New York City Resources

Celebrate Bastille Day on 60th Street

2008-07-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Though Bastille Day isn't until Monday the 14th, the French-American community on the Upper East Side are celebrating a day early with what they call a "Street Fair with French Flair" on 60th Street between Fifth and Lexington Avenues.

The theme of this year's event is "Beauty and Personal Care" (if you can call that a theme), which means that revelers can look forward to massages, mini facials, and hair and skin care treatments, and probably lots and lots of product.

If you are out and about on the Upper East Side this weekend, it is probably worth checking it out. They will also be raffling off airline tickets to Paris and having a stationary-bike Tour de France--fun for the whole family!

More info: http://www.bastilledaynyc.com

Tribeca Whole Foods Opens Wednesday, July 9

2008-07-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

In the rest of the world, the opening of a new supermarket wouldn't be cause for so much celebration. But, as everyone likes to point out, New York isn't the rest of the world and, well, Whole Foods isn't your corner bodega.

In TriBeCa, long a grocery-starved neighborhood, the opening will be a godsend. For visitors to the city who are exploring the area around City Hall or the World Trade Center, it will provide a place to grab a quick bite to eat. (Or, as these pictures from Racked point out, a lot of cheese.)

The store is at 270 Greenwich Street, between Warren and Murray Streets. The store opens on Wednesday, July 9, at 8:00 a.m.

Bon Jovi's Free Concert in Central Park

2008-07-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

As part of the city's all-out celebration of the July 15 All-Star Game, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today that Bon Jovi will be performing a free concert in Central Park on Saturday, July 12, at 8:00 p.m. on the Great Lawn.

Though the concert is free, tickets are required. (This is done to minimize damage to the lawn by curtailing the number of attendees. Back in the good old days when 500,000 people showed up for Simon and Garfunkel, etc., the lawn didn't fare so well.)

The best way to get tickets is in person, starting tomorrow July 2, at 9:00 a.m. at Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Keyspan Park, or the stadium of the Staten Island Yankees. (From reading Bon Jovi's blog, it seems the bulk of the tickets will be at Yankee Stadium; there will also be some given out on the radio, at MLB.com, and at the DHL All-Star Fan Fest at the Javits Center on July 11.

If you are a Bon Jovi fan or just love a free show, this should be a good one.

Jasper Johns: Gray

2008-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

The New York Times calls it:

"This is a marvelous show, a shadow retrospective of a career within a career. It amplifies gray into a color spectrum all its own. And it illuminates 50 years of a life saved by, and lived for, the incessant pursuit of art."

This week, a new Jasper Johns show opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it seems like one of the must-see exhibitions of the
spring season, especially for anyone interested in the progress of American art over the last 50 years. It features more than 120 paintings, reliefs, drawings, prints, and sculptures, almost all of them meditations on the color gray. Many
of Johns' best know works will be on view, some of the artist's best-known works, such as Canvas, Gray Target, Jubilee, 0 through 9, No, Diver, and The Dutch Wives.

WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Fifth Avenue at 81st Street
WHEN: Now through May 4, 2008. (Museum hours are listed on the web site; it is generally open every day but Monday, though it does open on some Mondays if they are Federal holidays)COST: The Met has a pay-what-you-wish policy.

MORE DETAILS: http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={A0EA279E-8A65-4D15-A346-C1C8981A6765}

Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison -- Live!

2008-02-09T15:48:00.001-08:00

OK, so not Johnny Cash live; he's still dead. But Alex Battles & Whisky Rebellion will be performing the concert in its entirety at Southpaw on February 23 in honor of the album's 40th anniversary and Cash's 76th birthday.

WHERE: Sou thpaw, at 125 Fifth Avenue, in Park Slope, Brooklyn

WHEN: February 23, 2008, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

COST: $12 in advance / $15 at the door

MORE DETAILS: http://brooklyncountrymusic.com/cashbash.html.

(There's a link here to buy tickets online.)

Ticker Tape Parade for New York Giants, Winners of Super Bowl XLII

2008-02-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

Twelve-point underdogs, my foot! The New York Giants have won Super Bowl XLII (17-14 -- who picked that in their pool?). New York is celebrating in style, hosting a ticker tape parade on Tuesday, February 5, at 10:00 a.m.

(When the Giants last won, in 1987, sourpuss Mayor Ed Koch wouldn't give them a parade as the team plays in New Jersey. Mike Bloomberg has no such qualms. He has also won a ridiculous bet with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, which includes 42 pounds of Dunkin' Donuts coffee, 100 cups of clam chowder and 144 Boston cream pies.

The parade will follow the traditional route, beginning at the Museum of the American Indian on Bowling Green and ending at City Hall. If you want a good view, past parade goers recommend getting there early to secure a spot.

And while ticker tape may be a thing of the past, expect plenty of paper to float down from the office buildings along the route.

Paul Simon at BAM

2008-01-31T10:18:00.000-08:00

Just announced!

In April, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) will feature a month-long residency by Paul Simon, who will be performing songs with a bevy of guest musicians from three distinct moments in his career: the Caribbean-Latino infused Capeman; the Graceland-era African songs; and what are being billed as "American Tunes."

Guest musicians include Hugh Masekela, Little Anthony and The Imperials, David Byrne, the Roches, and many more (most of whom have probably not been announced yet).

Tickets go on sale to the general public February 11 (if you are a Visa Signature cardholder or member, you get first dibs on Feb. 4).

For the complete details on what is shaping up to be a great April of music by our favorite Queens-born songwriter, visit the BAM website.

WHERE: The Brooklyn Academy of Music

WHEN: Various dates in April

COST: Tickets range from $30 to $95

MORE DETAILS: http://www.bam.org/events/08PAUL/08PAUL.aspx

Armitage Gone! Dance at the Joyce

2008-01-20T11:36:00.001-08:00

This week Karole Armitage's wonderful company, Armitage Gone! Dance (featuring friend of NYCResources Megumi Eda) is dancing a world premiere at the Joyce Theater, Connoisseurs of Chaos.

As the company notes on its website, the piece is danced to Morton Feldman’s "mesmerizing Patterns in a Chromatic Field [which] provides a stunning aural setting for Armitage’s captivating new work. Within the twisted shapes , jagged angles and disparate phrases of her dance, Armitage reveals an uncommon beauty – sinuous and sensuous. Cellist Felix Fan and pianist Andrew Russo, two acclaimed interpreters of contemporary music, perform Feldman’s monumental score live."

The good people over at New York Dance Link are offering 2 for 1 tickets for this show. However, the offer is available only via phone or in person.

BY PHONE:Call 212.242.0800 and mention promotion code 2AG1F
IN PERSON:Mention promotion code 2AG1F when ordering your tickets at the box office

*Mention Code: 2AG1F to receive discount. Discount valid for performances Tues, Wed, Fri & Saturday. Limited tickets available each performance. No refund or exchanges. Not valid in combination with any other offer or for prior sales. Offer available only while tickets last.

When: Jan 22, 23, 25, and 26
Where: The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue (at 19th Street)
Cost: $44 per person (but see above for savings!)
More information: http://www.armitagegone.org/ or http://www.joyce.org/.

The "Royal Albert Hall" Project

2008-01-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

As noted on the official website: this "very special tribute to the music of Bob Dylan [honors] Dylan’s storied 1966 concert—long the Dylan bootleggers’ favorite.... Critic Dave Marsh reviewed it in Creem magazine, writing 'It is the most supremely elegant piece of rock ‘n’ roll music I’ve ever heard.'"

The performance features the album played in order by acts such as Laura Cantrell, Kelly Joe Phelps, Stevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian), Marshall Crenshaw, Oakley Hall, Lenny Kaye & Katrina Kiedis (Sufjan Stevens Band), Jason Isbell (Drive By Truckers), Jim Lauderdale, Toshi Reagon, Freeman & Vernon Reid.

When: Saturday, January 12, at 8:00 p.m.

Where: The Winter Garden at the World Financial Center

Cost: FREE!

More info: http://www.newyorkguitarfestival.org/cgi/show.cgi?db=festival&uid=default&view_records=1&Lastdate=%3C05-Sep-2007&Group=festival&main=1&nh=3

David Witten presents: Piano Music Inspired by Art: Soundscapes from Russia and Italy

2008-01-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Noted classical pianist and photographer David Witten has created a concert of pieces inspired by his world travels. The concert will be accompanied by a slide show.

Witten, who teaches at Montclair State University, has undertaken concert tours in Ireland, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Mexico, and South America. As the recipient of a 1990 Fulbright Scholar award, Witten spent five months teaching and concertizing throughout Brazil, and he is frequently invited back to give concerts and masterclasses. Closer to home, Witten’s performances have included solo appearances with the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, and various chamber music collaborations with members of the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

When: January 29, 2008 at 7:30pm
Where: The Yamaha Piano / 689 5th Ave. - 3rd Floor / New York, NY
Cost: FREE!
More info and reservations: http://www.yamaha.com/yasi/eventdetail.html?CNTID=563589&CTID=560264