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

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, SEPT 05, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now deeper in the second week of the tournament and the crowds are smaller and the matches fewer, but each match is a gem. On the outer courts this week you find the juniors tournament, where some players look good enough to have been in the main draw, while others look like, well, juniors.
Today’s tip: Find the old masters in exhibitions on the outer courts – Martina, Chrissie, Johnny Mac.

Who to watch today:
Two men’s Quarterfinals and two excellent Doubles matches.

» #1 seed Errani & Vinci vs #1A seed the Williams sisters, who didn’t play enough to be seeded. Finesse vs Power, this ought to be close. With a more intelligent draw, this should have been the finals in women’s doubles. Bonus – it’s being played at noon in Armstrong, not the BigHouse.

» #3 seed and defending champ Andy Murray vs #9 Stan “the man” Wawrinka in the BigHouse in the afternoon. This will be a tough match for Murray. Wawrinka has all the shots, and looked very good beating #5 Berdych in his prior match.

» the #1 seed Bryan brothers, going for a calendar grand slam, against #4 seed Paes & Stepanek. Paes may be the best doubles player around, unfortunately Stepanek is not.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

Concert: Choir Works by Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten Sinfonietta; Nocturne; Phaedra
The versatile and prolific composer Benjamin Britten will be honored on his 100th birthday. Celebrated favorites and rarely-performed works of Britten’s repertory will be presented, led by Director of Music and the Arts, Julian Wachner, The Choir of the church and NOVUS NY. Other featured artists include tenor Nicholas Phan, cellist Matt Haimovitz, and The Youth Chorus.
Trinity Church, Trinity Pl. bet. Cedar & Rector Sts.
At 1:00 PM / FREE
1-212-602-0800

The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble: New Orleans: Then and Now
The Juilliard Jazz Ensemble performs New Orleans: Then and Now, featuring popular music from the heart of The Big Easy. This concert takes audiences on a journey from music of the “early jazz” era to contemporary New Orleans. With music from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet and Jelly Roll Morton to more modern musicians/composers such as Ellis Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, and Donald Harrison, this program will give listeners a true taste for the place where jazz was born.
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

Cassandra Wilson* (through Sept. 8)
“Ms. Wilson takes pleasure in a genre-blind repertory, as she once again demonstrated on her 2012 album, “Another Country” (eOne). A showcase for her guitar playing and songwriting — not the safest move, for an artist whose most magical work has been jazz-based and interpretive — it’s full of tunes that skew distinctly Wilsonian in their slithery cadences and murmuring incantations.” (Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m. / $55 cover at tables, $35 at the bar, with a $5 minimum
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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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 4” / Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, SEPT 04, 2013.

VolvoTango: Outdoor Dancing
The wooden surface out on the Pier is of an exceptionally good quality. A broad healed dance shoe works fine. In damp conditions a smooth soled rubber shoe is fine and some even like to dance barefoot.

The dance area is at the end of the pier under a large tent that both serves as an umbrella and a sound horn. Because of this protection and because of the polishing that regular VolvoTango events give it, the wood is silky smooth and because it’s not laid on concrete, the wood is soft, there is almost a sprung-like feel to the floor
Hudson River Park, Pier 45, off W. 10th St.
AT 5:00PM / FREE

Curator’s Tour – ‘The Woolworth Building @ 100’
Museum Director and Curator Carol Willis will lead a gallery tour of the current exhibit at 3PM. The exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of this Cass Gilbert-designed building — when completed in 1913 it was considered the tallest office building in the world — features blueprints, photographs, contracts and other items.

“Eighty thousand incandescent bulbs illuminated the New York night on April 24, 1913, when the Woolworth Building opened with a ceremony attended by 800 dignitaries. Witnessed by multitudes and wired to press around the world, …

The great Gothic tower-the Cathedral of Commerce-became the preeminent silhouette on the New York skyline and took the title of world’s tallest office building.”
Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan
The exhibition can be viewed Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
$5, $2.50 for students and 65+
(212) 968-1961 / skyscraper.org

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now in the second week of the tournament and the crowds are smaller and the matches fewer, but each match is a gem. On the outer courts this week you find the juniors tournament, where some players look good enough to have been in the main draw, while others look like, well, juniors.

Today’s tip: Find the doubles matches (men, women, and mixed). It’s very entertaining and a version of tennis that you won’t find covered on TV, which is fixated on singles.

Who to watch today:
It’s the Spanish men and the Italian women squaring off in the Quarterfinals.
» Rafael Nadal vs Tommy Robredo, the Spaniards, play in the BigHouse at night. Nadal has been playing lights out, so Robredo will have to be at his best to take even one set.

» Roberta Vinci vs Flavia Pennetta, the Italians, play in the BigHouse – first match of the day. They were roommates for four years when they were kids and have a 4-4 record head to head. This could be anyone’s match.

» Daniela Hantuchova vs Victoria Azarenka, who play the first match at night in the BigHouse. Everyone thinks this is today’s most lopsided match. I like the way Hantuchova has been playing and watched Azarenka play very sloppy tennis yesterday against Ivanovic. Maybe an upset in the making?

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

Eric Harland Voyager*
“Eric Harland, a drummer of superhuman abilities, reconvenes the vaulting ensemble heard on his 2010 debut, “Voyager: Live by Night” (Space Time/Sunnyside): Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone, Julian Lage on guitar, Taylor Eigsti on piano and Harish Raghavan on bass.”(Chinen-NYT)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover at tables, $15 at the bar, with a $5 minimum.
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.

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)
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 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

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 (09/02) and (08/31).

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, SEPT 03, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
We are now in the second week of the tournament and the crowds are smaller and the matches fewer, but each match is a gem. On the outer courts this week you find the juniors tournament, where some players look good enough to have been in the main draw, while others look like, well, juniors.

Today’s tip: Try the tasty quesadilla’s at the South Plaza Cafe, under the Court 7 stands, near the Heineken Red Star Cafe, a good place to wash it down with a beer.

Who to watch today:
» Stan Warinka, surprisingly the last Swiss standing, vs Thomas Beydrich. Warinka’s one handed backhand and all around court game is a delight, but Beydrich may be too strong for him.

» Lleyton Hewitt vs Mikhail Youzhny, two old veterans who have turned back the clock. Although not as fast as they once were, they still have game. Hewitt says this is the first guy he has played in this tournament who he recognizes.

» Ana Ivanovic vs #2 seed Victoria Azarenka, not because Ana can beat Vika, but because she can’t, which means this will likely be the last opportunity to watch the always lovely Ana play singles this year.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

Concert: Sue Maskaleris, Grammy-Nominated Pianist
Pianist, singer, composer, lyricist, arranger and producer Sue Maskaleris has performed worldwide solo and as bandleader for over three decades. Her CD, Unbreakable Heart, features jazz legends Eddie Gomez, Lenny White, Mark Murphy and others on her songs and has received airplay worldwide. Sue’s latest CD, Bring Nothing But Your Heart awaits release
Bryant Park, Upper Terrace, Sixth Ave. & 42nd St.
12:30PM / FREE
1-212-768-4242

Freddy Cole Quartet with Harry Allen
“A charismatic and urbane vocalist, Freddy Cole treats the standard songbook with easygoing grace. He also plays piano in his quartet, which otherwise consists of the guitarist Randy Napoleon, the bassist Elias Bailey and the drummer Curtis Boyd.” — (NATE CHINEN – NYT)
54 Below, 254 West 54th St., near Eighth Avenue
at 7 and 9 p.m./ $25 and $35 cover, with a $15 minimum
(646) 476-3551 / http://54below.com/

Trio da Paz and Friends (through Sept. 8)
“Effervescence comes easily to Trio da Paz, a samba-jazz cooperative consisting of Romero Lubambo on guitar, Nilson Matta on bass and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. For this engagement, loosely organized as a tribute to the popular bossa nova forays of Stan Getz, they welcome Harry Allen on tenor saxophone and Joe Locke on vibraphone, along with Maucha Adnet on vocals.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,  Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St &  Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $35 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

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, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink without a cover charge.

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3 Good Eating places 

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

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

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

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

The focus for “3 Good Eating places” is on Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style
(pizza,  burgers,  food trucks/carts,  vegetarian/falafel,  soup & sandwiches,  salad bars,  hot dogs,  bbq,  picnic fixins’,  raw bars & lobster rolls – no reservations needed).

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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).

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, SEPT 02, 2013.

West Indian American Day Carnival 2013 – Today’s Top Pick 
If it’s Labor Day, it’s time for this cultural explosion – the annual parade and carnival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Eastern Parkway from Schenectady Avenue to the Flatbush Avenue Extension. Best to go early before the crowd gets rambunctious.
(718) 467-1797, wiadca.com (NYT)

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 9)
Once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find the match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because this late in the  tournament they are all great matches.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the Grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.

Security screening has been ratcheted up, causing delays to enter, although it has gotten better. Remember: no bags means no long line for entry.

Today’s tip: Lines to get into the show courts will be long this holiday weekend. Pick a court with matches you are most interested in and stay put – today that means the Grandstand court.
Who to watch today:
» Camila Giorgi, a qualifier and giant killer who knocked out #6 seed Caroline Wozniacki in her last match, vs countrywoman, #10 seed Roberta Vinci. Can young Camila keep her magical run going? This match is the first on the Grandstand, my fave court.

» David Ferrer vs Janko Tipsarevic, whose 5 setter last year at the Open was memorable. These are two disciplined, consistent players and each point will be hard earned. This match is the second on the Grandstand court, so stay put after Giorgi vs Vinci.

» Ana Ivanovic vs #2 seed Victoria Azarenka, not because Ana can beat Vika, but because she can’t, which means this will likely be the last opportunity to watch the always lovely Ana play singles this year.

The best, most comprehensive review of the tournament and the current state of tennis can be found at the NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/tennis/index.html

New York International Salsa Congress Dance & Music Festival 
“Get ready to salsa! Each Labor Day weekend in the City, the New York International Salsa Congress Dance & Music Festival comes to town, featuring four days and five nights of nonstop fun. Included are workshops, performances, competitions and live concerts with bands and DJs lasting well into the early morning hours. The 13th annual festival takes place at the New York Hilton Midtown.” (nycgo.com)

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (weekends thru Sep 08)
“In 1931, New York artists Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning propped up a few of their paintings on the sidewalk near Washington Square Park and called it a show. A lot has changed since then: Now, more than 100 artists and artisans—including painters, sculptors, jewelers and glassblowers—exhibit their wares at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit.” (TONY mag)
University Place, from East 13th St to Waverly Place, WestVillage
12-6 PM / FREE
(212) 982-6255, wsoae.org

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

“African Art, New York, and the Avant-Garde” (through Sept. 2)
‘The Civil War and American Art’ (through Sept. 2)
‘Photography and the American Civil War’ (through Sept. 2)
“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

‘Subliming Vessel: The Drawings of Matthew Barney’ (through Sept. 2)
“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“New Harmony: Abstraction Between the Wars, 1919-1939” (through Sept. 8)
“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)

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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
• 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.
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Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art

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

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photography and the American Civil War (through Sept. 2)
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through Jan. 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 

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

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
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 08/25 and 08/23.

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, SEPT 01, 2013.

Governor’s Island is the place to be this Sunday of Labor Day weekend:
NYC Unicycle Festival
Governors Island will host NYCity’s free Unicycle Festival. Races and exhibitions will give novices the opportunity to try the cycles. Last year‘s festival brought over 300 riders to the Big Apple and hundreds of people tried to ride a unicycle. Even more one-wheeling is expected at this year‘s event. Details are at nycunifest.com.
Governors Island, Colonel’s Row
From 12-5PM/FREE
Directions: Ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Bldg., 10 South St., adjacent to the SI Ferry in Lower Manhattan. schedule for free ferry service: governorsislandalliance.org
1-212-825-3045

Rite of Summer Classical-Contemporary music festival
Governors island’s third annual contemporary music fest concludes with blair mcmillen, pam goldberg, theo bleckmann, classical jam, tigue, more.
Governors Island, Colonel’s Row
From 12-5PM/FREE
Directions: Ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Bldg., 10 South St.,
adjacent to the SI Ferry in Lower Manhattan.
schedule for free ferry service: governorsislandalliance.org

Great North River Tugboat Race and Competition
All eyes will be on the action in the Hudson River from West 43rd to West 79th Streets beginning at 10 a.m. for this annual free event, featuring a parade, races and pushing competitions. (For those who want to see the action up close, a Circle Line cruise will depart at 9:30 a.m. from Pier 83 at West 42nd Street; $25, $12 for children.) Beginning at noon, there will also be activities on land (Pier 84)including spinach eating and line tossing. Sponsors include the Working Harbor Committee, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Miller’s Launch, with the Friends of Hudson River Park and the Hudson River Park Trust. workingharbor.org. (NYT)

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept.09)
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.

Security screening has been ratcheted up, causing delays to enter, although it is getting better. Remember: no bags, no long line for entry.

Today’s tip: lines to get into the show courts will be long this holiday weekend. Pick a court with matches you are most interested in and stay put.
Who to watch today:
» serena vs sloane stephens, the long awaited rematch of the australian open quarterfinal match, where the young sloane upset 16 time slam champ serena. will be surprised if it happens here, but you never know.
» #18 carla suarez navarro, with her sweet one handed backhand, vs #8 angelique kerber. if carla can make her first serves and avoid her too slow second serve, this will be a heck of a match.
» #9 stanislas wawrinka, the second best swiss tennis player of all time, vs the always dangerous marcos baghdatis, who dominated a tough kevin anderson in the second round

Albert (Tootie) Heath, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street*
“Mr. Heath is a jazz drummer of far-reaching experience — he was born in 1935, the youngest of the Heath Brothers, and has worked near the music’s aesthetic center for some 60 years — and he presides as a resident sage in this trio. Featuring a pair of collaborators in their 40s, Mr. Iverson on piano and Mr. Street on bass, the group draws from a stylistically diverse and often-delightful new album, “Tootie’s Tempo” (Sunnyside).” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

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

“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 – SATURDAY, AUG 31, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN (through Sept. 09)
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.

Security screening has been ratcheted up, causing delays to enter, although it is getting better. Remember: no bags, no long line for entry.

Today’s tip: enjoy the pit smoked turkey sandwich at hill country bbq in the food court, and be sure to have their delicious sweet potato bourbon mash with it.
Who to watch today:
» young American Jack Sock, with his huge serve and forehand, vs Serbia’s second best player, #18 seed Janko Tipsarevic.
» the lovely Ana Ivanovic, a former #1 who has looked very good in her first two matches, vs local girl (NJ) Christina McHale.
» Milos Raonic, the Canadian boomer, vs Feliciano Lopez, another crafty Spaniard. This one will be brute force vs finesse and should be interesting.
BTW, yesterday’s Rajeev Ram vs Marcel Granollers match, which you heard about here first, lived up to it’s billing; was one of the most entertaining matches you will ever see.

Metropolitan Opera’s Summer HD Festival (through Sept. 2)
This festival, in which performances from the company’s Live in HD series will be screened in Lincoln Center Plaza, today screens Massenet’s  “Manon”. Anna Netrebko stars as Massenet’s tragic title heroine, opposite Piotr Beczala as her lover, des Grieux, and Paulo Szot as her cousin, Lescaut. Fabio Luisi conducts Laurent Pelly’s 2012 production.

Weather forecast is good and there are 3,000 seats waiting for you.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Broadway and 65th St.
At 7:45PM / FREE
1-212-362-6000 / Metoperafamily.org

Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (weekends thru Sep 08)
“In 1931, New York artists Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning propped up a few of their paintings on the sidewalk near Washington Square Park and called it a show. A lot has changed since then: Now, more than 100 artists and artisans—including painters, sculptors, jewelers and glassblowers—exhibit their wares at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit.” (TONY mag)
University Place, from East 13th St to Waverly Place, WestVillage
12-6 PM / FREE
(212) 982-6255, wsoae.org

Brazilian Day Celebration (thru Sunday)
The annual weekend celebration of Brazilian culture is a sure sign of the Labor Day holiday. Events begin on Saturday at 11 a.m. with the Lavagem da Rua 46 (the Cleansing of West 46th Street), when performers dressed in white sweep to music on 46th Street, beginning at Times Square. The procession continues to a stage at Madison Avenue and 46th Street, where music will be played till 4 p.m. On Sunday a festival will be held on Avenue of the Americas, from 43rd to 56th Streets, and on 46th Street, between Madison and Seventh Avenues, beginning at 10 a.m. Details are at lavagemdarua46ny.com/main and brazilianday.com/en. (NYT)

Grace Kelly 
“Please don’t box me in,” Grace Kelly sings at the outset of her new album, “Live at Scullers” (PAZZ). It’s a useful rallying cry for Ms. Kelly, who at 21 has already been a phenom — as a bebop-fluent alto saxophonist — for the better part of a decade. By showcasing her mildly pop-oriented singing and songwriting, the album suggests a left turn, though maybe it shouldn’t; she’s likely to sing as well as play during this weekend run.” (Chinen-NYT)
Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway, at 51st St.
At 8 and 10 p.m./ $25 cover, with a $10 minimum.
582-2121, theiridium.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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SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums   (WestSide & the BrooklynMuseum) 

‘Ellsworth Kelly: Chatham Series’ (through Sept. 8)
‘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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‘Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art, Craft and Design’* (through Sept. 15)
Museum of Arts and Design: 2 Columbus Circle
212-299-7777 / madmuseum.org.
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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

Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

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

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photography and the American Civil War (through Sept. 2)
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through January 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   International Center Photography
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 

  Howard Greenberg Gallery
Bruce Davidson: “Time of Change” & “Staff Picks 2013”
(through Aug. 31)
41 East 57th Street, Suite 1406 / 212-334-0100
subway: #1,2,3 to times square, transfer to N/Q/R to 5th ave & 59th st.

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223
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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.
(subway: easy to get to via #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 (08/29) and (08/27).

Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, AUG 30, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN 
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.

Unfortunately, the security screening has been ratcheted up, causing delays to enter.
Remember: no bags, no long line for entry.

Today’s tip: visit the lovely heineken girls at the new heineken house and have your photo taken with them, using the 4 way fun photo box.
Who to watch today:
» the hard hitting, young talent Laura Robson against veteran #5 seed LI Na, who moves off the baseline and plays a more interesting net game these days.
» in a tough draw for fans of the Americans, Sloane Stephens, the best American woman not named Williams vs Jamie Hampton, another up and coming American.
» Rajeev Ram vs Marcel Granollers, because Ram is a doubles specialist whose serve and volley style will be tested against another one of those talented Spaniards. This one will fly under the radar, yet be played in show court #17, a great place to watch tennis.

Alicia Keys
The GMA Summer Concert Series concludes it’s 5th year, where some of music’s biggest names have performed every Friday. There are not many things worth doing this early, but Alicia Keys is definitely one of them.
Rumsey Playfield in Central Park
All concerts are free and open to the public and will take place live during “Good Morning America,” Fridays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET.
Viewers interested in joining “GMA” in Central Park are encouraged to arrive at Rumsey Playfield via the 72nd street entrance on Fifth Avenue at 6:00am when the park opens to the public.

New York International Salsa Congress Dance & Music Festival 
(through September 2)
“Get ready to salsa! Each Labor Day weekend in the City, the New York International Salsa Congress Dance & Music Festival comes to town, featuring four days and five nights of nonstop fun. Included are workshops, performances, competitions and live concerts with bands and DJs lasting well into the early morning hours. The 13th annual festival takes place at the New York Hilton Midtown.” (nycgo.com)

The Dorian Wind Quintet
The legendary Quintet has performed its dramatic repertoire from the Baroque to new music in concert halls around the world. Commission: Belgian Bliss by David Del Tredici.
Gretchen Pusch – flute
Gerard Reuter – oboe
Benjamin Fingland – clarinet
John Hunt – bassoon
Karl Kramer-Johansen – horn
Bryant Park, Upper Terrace & Lawn Gravel, Sixth Ave. & 42nd St.
At 6PM / FREE
1-212-768-4242

Trio da Paz and Friends (through Sept. 8, no Monday)
“Effervescence comes easily to Trio da Paz, a samba-jazz cooperative consisting of Romero Lubambo on guitar, Nilson Matta on bass and Duduka Da Fonseca on drums. For this engagement, loosely organized as a tribute to the popular bossa nova forays of Stan Getz, they welcome Harry Allen on tenor saxophone and Joe Locke on vibraphone, along with Maucha Adnet on vocals.” (Chinen-NYT)
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,  Jazz at Lincoln Center, 60th St &  Broadway
At 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. / $35 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

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

“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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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 all my picks of 54 Good Eating places and extended descriptions of 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods, order a copy of my e-book:
“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide”

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – THURSDAY, AUG 29, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN 
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.
Unfortunately, the security screening has been ratcheted up, causing delays to enter.
Remember: no bags, no long line for entry.
Today’s tip: at the food court be prepared for the incredible shrinking lobster roll.
Who to watch today:
» the always exciting Gael Monfils vs America’s best hope, big John Isner. this could be one of the best matches of the tourney.
» boomer Milos Raonic, who had 28 aces in his first match, some at 145 mph.
» the always lovely Daniela Hantuchova vs the first round wonderkid Victoria Duval. can the 17 year old qualifier’s magic last?

‘Forever Tango’ (through Sept. 15)
Luis Bravo’s popular tango sensation is now running on Broadway. In his review for The New York Times, Alastair Macaulay wrote that the music was the highlight of the show: “Some of the most irresistible tangos here are those played with no dancing. You can feel the tango’s sensual march, its percussive footwork, its romantic drive.”(Burke-NYT)
Walter Kerr Theater, 219 West 48th St.
at 8PM / $30 to $199.
(212) 239-6200, forevertango.us, telecharge.com

‘The Woolworth Building @ 100’ (through Sept 8)
An exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of this Cass Gilbert-designed building — when completed in 1913 it was considered the tallest office building in the world — features blueprints, photographs, contracts and other items.

“Eighty thousand incandescent bulbs illuminated the New York night on April 24, 1913, when the Woolworth Building opened with a ceremony attended by 800 dignitaries. Witnessed by multitudes and wired to press around the world, …

The great Gothic tower-the Cathedral of Commerce-became the preeminent silhouette on the New York skyline and took the title of world’s tallest office building.”
Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, Lower Manhattan
The exhibition can be viewed Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.
$5, $2.50 for students and 65+
(212) 968-1961 / skyscraper.org

Albert (Tootie) Heath, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street* (through Sept. 1)
“Mr. Heath is a jazz drummer of far-reaching experience — he was born in 1935, the youngest of the Heath Brothers, and has worked near the music’s aesthetic center for some 60 years — and he presides as a resident sage in this trio. Featuring a pair of collaborators in their 40s, Mr. Iverson on piano and Mr. Street on bass, the group draws from a stylistically diverse and often-delightful new album, “Tootie’s Tempo” (Sunnyside).” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street, West Village
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m./ $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum
255-4037, villagevanguard.com

Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm dates and check times, as schedules are subject to change.
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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 is one Special Exhibition in a Chelsea Gallery that you may want to see:

“Reinventing Abstraction” (through Aug 31)
“Curated by poet and critic Raphael Rubinstein, this show looks at a group of painters who, to varying degrees, undertook an individualistic, even eccentric, approach to abstraction during the 1980s, when the attention of the art world was otherwise focused on Neo-Expressionism, Neo-Geo and appropriation art. Carroll Dunham, Mary Heilmann, Bill Jensen, Elizabeth Murray, Joan Snyder and Terry Winters are some of the artists with works on view.” (TONY mag)
Cheim & Read, 547 W 25th St, btw Tenth and Eleventh Aves
Tue–Sat 10am–6pm / FREE
212-242-7727 / cheimread.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)
11 West 53rd Street / 212-708-9400

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photography and the American Civil War (through Sept. 2, 2013)
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, 2013)
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 

  Howard Greenberg Gallery
Bruce Davidson: “Time of Change” & “Staff Picks 2013”
(through Aug. 31, 2013)
41 East 57th Street, Suite 1406 / 212-334-0100

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14, 2013)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

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 (08/27) and (08/25).

Today’s “Fab 4” / Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, AUG 28, 2013.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN 
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.
Unfortunately, the security screening has been ratcheted up causing big delays to enter. Today’s tip: no bags, no long line for entry.
Who to watch today:
» James Blake in his final US Open against big server Ivo Karlovic;
» the Italian ladies Errani & Vinci, #1 seeds in doubles, against the unretired Martina Hingis and the always lovely Daniela Hantuchova, and
» the perpetually rehabbing American, Brian Baker vs former champ Lleyton Hewitt. Let’s go Brian!

Richard Tucker Day
The 100th anniversary of the birth date of the operatic tenor Richard Tucker, which is Aug. 28, is cause for a number of free celebrations. A musical tribute by the Opera Collective, part of a free lunchtime series of music and yoga sponsored by the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District, will run from noon to 2 p.m. in Richard Tucker Park at Lincoln Center; lincolnsquarebid.org/news/views.

In the first of several events presented by the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, a discussion about the singer will feature Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court; the tenor Neil Shicoff; and Barry Tucker, the eldest of Richard Tucker’s three sons. At 4 p.m., Juilliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza.

And, at 7:30 p.m., a concert featuring winners of awards and grants in Tucker’s name will take place at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, midpark, enter at 72nd Street; richardtucker.org. (NYTimes)

“Gateway to Himalayan Art” (through Jan. 16, 2014)
“Do you enjoy the Rubin but feel a bit lost within the dizzying array of deities that figure in its works? This exhibition is the perfect initiation to the wide cast of characters that, by turns, traipse gleefully and skulk threateningly through Himalayan art. Don’t miss the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room—one of the most popular galleries at the museum—which houses nearly 130 objects of spiritual and ritual significance, including sculptures, scroll paintings, ornamental silks, instruments and atmospheric flickering lamps.” (TONY mag)
Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W 17th St. at Seventh Ave
Mon, Thu 11am–5pm; Wed 11am–7pm; Fri 11am–10pm; Sat, Sun 11am–6pm
Fri 6–10pm FREE. other times $10, seniors & students $5.
212-620-5000 / rmanyc.org

Emeli Sandé
“The freshest breakout star of Britain’s soul-pop revival, the Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé has a confident yet pliant vibrato, timeless songwriting skills and a chic personal style that perfectly represents her modernity. Her debut, “Our Version of Events” (Capitol), was the top-selling album in Britain last year; her recent single, “Read All About It,” is an impeccable ballad that wounds as much as it astounds. With Rudimental.” (Anderson-NYT)
At 7 p.m., $40 at the door.
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, midpark at 70th St. bowerypresents.com

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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 – 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.
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Today’s “Fab 5” / Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, AUG 27, 2013.

Talking Baseball – Today’s Top Pick 
Allen Barra, a sportswriter and author of “Mickey and Willie: The Parallel Lives of Baseball’s Golden Age,” will lead a discussion on the lives and careers of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. The talk will include appropriate refreshments like peanuts, Cracker Jack and root beer.

Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were two of the greatest players to grace New York City’s major leagues and both players proudly claimed the city as their adopted home. But they had much more than that in common: they were both born in the same year, 1931; they were southerners by birth (Mickey’s father was an Oklahoma zinc miner, Willie’s an Alabama steel worker); and both were rookies in New York in the same year (1951) when they played against each other in the World Series. For nearly the next two decades, their names dominated not just baseball but all of American sports.

The museum’s virtual exhibition “The Glory Days: New York Baseball 1947-1957,” which was mounted at the museum in 2007 and uses the sport as a frame for life in the city during the years immediately after World War II, can be viewed at mcny.org/glorydays.
That was a great special exhibition, not to be missed.
Museum of the City of New York, Fifth Avenue at 103rd St.
At 6:30PM / $12 or $8 for seniors who are the real Willie & Mickey fans.
(212) 534-1672, mcny.org.

U.S. TENNIS OPEN 
Forget the Big House (ArthurAsheStadium). Get a grounds pass and once inside check out the electronic scoreboard listing current matches. Find a match or players that interest you. Head over to their court for some great tennis, because in this tournament even the qualifiers are great players.

There is no other major sporting event where you can get so close to world class athletes as on the outer courts (or the grandstand court) at the U.S. Open; where you can get a real sense of the pace of the game.
Unfortunately, the security screening has been ratcheted up causing big delays to enter. Today’s tip: if you can ditch your bag, you can save time and use the shorter, no bags line for entry.
Who to watch today:
The always energetic and entertaining Gael Monfils, the young giant Jerzy Janowicz, just 22 and seeded #14, and Julia Gorges, aka “Gorgeous Gorges”.

Metropolitan Opera’s Summer HD Festival (through Sept. 2)
This festival, in which performances from the company’s Live in HD series will be screened in Lincoln Center Plaza, today screens “Otello”.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Broadway and 63rd St.
At 8PM / FREE
Metoperafamily.org

MATTHEW SWEET, with Ben Fields
“His punchy alternative rock was a large part of what made the nineties shine.” (NewYorker mag)
CITY WINERY., 155 Varick St.
At 8PM / $35 or $45
212-608-0555 / citywinery.com

Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration (through Aug. 31)
“Timed to coincide with what would have been Charlie Parker’s birthday week, this booking features an assembled band briskly conversant in the bebop idiom. On alto saxophone, in Parker’s shoes, is Vincent Herring; on trumpet is Tom Harrell. Their top-shelf rhythm section features the pianist George Cables, the bassist Lonnie Plaxico and the drummer Victor Lewis.” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton
At 8:30 and 11 p.m./ $30 and $40 cover, with a $10 minimum.
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.
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Special Exhibitions @ 3 Museum Mile / Fifth Ave. Museums:

“African Art, New York, and the Avant-Garde” (through Sept. 2)
‘The Civil War and American Art’ (through Sept. 2)
‘Photography and the American Civil War’ (through Sept. 2)
“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

‘Subliming Vessel: The Drawings of Matthew Barney’ (through Sept. 2)
“Monika Grzymala, Volumen” (through Nov. 3)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th St.
(212) 685-0008 / themorgan.org.

“New Harmony: Abstraction Between the Wars, 1919-1939” (through Sept. 8)
“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)

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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
• 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.
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Top Photography Exhibitions – NYCity / Manhattan’s WestSide

  Museum of Modern Art

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

  Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photography and the American Civil War (through Sept. 2, 2013)
Julia Margaret Cameron (through Jan. 5, 2014)
Everyday Ephiphanies: Photography and Daily Life Since 1969 
(through Jan. 26, 2014)
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street) / 212-535-7710

   ICP
A Different Kind of Order: The ICP Triennial (through Sept. 22, 2013)
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 

  Howard Greenberg Gallery
Bruce Davidson: “Time of Change” & “Staff Picks 2013”
(through Aug. 31, 2013)
41 East 57th Street, Suite 1406 / 212-334-0100

  Staley-Wise Gallery
It’s An American Thing (through Sept. 14, 2013)
560 Broadway, Soho / 212-966-6223

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
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 08/25 and 08/23.