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

TOP 3 EVENTS (below 34th street) (04/18/13)

Ben Ottewell (Of Gomez) 
City Winery, 155 Varick st
8:00PM, $15 bar stool or $18 reserved

“Ben Ottewell, one of several singer/songwriters in the successful British rock band Gomez. While Gomez is a three-singer band, Ottewell’s powerful tenor has graced many fan favorites, from early songs like “Get Miles” and “Revolutionary Kind” to the more recent singles “How We Operate” and “See The World.” In one early profile, Rolling Stone declared, “Gomez’s not-so-secret weapon is Ben Ottewell. His deep, raspy voice is spine chilling… more like an otherworldly bluesman than a baby-faced Brit.” And GQ once wrote, “Ottewell’s voice is not of this world. It is a deep, reverent baritone, the kind of voice that shakes windows.””

Loser’s Lounge Tribute to Elvis Costello
Joe’s Pub, part of The Public Theater,
425 Lafayette Street between East 4th and Astor Place
7pm, $25

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Tribeca

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top Events / WestSide

The Christmas Kid & Other Brooklyn Stories
92YTribeca
200 Hudson Street (corner of Hudson, Ground Floor)
212.601.1000
12 pm, from $21.00.

Join Pete Hamill for an afternoon of nostalgia as he talks about his new collection of stories about Brooklyn, the borough he grew up in, and the one closest to his heart.
Hear about the world after the war, the Dodgers and the Giants, and other stories of a New York almost gone, but never forgotten.

‘Lorca in New York: A Celebration’
Graduate Center, City University NY, Martin E. Segal Theater
365 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street
April 17 at 7p.m., FREE
(212) 817-2005 / centerforthehumanities.org/events/interpreting-lorca

This celebration of the life and work of the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca — who was 38 when he was executed at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War  — continues with discussions and performances scheduled through July 20 at various locations.

“On April 17 at 7 p.m., a free book talk about “The Ingenious Gentleman and Poet Federico García Lorca Ascents to Hell,” with the book’s author, Carlos Rojas, and its translator, Edith Grossman, will take place at Instituto Cervantes E49th (B3/2ave #6 51st). The celebration is organized by the Federico García Lorca Foundation and Accion Cultural Espanola. A schedule of events is at lorcanyc.com”. — (ANNE MANCUSO, NYT)

Selected Shorts: Etgar Keret & Gary Shteyngart
Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space
2537 Broadway, (btw 95/94)
7:30 pm, $28; Member $24; 30 & Under $15

Strange situations, kooky misunderstandings, the world turned around and upside down and just the way it is. Stay tuned for some hilarity when these friends and fellow comic writers team up.

Readers include Willem Dafoe (The English Patient, Spider-Man 3), Parker Posey (Price Check, Louie), Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story, True Blood) and Alex Karpovsky (HBO’s Girls, Rubberneck). Hosted by BD Wong.

Live Ideas
New York Live Arts
219 West 19th Street, btw Seventh and Eighth Avenues
Various times, see Web site for details, various prices
(212) 924-0077, newyorklivearts.org

“New York Live Arts dedicates its inaugural festival of arts and ideas to the esteemed writer and neurologist Oliver Sacks, exploring notions of mind-body connection through the lens of his writings. The constellation of discussions and performances centers around theatrical, musical and choreographic adaptations of Dr. Sacks’s 1973 “Awakenings,” including a new dance by Donna Uchizono, which shares a program with her 1999 “State of Heads.” The full festival lineup is at newyorklivearts.org/liveideas. — (SIOBHAN BURKE, NYT)

John Scofield Hollowbody Band
Birdland
315 West 44th Street, (btw Eighth and Ninth Avenues)
at 8:30 and 11 p.m., $40 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 581-3080, birdlandjazz.com

“John Scofield is among the elite headliners appearing this weekend at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, which should be enough reason to trust his stature as a guitarist’s guitarist. But just in case, he’ll be working next week with his Hollowbody Band, featuring a fellow six-string specialist, Mike Stern, as a sparring partner. The group, anchored by the bassist Ben Street and the drummer Bill Stewart, has been on the road since the beginning of this month, which means they’ll be plenty warmed up”. — (NATE CHINEN, NYT)

Gerald Clayton Trio
Village Vanguard
178 Seventh Avenue South, at West 11th Street
at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com

“Gerald Clayton, a pianist of great touch and soulful exposition, just released “Life Forum” (Concord Jazz), an album ambitious in concept and texture, with a clear emphasis on his designs as a composer-bandleader. At the heart of the album is the excellent working trio he presents here, featuring the bassist Joe Sanders and the drummer Justin Brown”. — (NATE CHINEN, NYT)

Richard Galliano-Christian Howes Quintet
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, 
Broadway, at West 60th Street
April 16-21 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.
$30 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

“The energetic violinist Christian Howes has a new album, “Southern Exposure” (Resonance), featuring Richard Galliano, the celebrated French accordionist, as a special guest. They revisit that terrain —  playing music inspired by a wealth of South American traditions —  in this run, with Josh Nelson on piano, George Delancey on bass and Cedric Easton on drums”. — (NATE CHINEN, NYT)

Tonight’s Music / Upper West Side

Mike LeDonne Quartet
Smoke, 2751 B’way (btw 105/106 st)
7pm & 9pm / no music charge
two-course dinner prix-fixe available for $29.95
10:30pm $20 minimum (dinner optional) / no music charge

“Hammond B3 master Mike LeDonne, who was just nominated for Best Keyboard Artist 2012 by the prestigious Jazz Journalists Association, leads a jazz dream team of artists in this long-running house party. “…saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth are joining LeDonne to present their version of what in the trade is called “grits and gravy” jazz. This is groove music that’s fun and good for the soul.” – (Greg Thomas, NY Daily News)
Vincent Herring (alto saxophone) • Peter Bernstein (guitar) •
Mike LeDonne (B3 organ) • Joe Farnsworth (drums)

Richard Galliano-Christian Howes Quintet
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Broadway, at West 60th Street
at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $30 to $45 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

“The energetic violinist Christian Howes has a new album, “Southern Exposure” (Resonance), featuring Richard Galliano, the celebrated French accordionist, as a special guest. They revisit that terrain —  playing music inspired by a wealth of South American traditions —  in this run, with Josh Nelson on piano, George Delancey on bass and Cedric Easton on drums.” — (NATE CHINEN, NYT)

New York Public Library: 
‘100 Years of Flamenco in New York’
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, Broadway (btw W62nd/65th Streets)
from noon to 6 p.m.; FREE
(917) 275-6975, nypl.org/lpa

“This exhibition traces the popularity of the dance form in the city, from the mid-1800s to the present, through engravings and photographs, printed materials, costume pieces and films and recordings. On April 15 at 6 p.m., a special event will include a film screening and a discussion with Deirdre Towers, a dance historian; Robert Browning, founding director of the World Music Institute; the dancers Maria Benitez and Jorge Navarro; and Clara Aich, a filmmaker.”  — (ANNE MANCUSO, NYT)

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating places – Upper West Side

“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.

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

Top Events / WestSide

‘Fried Chicken and Latkes’ 
Actor’s Temple Theater
339 West 47th Street (btw Eighth and Ninth Avenues)
(800) 432-7250, (212) 239-6200
telecharge.com

“Rain Pryor, the daughter of the comedian Richard Pryor (who died in 2005), stars in this effervescent solo show, which recounts her upbringing in a biracial household (her mother is Jewish) in Beverly Hills, Calif. Ms. Pryor, who sings and portrays a range of characters (including, poignantly, her father in a spot-on impression) is an ebullient performer with a robust singing voice. She lives in Baltimore now, but her outsize personality is built for Broadway (1:30). — ANDY WEBSTER”, NYT

Julian Lage Quartet
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,
Broadway at West 60th Street
at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org

“The guitarist Julian Lage is one of jazz’s breezier virtuosos, possessed of both an unflappable technical facility and a seemingly boundless curiosity. He regroups here with a regular partner, the saxophonist Dan Blake, and the world-class rhythm team of Larry Grenadier (bassist) and Eric Harland (drummer). (As part of the series Monday Nights with WBGO, both sets will be webcast at jalc.org/live.) — NATE CHINEN’, NYT

Havana Film Festival New York
Directors Guild Theater, 110 West 57th Street, btw 7th/6th ave
at various times, $11 for a single screening, $40 for a day pass
hffny.com

‘This festival — the 14th — will feature screenings of more than 40 films highlighting Latino culture, as well lectures and other events, at locations around the city. Opening the festival on Friday at 6:30 p.m. is “Amor Cronico,” a 2012 documentary by the director Jorge Perugorría about the Cuban concert tour of the Cuban-American singer CuCu Diamantes. The screening will take place at the Directors Guild Theater and will be followed by a reception at the Iguana Night Club, 240 West 54th Street, Manhattan. Some of the other venues include the Quad Cinema, 34 West 13th Street, Greenwich Village, and Museum of the Moving Image, 35th Avenue at 37th Street, Astoria, Queens. A full schedule is at hffny.com. — ANNE MANCUSO’, NYT

92YTribeca: Music and Discussion with Audra McDonald and Michael John LaChiusa
92YTriBeCa, 200 Hudson Street, near Canal Street
at 7:30 p.m., $25 and $40
(212) 601-1000, 92ytribeca.org

The Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald, who most recently appeared on Broadway in “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess,” and the Tony-nominated composer Michael John LaChiusa (“Marie Christine,” “Wild Party” and “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”) will talk about their music and their collaboration on “Marie Christine” at this Lyrics and Lyricists Downtown event at 7:30 p.m. Music will also be a part of the evening with performances by the singers Natalie Cortez and Mary Testa and the pianist Chris Fenwick. Because of an editing error an earlier version of this item omitted the given  name of the Tony-nominated composer appearing at 92YTribeca on Monday. He is Michael John LaChiusa, not John LaChiusa. — ANNE MANCUSO

New York Public Library: ‘100 Years of Flamenco in New York’
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, Broadway, btw W 62nd and 65th Streets
at 6 p.m., a screening and discussion, FREE
(917) 275-6975, nypl.org/lpa

“This exhibition traces the popularity of the dance form in the city, from the mid-1800s to the present, through engravings and photographs, printed materials, costume pieces and films and recordings. On April 15 at 6 p.m., a special event will include a film screening and a discussion with Deirdre Towers, a dance historian; Robert Browning, founding director of the World Music Institute; the dancers Maria Benitez and Jorge Navarro; and Clara Aich, a filmmaker.  — ANNE MANCUSO”, NYT

Tonight’s Music  / Greenwich Village

SECRET ARCHITECTURE
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker/W4th)
9:30 – 11pm; no cover. (212) 691-7538
Fraser Campbell – Saxophone
Wade Ridenhour – Piano
Julian Smith – Bass
Zach Mangan – Drums

“Secret Architecture radiates a special kind of energy; it’s a core of old-fashioned, urban-cultivated musical exploration presented within the framework of the much more postmodern and multi-generic elements of contemporary improvisation….[This group] can give 21st-century acoustic jazz something it sorely needs—a new champion of the long tradition of group improvisation” – JazzTimes

Split Cycle
55 Bar – 55 Christopher st (btw. 7th ave S/Waverly place)
10pm; $10 cover, with a two-drink minimum. (212) 929-9883
Samuel Blais (saxophone, composition)
Aki Ishiguro (guitar, composition)
Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic (bass, composition)
Jeff Davis (drums)

Al DiMeola & Gonzalo Rubalcaba Duo
Blue Note, 131 West Third Street, Greenwich Village,
At 8 and 10:30 p.m., $45 at tables or $30 at the bar,
(212) 475-8592, bluenote.net
FEATURING:
Al DiMeola, guitar
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano

“A bona fide guitar hero, perennial poll-winner and virtuoso of the highest order, Al Di Meola has also been recognized over the past 30 years as a prolific composer and respected artist with over 20 recordings as a leader. His creative output to date is staggering, whether it’s with his current World Sinfonia band or past musical endeavors like his electric Tour de Force group with Jan Hammer, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd and Mingo Lewis, the internationally acclaimed Trio with fellow guitar superstars John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, the Rite of Strings trio with Stanley Clarke and Jean-Luc Ponty or the ‘70s fusion supergroup Return To Forever with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White.

And while his dazzling technique on both acoustic and electric guitars has afforded him regal status among the hordes of fretboard aficionados who regularly flock to his concerts, the depth of Di Meola’s writing along with the soulfulness and his inherent lyricism of his guitaristic expression have won him legions of fans worldwide beyond the six-string set.”

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

A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

“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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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)
—————————————————————————–————-————-—
There are also some casual dining, chain restaurant locations in this neighborhood that have decent food and 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 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”.

Top Events / WestSide

Kristin Hoffmann
Caffe Vivaldi – 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker/W4th)
9:15 & 10:45PM; no cover. (212) 691-7538

“The voice can remind you of Sarah McLachlan or Joni Mitchell in one moment then turn towards the grittiness of Janis Joplin or the rock power of Pat Benetar in the next. But the ability to possess all these facets in one voice makes singer Kristin Hoffmann intrinsically unique.”- E.J. Jacobs,Topcoat Magazine

Kevin Eubanks
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street (btw 8th and 9th Avenues)
8:30 and 11 p.m. , $30 and $40 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 581-308 / birdlandjazz.com

“On “The Messenger” (Mack Avenue), his most recent album, the versatile guitarist Kevin Eubanks lays out a well-considered mix of in-the-pocket funk, untroubled fusion and soulful ballads. It’s not only his strongest work since leaving “The Tonight Show”; it’s his most satisfying effort in more than a decade. And as with this engagement, it features Bill Pierce on saxophone and Rene Camacho on bass, along with a firecracker of a drummer (Nate Smith, in this case). — NATE CHINEN, NYT”

Linda Eder
54 Below, 254 W 54th st Cellar
8:30 pm/$75 & 11:00 pm/$30;
Food & Beverage Minimum $30

“One of the world’s most beloved and versatile voices, Linda Eder is forever linked to Broadway history via her Theatre World Award winning performance in Jekyll & Hyde. 54 Below is delighted to welcome this celebrated songstress to our stage for six very special performances only. She’s a best-selling recording artist with fourteen solo albums to her credit, but this April, get up close and personal with Linda in Broadway’s living room.”

John Singer Sargent Watercolors
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park
718-638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org

“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”

Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street,
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com;
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

“Jeff Ballard is one of the standout jazz drummers of his generation, a humming engine of polyrhythm and an ace with earthy texture. He has worked often at the Village Vanguard as a sideman, notably with Fly and the Brad Mehldau Trio, and now he makes his debut as a leader there — rescheduled from the week last fall when Hurricane Sandy hit — with a quintet featuring the trumpeter Eddie Henderson, the pianist Kevin Hays, the guitarist Jeff Parker and the bassist Larry Grenadier.  (Nate Chinen) NYT”

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

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 MUSEUMS:
(Museum Mile & other Fifth Avenue area Museums)

‘The Path of Nature: French Paintings from the Wheelock Whitney Collection, 1785-1850’ (through April 21)
“Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity” (through May 27)
“African Art, New York, and the Avant-Garde” (through Sept. 2)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave,@ 82nd street /
(212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org

“Zarina: Paper Like Skin” (through April 21)
“Gutai: Splendid Playground” (through May 8)
“No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia” (through May 22)
 “The Hugo Boss Prize 2012: Danh Vo’” (through May 27)
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, /
(212) 423-3500, guggenheim.org.

“Drawing Surrealism” (through April 21)
“Degas, Miss La La and the Cirque Fernando” (through May 12)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, /
(212) 685-0008, themorgan.org.

Tonight’s Music+ / Midtown West 

Linda Eder
54 Below, 254 W 54th st Cellar
8:30 pm/$75 &11:00 pm/$30; Doors 10:00pm
Food & Beverage Minimum $30

“One of the world’s most beloved and versatile voices, Linda Eder is forever linked to Broadway history via her Theatre World Award winning performance in Jekyll & Hyde. 54 Below is delighted to welcome this celebrated songstress to our stage for six very special performances only. She’s a best-selling recording artist with fourteen solo albums to her credit, but this April, get up close and personal with Linda in Broadway’s living room.”

Kevin Eubanks
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street (btw 8th and 9th Avenues)
8:30 and 11 p.m. , $30 and $40 cover, with a $10 minimum
(212) 581-308 / birdlandjazz.com

“On “The Messenger” (Mack Avenue), his most recent album, the versatile guitarist Kevin Eubanks lays out a well-considered mix of in-the-pocket funk, untroubled fusion and soulful ballads. It’s not only his strongest work since leaving “The Tonight Show”; it’s his most satisfying effort in more than a decade. And as with this engagement, it features Bill Pierce on saxophone and Rene Camacho on bass, along with a firecracker of a drummer (Nate Smith, in this case). — NATE CHINEN, NYT”

Museum of Arts and Design: ‘The Little Richard Story’
Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, at 58th Street
7pm, $9, $7 for members and students
(212) 299-7737, madmuseum.org

“This 1980 documentary about the rock ’n’ roller who was born Richard Wayne Penniman is the first of three films to be shown this month in a tribute to the director William Klein, who turns 85 on April 19. Also on the lineup: “Muhammad Ali, the Greatest,” a 1974 documentary (April 19), and “Messiah,” a 1999 reflection on the Handel oratorio (on April 25).  — ANNE MANCUSO, NYT”

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 / Midtown West

“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.

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. 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 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 night 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; 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.

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Top Events / WestSide

Rudresh Mahanthappa’s ‘Gamak’
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, near Thompson Street,
At 7:30 p.m., $15 in advance, $18 day of show, free for members.
(212) 505-3474, lepoissonrouge.com;

“Mr. Mahanthappa, an alto saxophonist with a roving intellect and a bladelike articulation, presents the impressive band from “Gamak,” his new album on the ACT label. A special spotlight shines on his guitarist, David Fiuczynski; anchoring the group is the quick-reflex rhythm team of François Moutin on bass and Dan Weiss on drums.  (Chinen) NYT”

Charnett Moffett
Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, Clinton,
581-3080, birdlandjazz.com;
at 6 p.m., $25 cover, with a $10 minimum.

“The bassist Charnett Moffett has a new album, “The Bridge” (Motéma), that showcases his facility and musicality in a solo setting, finessing original pieces and choice covers. He’ll do something similar in three separate rooms next week. (Chinen) NYT”

Camille Thurman
Jazz Gallery at Salt Space, 1160 Broadway, fifth floor, at West 27th
At 9 and 10:30 p.m., $15, $10 for members in the first set, $10, $5 for members in the second
(212) 242-1063, jazzgallery.org;

“An energetic young saxophonist, flutist and vocalist on the verge of releasing her debut album, Ms. Thurman appears here in excellent company: Luis Perdomo on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums.. (Chinen) NYT”

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

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 Museums & Galleries: 
(WestSide Manhattan)

‘Edvard Munch: The Scream’ (through April 29)
‘Inventing Abstraction: 1910-1925’ (through April 15)
‘Projects 99: Meiro Koizumi’ (through May 6)
‘Bill Brandt: Shadow and Light’ (through Aug. 12)
Museum of Modern Art:11 W 53rd St,
(212) 708-9400 / moma.org.

‘Painted on 21st Street: Helen Frankenthaler From 1950 to 1959’  
Gagosian Gallery, 522 West 21st Street, Chelsea
741-1717, gagosian.com

Dieter Roth. Björn Roth 
Hauser & Wirth, 511 West 18th Street, Chelsea,
(212) 790-3900, hauserwirth.com

A PremierPub + 3 Good Eating Places 

“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.

Jimmy’s Corner
140 W 44th St (Betw 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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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:

Patzeria Perfect Pizza – 231 W46 st (Betw 7th/8th ave)
Perfect name for a pizza joint. 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.

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)
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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”.

Top Events / WestSide

Talks About Writing and Hollywood 
Strand Book Store, 828 Broadway, at 12th Street,
(212) 473-1452, strandbooks.com
7 p.m., ; purchase of one of the books
or a $15 Strand book card is required.

“The actress Diane Ladd, whose book “A Bad Afternoon for a Piece of Cake” was published by Inkwell Productions in January, will talk about it with Rex Reed, the film critic and a columnist for The New York Observer.”

Barbara Carroll Quartet
54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, Manhattan,
476-3551, 54below.com
“At 7 and 9 p.m. $25 to $35 cover, with a $15 minimum.

Last week saw the first installment of a WBGO Jazz Series at 54
Below, the room beneath Studio 54. This week Barbara Carroll picks up the thread, practicing her brand of literate jazz cabaret with help from a trusted rhythm section, and from the clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski. (Chinen) NYT”

Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds
Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, at 11th Street,
(212) 255-4037, villagevanguard.com;
At 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., $25 cover, with a one-drink minimum.

“Jeff Ballard is one of the standout jazz drummers of his generation, a humming engine of polyrhythm and an ace with earthy texture. He has worked often at the Village Vanguard as a sideman, notably with Fly and the Brad Mehldau Trio, and now he makes his debut as a leader there — rescheduled from the week last fall when Hurricane Sandy hit — with a quintet featuring the trumpeter Eddie Henderson, the pianist Kevin Hays, the guitarist Jeff Parker and the bassist Larry Grenadier.  (Nate Chinen) NYT”

Charnett Moffett
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, 60th Street and Broadway,
at 11 p.m., $5 cover, with a $10 minimum.
(212) 258-9595, jalc.org;

The bassist Charnett Moffett has a new album, “The Bridge” (Motéma), that showcases his facility and musicality in a solo setting, finessing original pieces and choice covers. He’ll do something similar in three separate rooms next week; at Dizzy’s Club he’ll open for the Peter and Will Anderson Quintet.

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS @ 3 MUSEUMS:
(Museum Mile & other Fifth Avenue area Museums)

‘The Path of Nature: French Paintings from the Wheelock Whitney Collection, 1785-1850’ (through April 21)
“Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity” (through May 27)
“African Art, New York, and the Avant-Garde” (through Sept. 2)
Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1000 5th Ave,@ 82nd street /
(212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org

“Zarina: Paper Like Skin” (through April 21)
“Gutai: Splendid Playground” (through May 8)
“No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia” (through May 22)
 “The Hugo Boss Prize 2012: Danh Vo’” (through May 27)
Guggenheim Museum: 1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, /
(212) 423-3500, guggenheim.org.

“Drawing Surrealism” (through April 21)
“Degas, Miss La La and the Cirque Fernando” (through May 12)
Morgan Library & Museum: 225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, /
(212) 685-0008, themorgan.org.