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

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, July 07, 2013

MoMA Summergarden
Programming at this popular concert series held outdoors in MoMA’s walled-in Sculpture Garden alternates between new-music presentations featuring Juilliard School performers and jazz nights booked by Jazz at Lincoln Center. You’ll hear fresh contemporary classical music on July 7 and 21; on July 14 you can swing with saxophonist Melissa Aldana, and pianist Aaron Diehl brings the series to an end on July 28. Lines for these popular events forms well in advance, so show up early for prime seating.

La Boule New Yorkaise Picnic Pétanque Tournament
What is pétanque? Well, it’s a French game that’s a lot like bocce. If you don’t know that already, you’re probably better off spectating at this tourney and picnic (bring a dish to share!) organized by NYC’s pétanque club, La Boule New Yorkaise. Players should register by 9:30am and be ready to make new friends, as partners will be randomly assigned for each game.
Bryant Park, Sixth Ave. (btw 40th and 42nd Sts)
10:00am – 6:00pm | Fountain Terrace / FREE
212-768-4242  / bryantpark.org
Event website: Labouleny.com

Roy Hargrove Quintet 
“Hard bop has an able-bodied ambassador in Roy Hargrove, a trumpeter who manages to inhabit the style without rigidity or stifling nostalgia. He’s also a shrewd bandleader with an unfailingly disciplined crew: the saxophonist Justin Robinson, the pianist Sullivan Fortner, the bassist Ameen Saleem and the drummer Quincy Phillips.” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, West Village,
at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band
“Conga-playing trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez’s fiery barrio-jazz ensemble, Fort Apache, fuses boppish melodies with the Afro-Cuban rhythms its founder picked up in the Bronx ’hood that gives the band its name.” (TONY)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./$25 cover at tables, $15 at the bar
(212) 475-8592 / bluenote.net

Kimberly Thompson Quartet
“Born in Los Angeles and raised in St. Louis, drummer Kim Thompson has become an essential part of the New York scene: a smooth-swinging powerhouse whose supple groove has energized leaders as far apart as Kenny Barron and Beyoncé. Tonight she calls the tune with a foursome of her own.” (TONY)
Iridium Jazz club, 1650 Broadway at 51st St
At 8pm / $25
212-582-2121 / iridiumjazzclub.com

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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, wine bars, cocktail lounges,  tapas bars, craft beer bars, dive bars – just about anyplace you can get a drink with no cover. ========================================================

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, July 06, 2013

‘Back Tomorrow: Federico Garcia Lorca/Poet in New York’ (through July 20)
Lorca is considered Spain’s greatest modern poet and playwright. This exhibition highlights the poet’s career and includes manuscripts, drawings, photographs and personal items. The focus is on his “Poet in New York”.

In 1936, the poet left the manuscript of “Poet in New York” on the desk of his Madrid publisher with a note saying he would be “back tomorrow,” probably to discuss final details. He never returned. Weeks later, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he was brutally murdered by fascist elements in Granada, his body thrown into an unmarked mass grave. (this is a heads up to my young poet friends – James & Jenessa)
New York Public Library, 42nd St. And 5th Ave.
Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m./ FREE
(this is also a great place to beat the heat – maximum A/C)
(917) 275-6975 / nypl.org/events/exhibitions

The Liar Show
“In this theatrical performance hosted by Andy Christie, four storytellers detail events from their lives, ranging from interesting to revelatory. The catch: One of the four is fabricating everything. Audience members vote on who they believe the liar to be, and prizes are awarded.” (TONY)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St.(btw Bleecker/W4th St.)
At 6pm / $10
(212) 989-9319 / corneliastreetcafe.com

La Sonora Carruseles
“Midsummer Night Swing. Medellín ensemble La Sonora Carruseles puts an up-to-date spin on Colombia’s torrid salsa brava tradition, with boogaloo and cumbia flourishes. Get your dance lesson at 6:30pm, and you can put on some spins and flourishes of your own when the music starts.” (TONY)
Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center, W 62nd St, (btw Columbus/Amsterdam Ave)
Subway: #1 to 66th St–Lincoln Ctr
At 6:30pm / $17
212-875-5456 / lincolncenter.org

Peter Bernstein, Harold Mabern, Peter Washington and Jimmy Cobb*
“Peter Bernstein, a guitarist with a clean tone and unwavering technique, spearheads this weekend engagement, part of the Keystone Korner Nights series, in eminent company: the soulful pianist Harold Mabern, the steadfast bassist Peter Washington and the master drummer Jimmy Cobb.” (Nate Chinen-NYT)
Iridium Jazz Club, 1650 Broadway, at 51st Street
At 8 and 10 p.m. / $35 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 582-2121 / theiridium.com

Dave Stryker
“The guitarist Dave Stryker has made a subspecialty out of soulful hard-bop, with the occasional detour into straight funk and soul. As on his new album, “Blue to the Bone IV” (SteepleChase), he leads a band with the trumpeter Freddie Hendrix and the saxophonists Steve Slagle and Gary Smulyan out front; his partners in rhythm are the drummer McClenty Hunter and the organist Jared Gold.” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
At 8:30 and 11 p.m. / $30 and $40 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 581-3080 / birdlandjazz.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 ================================================================================

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 shouldn’t miss:

“Paul McCarthy and Damon McCarthy: Rebel Dabble Babble” (through July 26)
Paul McCarthy has a large scale exhibition at the Park Avenue Armory, decidedly not on the WestSide. “At Hauser & Wirth, a second extravaganza by the artist, working in collaboration with his son Damon, is in the same politically incorrect, punch-drunk vein on a slightly less epic scale. Here the reference point is the 1955 film “Rebel Without a Cause.” (Cotter-NYT)
Hauser & Wirth, 511 West 18th Street, Chelsea,
Mon – Fri, 10am-6pm / FREE
(212) 790-3900 / hauserwirth.com

Laddie John Dill: ‘Elementary’ (through July 26)
At the end of the 1960s the West Coast Light and Space artist Laddie John Dill began producing electric light works out of blown glass tubes in a lush palette of jewel-bright colors. Here nine of these works, all from 1971, are installed in one room at regular intervals creating a trippy visual chamber music. Elsewhere, glowing constructions of glass panes in geometric arrangements could be models for updates of Stonehenge, monuments for a new cosmic paganism.” (Johnson-NYT)
Nyehaus, 358 West 20th St.
Tue-Sat, 11am-6pm / FREE
366-4493 / nyehaus.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: Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com)
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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 (07/03) and (07/01).

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, July 05, 2013

‘On Time/Grand Central at 100’ (Friday through Sunday)
This is the last weekend for this multimedia exhibition, commissioned for the occasion, with 18 artists’ impressions of time, travel and the commuters who flood the terminal each day in pieces incorporating painting, video photography and sculpture.
New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store,
Grand Central Terminal, near the Station Masters’ Office
Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / FREE
878-0106 / grandcentralterminal.com/centennial

Roy Hargrove Quintet (Friday through Sunday)
“Hard bop has an able-bodied ambassador in Roy Hargrove, a trumpeter who manages to inhabit the style without rigidity or stifling nostalgia. He’s also a shrewd bandleader with an unfailingly disciplined crew: the saxophonist Justin Robinson, the pianist Sullivan Fortner, the bassist Ameen Saleem and the drummer Quincy Phillips.” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, West Village,
at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

American Ballet Theater* (Friday and Saturday)
“The final weekend of the company’s Metropolitan Opera House season is devoted to “The Sleeping Beauty,” in which marvelous dancing competes for attention with Disneyesque sets and costumes. In the title role are Gillian Murphy (Friday), Xiomara Reyes (Saturday afternoon) and Veronika Part (Saturday night), with James Whiteside, Alban Lendorf (a first-time guest artist from the Royal Danish Ballet) and Marcelo Gomes as their respective princes.” (Siobhan Burke-NYT)
Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center,
Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. / $20 to $225.
(212) 362-6000 / abt.org

Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band (Friday-Sunday)
“Conga-playing trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez’s fiery barrio-jazz ensemble, Fort Apache, fuses boppish melodies with the Afro-Cuban rhythms its founder picked up in the Bronx ’hood that gives the band its name.” (TONY)
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village
At 8 and 10:30 p.m./$25 cover at tables, $15 at the bar
(212) 475-8592 / bluenote.net

Savion Glover* (Friday through Sunday)
“The renowned tap dancer and rhythmic genius returns to the Joyce Theater with “STePz,” in which he and his ensemble explore the give-and-take between embracing tradition and radically breaking with it. While the musical selections may be recognizable, the movement they inspire may prove more surprising.” (Burke-NYT)
Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, at 19th Street, Chelsea
at 8 p.m., $10 to $59.
242-0800 / joyce.org

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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 – 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).

NYCity Events / Manhattan’s WestSide – THURSDAY, July 04, 2013

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – WEDNESDAY, July 03, 2013

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – TUESDAY, July 02, 2013

Today’s “Fab Five” / Selected NYCity Events – MONDAY, July 01, 2013

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

Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence (Monday through Wednesday) Two historic documents rarely displayed in public — an original copy of the Bill of Rights and a copy of the Declaration of Independence handwritten by Thomas Jefferson — will be on view at the New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. The documents are from the library’s manuscripts and archives division, and can be viewed Monday, noon to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (917) 275-6975, nypl.org.

Grantland Quarterly No. 6 – 2013
I read Grantland regularly. It has some great writing, maybe the best sports writing online. Here’s what TONY says about tonight’s event:
“Sports and culture criticism website Grantland collects its favorite pieces four times a year and publishes them on paper with some nice binding. Tonight, writers Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker, Hua Hsu, Rafe Bartholomew and Andy Greenwald read their contributions, and audience members can snap up a copy of volume six.” (TONY)
Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, 126 Crosby St, Soho
subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare, transfer to N/R to Prince St.
walk 1 blk E to Crosby; 1 blk N to bookstore
At 7pm / FREE
212-334-3324 / housingworksbookstore.org

Maria Neckam
“Ms. Neckam, a jazz singer of composure and purpose, draws partly from her rewarding recent album, “Unison” (Sunnyside), leading a trio with Sam Harris on keyboards and Mike Moreno on guitar.” (Chinen-NYT)
Bar Next Door, 129 Macdougal Street, near West Third Street,
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $12 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 529-5945 / lalanternacaffe.com, marianeckam.com

Death*
The all-black Detroit trio DEATH was omitted from the official history of punk rock until very recently, but the release, four years ago, of its raw and angular 1974 recordings, under the title “. . . For the Whole World to See,” complicates the genre’s authorized time line.

As teen-agers in the early seventies, the three brothers in the band, Bobby, David, and Dannis Hackney, switched from playing R. & B. and funk to cranking out hard-driving, politically aware songs that built on the music of Michigan proto-punk legends the MC5 and the Stooges.

…Discouraged by the negative reaction to their name, the brothers folded the band around 1976. They started making gospel-rock records as the 4th Movement, and they relocated to Vermont, where Death’s visionary tapes were stored. David died in 2000; Bobbie Duncan, an R. & B. session guitarist and friend of the family, fills in for him. A new documentary about the group, “A Band Called Death,” detailing its fascinating and curious history, plays this week at Cinema Village.” (NewYorker)
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, near Thompson Street,
at 8 p.m. / $20 in advance, $22 at the door.
(212) 505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Broadway impresario Jim Caruso hosts a combination open-mic, networking event and party, where on 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)

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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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SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums (WestSide & the BklynMuseum) ==========================================================

‘Claes Oldenburg: The Street and the Store’ and ‘Claes Oldenburg: Mouse Museum, Ray Gun Wing’ (through Aug. 5)
‘Performing Histories (1)’ (through Aug. 5)
‘Bill Brandt: Shadow and Light’ (through Aug. 12)
‘Ellsworth Kelly: Chatham Series’ (through Sept. 8)
Museum of Modern Art: 11 W 53rd St,
(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,
299-7777, madmuseum.org.
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‘John Singer Sargent Watercolors’  (through July 28) [see review below]
‘Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui’ (through Aug. 4)
‘LaToya Ruby Frazier: A Haunted Capital’ (through Aug. 11)
Brooklyn Museum: 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park,
(easy ride from midtown on #2 or #3 subway to Eastern Pkway/Bklyn Museum)
(718) 638-5000 / brooklynmuseum.org

John Singer Sargent Watercolors
“The exhibition brings together 93 of his watercolors and 9 oil paintings from the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Both institutions acquired significant quantities of his work early on, the Brooklyn Museum from Sargent’s career debut show in New York in 1909 and the Boston museum from a solo show there in 1912. The beauty of Sargent’s watercolors is in how seemingly effortlessly yet exactly he captured outdoor light and complicated man-made and natural forms. In landscapes, close studies of fruit and flowers and portraits of women you see at once the supremely deft action of the brush and the illusions of a sun-drenched halcyon world that it conjures. Prepare for bedazzlement.” (KEN JOHNSON-NYT)
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For other selected Museum and Gallery Special Exhibitions see Recent Posts in right Sidebar: “NYCity Events: Manhattan’s WestSide” dated 06/29 and 06/27.

Selected NYCity Events – SUNDAY, Jun. 30, 2013

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

Harlem Meer Performance Festival – Howard Johnson
Howard Johnson is a foremost tuba, baritone sax and cornet player who has recorded and toured with an all-star roster of musicians for more than half a century. He got his first break from Charlie Mingus, was mentored by Gil Evans, became (and still is) a longtime cohort of Taj Mahal and Levon Helm, and spoke with John Lennon on the night he died. He leads Gravity, a first-class tuba choir, and a German-made tuba bears his name.
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
(inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues)
at 2:00 PM / centralparknyc.org

Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition
“Only die-hard balletomanes will want to sit through the rounds of this ballet competition, formerly based in Boston, and run by Valentina Kozlova, a former Bolshoi and New York City Ballet principal dancer. But those who are only semi-die-hard may want to attend the final rounds on Saturday and the gala performance by the winners on Sunday, since there are around 100 dancers, aged 13-25, from 21 different countries.

It’s a good chance to get a look at different schools of training, and, perhaps, some of the stars of the future. The gala also features performances by past and current medalists, and by City Ballet principals Daniel Ulbricht, Ana Sophia Scheller and Georgina Pazcoguin, as well as the former American Ballet Theater principal Michele Wiles.” (Sulcas-NYT)
La Guardia Concert Hall, 100 Amsterdam Avenue, at 65th Street,
Sunday at 5 p.m./for the final rounds:$25; for the gala: $35 to $115
(212) 868-4444 / smarttix.com

Tony Moreno Quintet
The drummer Tony Moreno seeks a supple flow in his music, but also a subtle tension. In this quintet he has the right partners to strike that balance: the trumpeter Ron Horton, the saxophonist Marc Mommaas, the guitarist Ben Monder, the pianist Jean-Michel Pilc and the bassist Ugonna Okegwo.” (Chinen-NYT)
55 Bar, 55 Christopher Street, West Village
At 9:30 p.m. / $10 cover.
(212) 929-9883, 55bar.com

ERI YAMAMOTO
ERI YAMAMOTO, an engrossing pianist and composer who has too long been under the radar, celebrates her album “Firefly” with her trio.

“The deeply lyrical pianist/composer Eri Yamamoto quickly returns to record with Firefly, a wholly new collection of indelible songs, performed together with her near-decade-long devoted trio of bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi. This is Yamamoto’s fifth consecutive album of all original compositions, and her Trio’s fourth, to be released on AUM Fidelity.

Following so directly on the previous acclaimed album, The Next Page(2012), her prolific and consistently luminous writing for piano trio, and the trio’s telepathic performances thereof is astonishing. A great depth of emotional heft and technical craft is on full display, all while making it sound effortless. This is Yamamoto’s first-ever live album, recorded last December. Eri’s improvisations dive into and float atop the essence of her melodies and the rhythms of a larger collective heartbeat.”

“Eri Yamamoto weighs exploratory instincts against a reflective temperament, and her trio supports her at every turn.”-–Nate Chinen, The New York Times.
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia St.
At 8:30pm / $20, includes a drink
(212) 989-9319 / corneliastreetcafe.com
http://www.eriyamamoto.com

Big Star’s Third: 
An Orchestrated Live Performance of the Legendary Album
“Big Star’s Third” celebrates the sprawling third album of the famed power-pop band. Founded in the early seventies by Alex Chilton (the former teen-age singer in the Box Tops, best known for “Cry Like a Baby” and “The Letter”) and Chris Bell, the band was short-lived, but it was adored by later musicians and influential in many ways. (Cheap Trick, for example, covered its song “In the Streets” for the opening credits of “That ‘70s Show.”) Here, SHARON VAN ETTEN, KURT VILE, MARSHALL CRENSHAW, PETE YORN, MIKE MILLS, CHRIS STAMEY, and many others, along with a twenty-piece chamber orchestra, give it its due.’ (New Yorker)
Central Park SummerStage
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, mid-Park at 69th St.
at 7pm / FREE
212-360-2777 / www.summerstage.org

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

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.

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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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The focus for “3 Good Eating places” is 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,  soup & sandwiches,  salad bars,  hot dogs,  bbq,  picnic fixins’,  raw bars & lobster rolls.
No reservations necessary.

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There are also some casual dining, chain restaurant locations in this neighborhood that have decent food and free Wi-FI:

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

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

C. 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”

Selected NYCity Events – SATURDAY, Jun. 29, 2013

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

Little Italy Pasta Eating Competition 
With the Coney Island Hot Dog competition coming up on July 4th, the folks in Little Italy have decided to offer this Pasta Preliminary. See if participants in this contest can consume five pounds of pasta in 10 minutes, the current record. Afterwards, see how much pasta you can eat at one of the local restaurants.
Little Italy Merchants Association 
at 2 p.m. in front of 133 Mulberry Street.
the event is part of “Summer in Little Italy” – activities running through Labor Day.
(917) 854-3286.

The 15th Annual Del Close Marathon
“Legendary Chicago improv director and instructor Del Close inspired an impressive array of big-name comedians (Bill Murray, John Belushi, Tina Fey). This 15th annual toast to the late guru, started by the Upright Citizens Brigade, includes 390 shows, featuring popular UCB staples (ASSSSCAT 3000, Death by Roo Roo), celebs (founding UCB member Amy Poehler, Horatio Sanz, The Office’s Ellie Kemper) and troupes from around the globe (Helsinki, Finland’s VSOP).” (TONY)
Visit delclosemarathon.com for a complete schedule.

Fourth Annual Cheesemonger Invitational
“Fifty-six fromage fanatics—including locals like Astoria Bier and Cheese’s Mike Fisher and BKLYN Larder’s Gizella Otterson—will duke it out for the title of Champion Cheesemonger at this curdy food fest. Cheese aficionado Cristiano Creminelli of Creminelli Fine Meats and Belgian affineur Frederic van Tricht will judge the participants’ abilities to cut, wrap and pair cheese with booze while on the clock. The winner will receive $1,000 in cash and a trip to Utah.

Onlookers can enjoy in-house treats like grilled cheeses made with an imported Danish Havarti and caraway sauerkraut, or open-faced burgers slathered with Bavarian Chiriboga Bleu or Vermont Creamery’s chèvre sauce. Brooklyn Brewery will provide beers and Zev Rovine will pour all-natural wines.” (TONY)
Larkin Cold Storage, 47-55 27th St at Austel Pl, Long Island City, Queens.
At 6:30pm / $?
(subway: #1,2,3 to TimesSquare, transfer to # 7, only 4 stops to Hunter Point Ave.)

John Waters
The Hairspray filmmaker and leading Baltimorean performs a one-man show. It’ll probably be dirty, and Waters would probably be proud to say so.” (nycgo.com)
City Winery, 155 Varick St.
at 8:00PM / $45 and $55
212-608-0555 / CityWinery.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 ================================================================================

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 shouldn’t miss:

Ralph Fasanella*: ‘A More Perfect Union’ (through June 29)
If Fasanella (1914-97) had been a trained painter, his political beliefs might have resulted in predictable Social Realist paintings. Instead, this child of the working-class Bronx largely taught himself and evolved an altogether sharper and more original manner, politically and pictorially.

This fantastic little five-decade survey summarizes his development and his ability to weave history, architecture and layered social criticism into remarkable tapestry-like compositions that teem with human activity good and bad, homey details and a spectrum of glowing colors.”(Smith-NYT)
Andrew Edlin Gallery, 134 10th Avenue, near 18th Street
11am-6pm / FREE
(212) 206-9723 / edlingallery.com

‘Ellsworth Kelly at Ninety’ (through June 29)
“An impressive three-part display of new work (mostly from 2012) reveals a seasoned artist who is doing some of his boldest work. Some introduce new forms (but are actually derived from his early collages). Others expand on more recent works with changes in material and color. Keep an eye out for “Black Form II,” “Yellow Relief Over Blue,” “Gold With Orange Reliefs” and the four-panel “Curves on White.” (Smith-NYT)
Matthew Marks Gallery, 522 West 22nd Street
(212) 243-0200 / matthewmarks.com.

Marc Quinn: ‘All the Time in the World’ (through June 29)
Four much enlarged, bronze sculptures of seashells made by high-tech 3-D replication seem, at first, like pointless baubles for rich collectors. But they reveal an unexpected inner beauty both literal and metaphorical, as their polished interiors cause their interiors to warmly glow as if supernaturally illuminated from within. Implicitly vaginal, these seeming products of phallic ambition become objects of oceanic, feminine mystery.” (Johnson)
Mary Boone, 541 West 24th Street
752-2929 / maryboonegallery.com.

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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:
Chelsea Gallery Guide (nycgo.com)

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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 (06/27).

Selected NYCity Events – FRIDAY, Jun. 28, 2013

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

Django Reinhardt NY Festival (Friday through Sunday)
“Young Lions of Gypsy Jazz” reads the subhead for this annual trans-Atlantic salute to Django Reinhardt. Among the guitarists gathered under that banner are Doudou Cuillerier, who also answers to “Mister Django”; Krunoslav Spisic, who goes by Kruno; and Samson Schmitt, whose father, Dorado Schmitt, is a master in the style. Also aboard, from France, are the accordionist Ludovic Beier and the violinist Pierre Blanchard — and a handful of other international guests, like the Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen (Friday) and the Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda (Saturday and Sunday).” (Chinen-NYT)
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
(212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com;
At 8:30 and 11 p.m.,  / $30 and $40, with a $10 minimum.

“ROY HAYNES has played with nearly everyone who’s anyone in jazz, from Lester Young and Charlie Parker to Chick Corea and Pat Metheny. The strength and length of that list is rivalled only by the eighty-eight-year-old drummer’s energy and commitment to continued playing. He shows no signs of slowing down, and often surrounds himself with younger players in his Fountain of Youth Band.” (NewYorker)
BLUE NOTE, 131 W. 3rd St.
At 8 and 10:30pm / $20 and $35
212-475-8592 / bluenote.net

Roy Hargrove Quintet (Friday through Sunday)
“Hard bop has an able-bodied ambassador in Roy Hargrove, a trumpeter who manages to inhabit the style without rigidity or stifling nostalgia. He’s also a shrewd bandleader with an unfailingly disciplined crew: the saxophonist Justin Robinson, the pianist Sullivan Fortner, the bassist Ameen Saleem and the drummer Quincy Phillips.” (Chinen-NYT)
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, West Village,
at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. / $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.
(212) 255-4037 / villagevanguard.com

Ben Monder Quartet
“A painterly guitarist equally adept with color and line, Ben Monder leads a quartet stocked with like-minded partners: the tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry, the bassist Chris Lightcap and the drummer Ted Poor.” (Chinen-NYT)
Cornelia Street Café, 29 Cornelia Street, Greenwich Village
At 9 and 10:30 p.m. / $20 cover, which includes a drink.
(212) 989-9319 /corneliastreetcafe.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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