We’re no longer that, “crummy hotel over Washington Square” that you wrote about in Diamonds and Rust.
We’ve been renovated, revamped and recharged. We’ve got a fitness room, pillow-top mattresses and free WIFI. And we can serve you three delicious meals a day, which we couldn’t when you wrote this…
Damn that’s a great song.
But we’re not crummy anymore, Joan, so please come back and write another one!
A silly little ditty to lead you into the weekend…courtesy of Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Nancy sticks her tongue firmly in her cheek in this ode to the folk song hawkers that flooded the neighborhood in the 60′s.
Have a fantastic weekend all you happy, hopped-up hippies!
Time to kick off summer with freebies, people! Check out fun stuff to do without spending any cash:
Memorial Day Concert at St. John the Divine. Celebrate with the New York Philharmonic in this beautiful cathedral on Amsterdam and 112th on Monday at 8:00 pm. Tickets are first-come, first-served and available the day of the performance at 6:00 p.m. If you don’t get in, music will be piped out onto the adjacent Pulpit Green, weather permitting. (And as of now, it’s looking like the weather will permit: forecast for the day is high of 68 and sunny.)
The Intrepid Museum plans to celebrate the weekend the right way, by honoring our service women and men. Aside from a screening of Top Gun for it’s freebie movies on Friday night series, Pier 86 will be filled live performances (the USO Show Troupe!), hands-on activities and displays.
Memorial Day Parade(s): There’s a bunch of them–just pick your borough. Probably the largest is the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Parade. It stars at 2 p.m. at the corner of Northern Blvd. and Jayson Ave. in Queens. This year’s parade is dedicated to those who served in Vietnam, as it’s the 40th anniversary of the end of the war.
And what holiday is complete without sparkly explosions? None, I say. To see fireworks, though, you have to head downtown on Thursday night (23rd) so that Lady Liberty is in view. Fireworks will be set off in the harbor near Liberty Island at around 9:15 p.m. (Not sure why they only have them on Thursday night-I searched and searched–but hey, if I’m mistaken and there’s more, please let me know!)
Have fun!
Summer is almost here and New York music lovers just can’t wait for Central Park Summerstage concerts to begin!
Here are a few quick facts:
Concerts are generally free (except for a few benefit ones), so seating is on a first-come, first serve basis. Which we all know means: get there early! Gates open 90 minutes before showtime on weekends and an hour on weekdays. If it’s a popular show, I’d arrive at least an hour before the gates open. Bring a picnic blanket, snacks, water, a good book–and good company. (But no glasses, cans or coolers.) Beer, wine and food can be purchased inside.
Concerts go on rain or shine. (Unless there’s lightening because, you know, there’s lightening and we’re not that crazy.)
Highlights this year include a benefit on June 11th for New York city parks: a Sinatra tribute with John Pizzarelli, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joan Osborne, Andrew Bird, Marc Cohn, Bettye LaVette, Allen Toussaint, Suzanne Vega and Loudon Wainwright III. (Tickets start at $65.)
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Rehearsal Series, a weekly event in which favorite opera arias and duets are performed by rising Metropolitan Opera stars such as Erin Morley (soprano), Isabel Leonard (mezzo-soprano), and Stephen Costello (tenor), accompanied by pianist Bradley Moore.
The Martha Graham Dance Company performs on July 23rd.
Hip-hop artists Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth are featured on July 28th.
Gospel is also represented with Shirley Caesar on 8/3.
And remember Bobby McFerrin? He’ll be there on 8/20.
You get the picture…just like the city, a little something for every one. And–hey–if by chance the line’s too long and you don’t get in, hang outside on the grass–you can still hear the music.
One of the most popular streets in the village, it was named after the Bleecker family, because the road ran straight through their family farm in the late 18th century. Today the chickens and horses have been replaced by perfume shops and shoe stores and pastry shops.
Amy’s Bread (#250) A fantastic bakery with a small cafe serving sandwiches and noshes. The black olive twists are to die for.
Diptyque (#377) is the first U.S. foray for this French parfumer. Check out the variety of eaux de toilette, candles, colognes and body-care products.
John’s of Bleecker Street (#278) has been dishing out yummy, brick oven pizza since 1929. On the website it’s recommended by none other than Jack Black (Tenacious D!). Black says that the pizza is so good, “I get it plain.” High praise, indeed.
Rocco’s Pastry Shop and Espresso Cafe (#243) Cannoli’s, my friends. Cannolis. That is all.
(Word to the wise: You can skip Magnolia Bakery at #401, made famous by the ladies of Sex & the City. There’s a reason those ladies were so skinny–the cupcakes aren’t very good.)
Bleecker Street Records (#239): Yes, you can still buy vinyl, CDs and posters on Bleecker just like back in the day.
Murray’s Cheese (# 254): The best, best, best cheese shop in the city.
(Le) Poisson Rouge (#158) The new incarnation of the famed Village Gate features reasonably priced music of all genres. Classical, gospel, hip-hop, R&B, funk…everything from electronic to Americana to a string quartet.
Plus some fancy clothes:
Jimmy Choo (#407): Shoes!
Jack Spade (#409): Men’s store by Kate’s hubby.
Ralph Lauren has several outposts on Bleecker. RRL (#381) for jeans, boots and vests. Across the street, Rugby (#390) sells more traditional, preppy Lauren gear.
And that’s a little taste of Bleecker…
Everyone knows many of the city’s oldest taverns: McSorley’s, Fraunces, The White Horse…but few visitors may know the Ear Inn. Erected in the late 18th Century by James Brown (no, not that one), an aide to Washington during the revolution, the house now has landmark status, and is one of the few remaining examples of Federal architecture in the city.
Through the years it’s alternately been a haven for thirsty sailors, a boarding house, a speakeasy during the days of Prohibition, a smuggler’s den and a brothel. Women (clearly other than ladies of the night) were not allowed for decades.
Flash forward to 1977: the new resident-owners christened the place the “Ear Inn”. That strange name? It was chosen to bypass the Landmark Commission’s lengthy review of any new sign. (Bureaucracy is still alive and well, thankyouverymuch.) To skip the red tape, the neon “BAR” sign was simply painted over to read “EAR”.
Now, surrounded by dusty tchotchkes, you can swill a pint or sip a whiskey or a glass of wine. Then tuck into a full, reasonably priced menu–burgers, mussels, Caesar salad, chili, steaks and the like. The fun part? Your neighbor chowing down may be a biker, a teamster, a doctor or an artist or…who knows?
Plus you can hear music on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday from midnight on. (Or as the website says, 11:59.) You can find traditional blues, jazz and, my personal fave, “weirdo country music”.
Check it out!
The Ear Inn – 326 Spring St. NY, NY (212 226-9060)
It’s a nice long holiday weekend here in
New York. Here are a few random things that might be fun to do if you’re here with us in town…
The Whitney Museum is featuring a collection of works by 18 early-to-mid-20th-century American artists, installed as a series of mini retrospectives. The lineup includes such names as Georgia O’Keefe, Paul Cadmus, Joseph Cornell. Alexander Calder and Edward Hopper.
Sandra Bernhard is in the house! The hilarious comedian and singer is performing with her band, the Rebellious Jezebels at Joe’s Pub.
Check out the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, the improv and sketch comedy theater in Chelsea. It’s incredibly cheap–especially for the caliber of talent they have to offer. Amy Poehler is actively involved with the place and yes, I’ve seen her perform there. What more do you need to know?
Drop in on the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum’s “Ivy Style” exhibit, which celebrates the evolution of preppie-style clothing. (Apparently the Ivy league look was once cutting edge. Really?!?!?) Khakis, penny loafers, Ralph Lauren and Arrow shirts will surely be represented.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to check out the butterfly conservatory at the American Museum of Natural History. It’s beautiful and loads of fun. Butterflies, butterflies everywhere! (Okay, I may be a dweeb, but I love it.)
And finally have a cocktail at the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis. The old-time warmth of the place just screams Old New York, fancy beer nuts and all.
It’s a sad time for music fans in New York City. Bleecker Bob’s, a Village music retail institution since 1967, is closing imminently–most likely at the end of the year. Bleecker Bob’s has been a favorite spot for record-loving locals and rock stars alike. (In fact, members of the New York Dolls and the
Patti Smith Group reportedly manned the register back in the day.)
With physical record sales plunging and retail rental space prices steadily rising, independent record stores are slowly going the way of the 8-track.
But cheer up music devotees: there are still some real deal record retailers in the neighborhood. Their numbers may be dwindling, but a few are still hanging on:
If you’re a music fan, it’s time to start thinking about heading this way next month. On January 11th and 12th, six bars in the Village will host over 70 groups for the 2013 Winter Jazzfest.
The host venues–The Bitter End, Zinc Bar, Sullivan Hall, (Le) Poisson
Rouge, SubCulture and Bowery Electric–are all within walking distance or a short cab ride from the hotel. (Honestly, The Bitter End alone is worth the trip…so much history there. It’s been a Village music staple since 1961 and everyone from Stevie Wonder to Curtis Mayfield to Lady Gaga have performed there.)
Artists include Claudia Acuna, Rich Medina, the James Carter Organ Trio and Don Byron.
And all this music is not crazy expensive: a one-day pass costs $35 and a two-day pass costs $10 more. So check it out!
R.I.P. Dave Brubeck (December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012)