mexican music– ways. Joining Tareke Ortiz, Leo Soqui, and Juan Manuel Torreblanca, we welcome back Juan Pablo Villa, one of the most respected exponents of improvisation music in Mexico, who performed at Lincoln Center in 2010. Acardenchados exposes us to extended vocal techniques in the most fascinating and energizing ways.
Lincoln Center, David Rubenstein Atrium, Broadway between 62nd and 63rd St.
At 7:30PM / FREE (get there early – free performances in the Atrium are very popular)
1-212-875-5377

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – Tribeca

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Pub” is used in it’s broadest sense – bars, bar/restaurants, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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

Feast of San Gennaro (through Sept. 22)
Little Italy is really little these days, but the feast is not and has expanded beyond Mulberry St.. The neighborhood demographics change, but San Gennaro keeps to its traditional ways and attracts people from the entire New York tri-state area for the food, games, and rides. Lots of cannoli and sausage and peppers – Mangia!

The feast stretches along Mulberry Street, between Canal and Houston Streets, as well as Grand Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets and Hester Street, between Mott and Baxter Streets. In the evening be prepared to push through the big crowds.
Daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
For a schedule of events: (212) 768-9320 / sangennaro.org.

Grace Cosgrove: To Laura with Love—Grace Cosgrove Sings Laura Nyro
Grace Cosgrove fiddles with Nyro in this tribute to one of the singer-songwriter movement’s most distinctive voices.
“…easily one of the most loving and well-crafted homage shows of the year.”Stephen Hanks, Broadwayworld.com
 “A CLASS ACT! With finesse and respect for the material, Grace Cosgrove elegantly elevates all she sings when she digs deep, and strikes gold.”    -Rob Lester, Cabaret Scenes

Award winning singer, Grace Cosgrove, returns with her Laura Nyro show, the critically acclaimed “To Laura With Love­” for 4 very special performances.
Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves
Subway: F, M, N, R (all transfer from 1-2-3 at Times Sq.) to 23rd St
At 7PM / $20 + 2 drink minimum
212-206-0440 / metropolitanroom.com

Barbez + Yotam Haber
“Old-world chanson and postwar classical music remain the lifeblood of Barbez, but the band can still rock out hard. Variety is key: The ethereal blend of electronics, violin, marimba and more is utterly bewitching. Expect a celebratory tone to tonight’s record-release affair heralding the arrival of Bella Ciao,a disc of songs inspired by ancient Roman Jewish melodies and the Italian Resistance during World War II, and the band’s strongest, most ambitious statement to date. Distinguished composer Yotam Haber opens with his intensely felt chamber music.” (TONY mag)
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. at Thompson St
Subway: A, C, E, B, D, F, M (all transfer from 1-2-3 at Times Sq.) to W 4th St
At 7PM / $12
212-505-3474 / lepoissonrouge.com

New York City Ballet* (through Oct. 13)
“The season opener — Peter Martins’s full-length “Swan Lake” — runs through Sept. 22, with a break on Thursday for the fashion-focused fall gala, featuring premieres by Benjamin Millepied, Angelin Preljocaj and (hurray) Justin Peck, alongside Balanchine’s “Western Symphony.” (Burke-NYT)
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center,
Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7 p.m./ $29 to $159.
496-0600  / nycballet.com

GARY BURTON (through Sept. 22)
“Riding the wave of his seventieth birthday, as well as the release of a new album, “Guided Tour,” and an autobiography, “Learning to Listen,” the dazzling vibraphonist and his quartet are joined by special guests, including the trumpeters Arturo Sandoval (Sept. 17-18) and Terence Blanchard (Sept. 19-20). The guitarist Larry Coryell, who rose to fame with Burton’s pioneering fusion band of the sixties, joins him on the last two nights.” (NewYorker mag)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./ $45 cover at tables, $30 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.
================================================================================

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums   (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.
==========================================================

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

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

‘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.
‘the Bruce High Quality Foundation: Ode to Joy’ (through Sept. 22)
‘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

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

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

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

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 (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 the right Sidebar: “Selected Events + Special Exhibitions : Manhattan’s WestSide” dated (09/14) and (09/16).

Today’s “Fab 3” / Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, SEPT 17, 2013.

Royal Ballet’s “The Metamorphosis”
“Arthur Pita choreographs and directs a dance-theater interpretation of Kafka’s classic novella, which features Royal Ballet principal Edward Watson as the pitiful Gregor Samsa. The production includes an original score performed live by Frank Moon and a set by Simon Daw.” (TONY mag)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave. at 19th St
At 7PM / $10-$75
212-242-0800 / joyce.org

The Savassi Festival 
Antônio Loureiro Quintet featuring Mike Moreno and Tatiana Parra
A ten-year-old Brazilian music festival makes its New York debut with more than a week’s worth of workshops and gigs, celebrating some of the nation’s leading composers in a jazz context. See ny.savassifestival.com.br for the full lineup, which includes bassist Leonardo Cioglia’s homage to Milton Nascimento (Sept 17), pianist Vitor Gonçalves’s tribute to Hermeto Pascoal (Sept 19), and gigs focused on the repertoires of Toninho Horta
Small’s Jazz Club, 
At 9PM /
212-252-5091 / smallsjazzclub.com

Nerd Jeopardy
Powered by Penguin Press and litcentric site Small Demons, this trivia night challenges bookworms to form teams of three and compete in a literary version of the TV game show. Free beer and wine will lube up those who arrive early, and badgering lackluster players is encouraged.
BookCourt, 163 Court St., (btw Dean and Pacific Sts)
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
.  subway: #2, 3, to Borough Hall
at 7PM / FREE
718-875-3677 / bookcourt.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 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 W. Side Hwy., all may open before a table inside the main dining room. Otherwise, try Dinosaur for lunch, or come very early or 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.
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Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, SEPT 16, 2013.

Fall for Dance (Monday & Tuesday)
“Two free shows in Central Park, hosted by the Public Theater, are just a warm-up for this festival’s 10-day (and 10th-anniversary) extravaganza at City Center from Sept. 25 to Oct. 5. The lineup for the open-air performances includes members of New York City Ballet in Ulysses Dove’s “Red Angels,” Paul Taylor Dance Company in its effervescent “Esplanade,” Ronald K. Brown’s invigorating “Upside Down” (with live music) and the dancers (or are they superheroes?) of STREB Extreme Action Company.

As with the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, tickets will be in high demand. Free tickets, two per person, will be distributed at noon at the Delacorte Theater on the day of the show and through a virtual ticketing lottery (at shakespeareinthepark.org).”  (Burke-NYT)
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, near 81st St. / Central Park West
At 8 p.m./ FREE, but probably long lines
(212) 539-8750

Jenny Scheinman’s Mischief and Mayhem + Julian Lage
“Known originally as an improvising violinist, Jenny Scheinman took the time to establish herself as a singer and songwriter. Mischief and Mayhem, her newest group, finds her back in improv land, but you’ll notice a strong line in melody, evocation and emotion running through everything she plays. Guitarist Nels Cline, a spontaneous musician long before his Wilco days, is a supportive partner and an intense foil; bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Jim Black complete this singularly limber unit. Julian Lage opens.” (TONY mag)
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker St. at Thompson St
At 7:00pm / $18
212-505-3474 / lepoissonrouge.com

Café Tacuba
“Café Tacuba is not just the best rock band in Mexico, but one of the most innovative in the entire rock en español scene (even if that scene is largely media defined). Lately the group has embraced elements more closely associated with classic rock, a contrast with the artier stuff this adventurous Mexican band’s material usually draws comparisons to, and Sept 16, you’re sure to hear from the group’s latest, El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco (“The Object Formerly Known as Record”).”(TONY mag)
Hammerstein Ballroom (at the Manhattan Center),
311 W 34th St. (btw 8th/9th ave)
At 9PM, $50
212-279-7740 / mcstudios.com

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
There’s a tradition in many New York City jazz clubs – Monday nights are reserved for big bands. The Village Vanguard, the most storied of clubs, has observed this practice since 1966. The Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, established by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, is definitely a big band with 4 trumpets, and 4 trombones to accompany 6 reed players. Why not make it your tradition, too.
Village Vanguard, 178 7th Avenue South, just below West 11th St.
At 8:30 and 10:30 pm / $25
212-255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

Showstopper Divos: A Swell Party
Cabaret party gal Randie Levine-Miller brings on the men—including the delightful Richard Kind as well as musical-theater guys Lee Roy Reams, Stephen de Rosa, James Snyder and Bradley Dean—for an evening of spirited song.

Proceeds benefit the Actors Fund.
Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd St. btw Fifth and Sixth Aves
At 7pm / $40 + 2 drink minimum
212-206-0440 / metropolitanroom.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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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.

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 Sat 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

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)
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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

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22)
1133 Avenue of the Americas at 43rd Street / 212-857-0000

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

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 (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
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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 (09/14) and (09/12).