Park of the Week
08.17.05
1. Tompkins Square Park, community gardens, the HOWL! Festival, and overpriced burgers
2. Dix and Beckmann declare War to be Hell at the Neue, while Sís creates a Happy City underground
3. Samurais, city history, and a retro store downtown
Volume 5, Number 11
August 17 — 31, 2005
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Site Design/Subway Photo:
Fred Gates Design, New York.
twi-ny/mdr
-- Jerry Garcia / Robert Hunter / Phil Lesh / Bob Weir, “Truckin’,” as performed in SHAKEDOWN STREET, now playing at the Village Theater as part of the Fringe Festival
twi-ny/mdr
Hare Krishna Tree offers shelter in Tompkins Square Park
Seventh St. to Tenth St. between Aves. A & B
Admission: free
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=12589
When our grandparents were kids in the 1910s, they played in Tompkins Square Park and hung out at the Boys Club right across the street, where membership dues were a penny a year. Much has happened since then to these ten-plus acres, once swampland owned by Peter Stuyvesant and later named for former New York governor and vice president Daniel D. Tompkins. Ironically, this site, a favorite for radical rallies and marches since the 1850s, was once the parade ground for the Seventh Regiment Armory. Today Tompkins Square Park is bursting with elm trees, homeless men and women (who were forcibly evicted from their makeshift shelters in the park in the late 1980s, causing massive protests), cool birdhouses, plenty of sketchy characters, and kids swimming, playing basketball and handball, and skateboarding. Near the entrance at Seventh St. & Ave. A you’ll meet Samuel Sullivan "Sunset" Cox, a nineteenth-century congressman memorialized in this statue by Louise Lawson. Cox was known as the Letter Carrier’s Friend because of his outspoken support of the rights of post-office employees.
In this sweltering heat, you might want to take a rest in the middle of the park under the Hare Krishna Tree, a huge elm that was the site of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s introduction of this Indian spiritual belief to America in 1966, accompanied by Allen Ginsberg and many others. Closer to the northwest corner is the Temperance Fountain, erected in 1888 by Henry D. Cogswell, a self-made millionaire who was a leader in the temperance movement. He paid for anti-alcohol fountains to be put up all over the country, encouraging Americans to drink water instead of booze; this specific version, designed with the support of the Moderation Society, features Hebe, the goddess of youth and cup bearer to the gods, standing atop a four-columned open structure (once surrounded by colored glass) that proclaims, "Charity," "Temperance," "Faith," and "Hope" on its four sides. (Interestingly, earlier this year a statue of Hebe was barred from a Douglas County, Oregon, park allegedly because Hebe is considered a pagan.)
On the north side of the park is Tompkins First Run, a wide dog run — named one of the top five in the country by Dog Fancy magazine -- that includes such rules as "No dogs in heat," "Do not let your dogs pester other dogs," and "No spiked, pronged, or pinch collars." (The restriction might exclude more dog owners than the pooches themselves.) Across the path is a children’s playground with a sprinkler and a pool; right past the front gate and down the steps is the Slocum Memorial Fountain, designed by Bruno Louis Zimm with the support of the Sympathy Society of German Ladies. On the top half of the Tennessee marble stele, two children look out into the vast sea. The fountain memorializes the sinking of the steamship General Slocum, which burned on June 15, 1904, killing more than a thousand people, many from Little Germany on the Lower East Side who were on a church outing. Below the two kids is a lion head spitting out water into a round, intricately carved basin.
The pool is open from 11:30 to 6:30 through Labor Day. Several small, colorful playgrounds for kids of all ages throughout the park feature swings, slides, climbing equipment, and more, and there are also chess and checker tables. On Sundays, the park hosts a Farmers Market from 8:00 to 6:00. Tompkins Square Park is certainly a historic location, and it has come a long way in the past ten or fifteen years, but it’s still not the most comforting of areas to wander around in. It lacks the welcoming feel of Washington Square Park or Union Square Park, and while some blocks in the neighborhood have gentrified — a mixed blessing, of course — others are to be avoided if possible.
Various venues
August 21-28
Admission: Free to $15
212-505-2225
Celebrating art, music, dance, poetry, and gardening, the Howl! festival features film screenings, readings, concerts, street fairs, and more all over the East Village, from seriously unconventional acts to somewhat more mainstream talent. Nearly all the events are fifteen bucks and under (many are free), so this is a great chance to catch some offbeat stuff at such cool venues as the Living Room, the Bowery Poetry Club, P.S. 122, the Pioneer Theater, Tribes Gallery, Mo Pitkin’s, Fusion Arts, and other places you’ve probably never been to but have been meaning to check out. Among the people involved are actors Rosario Dawson and Luis Guzman, Warhol Factory legend Taylor Mead, poet extraordinaire Willie Perdomo, tag-team duo Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, Debbie Harry, burlesque stars Julie Atlas Muz and Miss Saturn, twi-ny faves Mary Lee’s Corvette and NYCSmoke, Laura Cantrell, David "Fathead" Newman, Springsteen pal Jesse Malin, Jonathan Ames, Penny Arcade, and Allen Ginsberg everywhere you go. In addition to the below highlights, "Art in Odd Places" runs through the whole week, featuring unique site-specific installations all over the neighborhood.
Sunday, August 21 Arteries: Matzo Files art show, Streit’s Matzo Factory, 154 Rivington St. at Suffolk St., free, 12 noon — 5:00
Sunday, August 21 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Festival: Harry Smith Tribute Show, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $10, 7:00
Sunday, August 21 Opening Night Party and Benefit, hosted by Murray Hill, with Theo and the Skyscrapers, Deva, Julie Atlas Muz, Miss Saturn, Scotty the Blue Bunny, and more, with body painting, food and drink specials, and more, the Delancey, 168 Delancey St. at Clinton St., $12, 7:00 — 12 midnight
Sunday, August 21 "White Trash Debutante" by Jennifer Blowdryer, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $16, 10:00
Sunday, August 21
through
Tuesday, August 23 Film: LUSTRE (Art Jones, 2003), Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, $9, 9:00
Sunday, August 21
through
Thursday, August 25 Film: POUND (Director’s Cut) (Robert Downey Sr. 1970), Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave. at Second St., $8, 7:00 & 9:00
Sunday, August 21
through
Sunday, August 28 Arteries: group show, Bowman / Bloom Gallery, 95 East Seventh St. between Ave. A & First Ave., free, 2:00 — 6:00
Sunday, August 21
through
Sunday, August 28 Theater: Alphabet City…III, monologues on the East Village, Metropolitan Playhouse, 220 East Fourth St., 212-995-5302, $15, changing times
Sunday, August 21
through
Sunday, August 28 Theater: Bath Party, multimedia production, HERE, 145 Sixth Ave. between Spring & Broome St., 212-647-0202, $25, 7:00
Sunday, August 21
through
Thursday, Sept. 1 What a Relief group art show, Fusion Arts, 57 Stanton St. between Forsyth & Eldridge Sts., free, 1:00 — 8:00
Monday, August 22 Music: Radio Crystal Blue, the Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. between Stanton & Rivington Sts., 4:00 — 10:00
Monday, August 22 Screening: JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY (Aram Avakian and Bert Stern, 1960), Tribes Gallery, 285 East Third St., 6:00
Monday, August 22 A Night with Robert Downey Sr., conversation and screening, Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, $9, 7:00
Monday, August 22 Bingo Gazingo, King of the Street Poets, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $2, 7:30
Monday, August 22 Music: Rebecca Moore and Little Annie, Mo Pitkin’s, 34 Ave. A, 212-777-5660, $10, 10:00
Monday, August 22
through
Wednesday, Aug. 24 East Village Dance Project: modern dance workshops for kids ages seven to nine and ten to fourteen, Rod Rodgers Studios, 62 East Fourth St. between Second & Third Aves., reservations required, free, 212-982-5751, 1:00 & 2:30
Monday, August 22
through
Wednesday, Aug. 24 Daily reading of HOWL, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., 6:00
Monday, August 22
through
Sunday, August 28 Jennifer Cushman’s "Nests," 11BC Community Garden, 11th St. between Aves. B & C, free, changing times
Tuesday, August 23 Study Abroad on the Bowery: John Giorno on John Giorno, Bowery Poetry Club, 208 Bowery at Bleecker St., $10, 4:00
Tuesday, August 23 Music: Arthur Sterling, Afro-Panamanian jazz piano, 5C Café, 68 Ave. C at Fifth St., $5, 5:00
Tuesday, August 23 Music: Mary Lee’s Corvette with Eric Hutchinson, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., $12, 7:00
Tuesday, August 23 Music: NYCSmoke, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., $12, 9:30
Tuesday, August 23 Screening: JAZZ ON A SUMMER’S DAY (Aram Avakian and Bert Stern, 1960), Tribes Gallery, 285 East Third St., 8:00
Wednesday, Aug. 24 Theater: The Essential Penny Arcade, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., $15, 9:30
Wednesday, Aug. 24 Music: Roy Nathanson Trio with Debbie Harry and Bill Ware, Mo Pitkin’s, 34 Ave. A, 212-777-5660, $15, 10:00
Thursday, August 25 Vince Di Mura’s Willie Perdomo Spoken Word Opera: Poet in Harlem, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $7, 4:00
Thursday, August 25 Charlie Parker Festival Art Show Opening Party: Birds of a Feather Flock, Tribes Gallery, 285 East Third St., 212-674-8262, 6:00 — 9:00
Thursday, August 25 GRRROWWL! (Girls Rock Howl!), Arlene’s Grocery, 95 Stanton St., 6:00 — 9:45
Thursday, August 25 Film — Aldo Tembellini: Revisiting the Lower East Side of the ’60s, Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, $9, 7:00
Thursday, August 25 Music: Jesse Malin with Psychic Drive, Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey St., 212-533-2111, $15, 7:30
Thursday, August 25 Jewbilation! Kosher ChiXXX, burlesque revue, 14th St. Y, 344 East 14th St. between First & Second Aves., 212-780-0800, $10, 8:30
Thursday, August 25
and
Friday, August 26 Theater: GOD, SWAP & BASQUIAT, three short plays, the Nuyorican Poets Café, 236 East Third St. between Aves. B & C, 212-505-8183, $20, 7:00 & 7:30
Thursday, August 25
through
Sunday, August 28 Dance: Yoshiko Chuma & the School of Hard Knocks Present "Inside Outside" and "8 Brand New Short Dances," P.S. 122, 150 First Ave. at Ninth St., 212-477-5829, $15, 8:00 (5:00 8/28)
Friday, August 26 Study Abroad on the Bowery: Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg on theFugs, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $10, 4:00
Friday, August 26 Music: Dayna Kurtz / Heather Greene, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., $12, 7:00
Friday, August 26 Film: Luis Guzman Tribute, with Luis Guzman, Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, 7:00
Friday, August 26 Music: Jonathan Ames, Mo Pitkin’s, 34 Ave. A, 212-777-5660, $12, 8:00 & 10:00
Friday, August 26 Music: Downtown Rock N Roll All Stars, with Jack McKeever, Church of Betty with Penny Arcade, Johnny Society, and Nervous Cabaret, the Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. between Stanton & Rivington Sts., 212-533-7325, 8:00 pm — 1:00 am
Friday, August 26 Film: ALPHABET CITY (Amos Poe, 1984), with Amos Poe present, Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, $9, 11:55
Saturday, August 27 Shoot the Poem: Poets with filmmakers, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., free, 12 noon - 4:00
Saturday, August 27 Film: THE L.E.S. IS MORE MUSIC FESTIVAL (Chris Rael, 2005), Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, $9, 5:00
Saturday, August 27 Hip Hop Howl: The Four Pillars of Urban Art, St. Mark’s Church on the Bowery, 131 East Tenth St., 212-674-6377, 8:00 — 12 midnight
Saturday, August 27 Open Ear Music Series Presents Amiri Baraka and the Blue Ark, Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery at Bleecker St., $15, 8:00
Saturday, August 27 Theater -- Stronger than God: 2 Gangsta Tales from Shalom Asch, Todo Con Nada with Stella Adler Conservatory, 14th St. Y, 344 East 14th St. between First & Second Aves., 212-780-0800, $15, 9:00
Saturday, August 27 New Century World Poetry and Avant Music, with Peace Prophet Mike McQ & the Dude, Ali & the Electric Insect, Breaking Laces, Skidmore Fountain, Drew Young Band, and Valkyrie, the C-Note, 157 Ave. C at Tenth St., 212-677-8142, $5, 9:00 pm — 2:00 am
Saturday, August 27 Festival Party, multimedia gathering with Kid Congo, Vic Thrill, DJ Small Change, and more, Clemente Soto Velez Space, 107 Suffolk St. between Rivington & Delancey Sts., 212-360-4080, $10, 10:00 pm — 4:00 am
Sunday, August 28 The LES Art Crawl, with guide Anthony Zito, meet at 261 Broome St. at 1:00 and 4:00, www.elsles.org/elslessite.htm
Sunday, August 28 Djembe Workshop with Bashir Shakur, Tribal Soundz, 340 East Sixth St., 212-673-5992, $15, 2:30
Sunday, August 28 The Open Road, with Dennis Nyback presenting such films as ONE FOR THE ROAD, MECHANIZED DEATH, HITCH HIKING: THE ROAD TO RAPE, and MOTORCYCLE SAFETY, Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, $9, 2:30
Sunday, August 28 East Village / LES Synagogue Tour, meet at Community Synagogue, Sixth St. between First & Second Aves., free, 3:00 & 11:00
Sunday, August 28 Howl! Finale, with Honky Tonk Happy Hour, Spottiswoode & His Enemies, and Rawles Balls, the Living Room, 154 Ludlow St. between Stanton & Rivington Sts., 212-533-7325, 4:00 pm — 12 midnight
Sunday, August 28 COUNTER CONVENTION: A FREE NEW YORK SPECIAL (Christopher Flaherty, 2004), Pioneer Theater, 155 East Third St. between Aves. A & B, 212-591-0434, $9, 4:30
Sunday, August 28 Howl! Third Annual All-Star Performance Jam, with Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Nico Muhly, and more, Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., 9:30
-- Allen Ginsberg, HOWL, fiftieth anniversary to be celebrated at the Festival of East Village Arts
Seventh St. to Tenth St. between Aves. A & B
August 27-28
Admission: free
http://www.howlfestival.com/resources/TompkinsSquarePark_6.php?scriptmode=edit
Once again Tompkins Square Park is the meeting ground for a weekend of free arts programs for adults and kids. Among the highlights are appearances by Luis Guzman, the character actor with the best face in the business; Penny Arcade and Phoebe Legere; a Japanese matsuri; the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival; and, of course, the one and only Wigstock, hosted by Lady Bunny. If you’ve never read or heard Allen Ginsberg’s HOWL, which the great Beat poet wrote for Carl Solomon in San Francisco in the mid-1950s, now’s the time; in the introduction to the City Lights Pocket Poets Series edition, William Carlos Williams wrote, "Hold back the edges of your gowns, Ladies, we are going through hell." Or as Ginsberg himself wrote in "Footnote to HOWL": "The typewriter is holy the poem is holy the voice is holy the hearers are holy the ecstasy is holy!"
Friday, August 26 Fiftieth Anniversary: Allen Ginsberg Poetry Festival, readings and a choral interpretation of the "Holy" section of HOWL, Tompkins Square Park South Stage, 6:00 — 9:00
Saturday, August 27
and
Sunday, August 28 HOWL! Jr. kids programs, and Arteries: interactive art, 11:00
Saturday, August 27 The Pantheon Processional with Rosario Dawson, the Hungry March Band, and Grand Marsha Taylor Mead, Cooper Square to Tompkins Square Park, 11:30
Saturday, August 27 Street festival, semi-nude drawing from life, East Village Community Coalition Kids Slam hosted by Reverend Billy, and NYC Puppet Mobile, 12 noon
Saturday, August 27 Way the F@#k Off Broadway with Penny Arcade, Taylor Mead, Julie Atlas Muz, Phoebe Legere, Jennifer Blowdryer, and more, 2:00
Saturday, August 27 Viva Charas! Latin program with Luis Guzman, Aurora & Zon del Barrio, and more, 3:00
Saturday, August 27 Wigstock, hosted by Lady Bunny, with John Kelly as Joni Mitchell, Jackie 60, Shasta Cola, the World Famous BOB, Harmonica Sunbeam, and more, 5:00
Sunday, August 28 Japanese Festival, Fringe NY @ HOWL!, with the Suitcase Players’ Miller vs. Williams: Summer Smackdown Tour 2005, semi-nude drawing from life, and HOWL! Jr. Kiddie Disco, 12 noon
Sunday, August 28 East Village Meets Butoh, 1:00
Sunday, August 28 Bluegrass Ball, with Laura Cantrell, the Reckon So, Y’all Stars, Cobble Hillbillies, and the John Herald Tribute Band, 3:00
Sunday, August 28 Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, with Gerri Allen, Odean Pop Saxophone Choir, John Hicks featuring David "Fathead" Newman, and the Cindy Blackman Quartet, 5:00
162 Ave. B between 10th & 11th Sts.
Admission: free, no cover
212-529-8463
Stop in for some draft beer (including Guinness) and live music at this East Village hangout around the corner from Tompkins Square Park. The club is co-owned by Eric Ambel, formerly of the Del-Lords and Roscoe’s Gang and the head of Lakeside Lounge Records. There are shows virtually every night; below are only some of the upcoming highlights. The Lakeside also has a great jukebox that includes Roky Erickson, MC5, Love, Clarence Carter, Steve Earle, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, the Chocolate Watchband, and lots of classic blues. And feel free to get a little dirty in the photo booth, but beware — some of the pictures end up on the bar’s Web site.
Tuesday, August 23 Amy Rigby, 9:00
Thursday, August 25 The Howlin’ Thurstons, 9:00
Monday, August 29 Beat Rodeo, 9:00
Wednesday, September 7, 14, 21, 28 The Izzys, 9:00
Friday, September 16 Eric Ambel & the Roscoe Trio, 1:00
Courtesy East Yoga
Sitting pretty at East Yoga
212 Ave. B at 13th St.
Single class: $15; discounts for series of five, ten, and twenty classes
212-420-8411
This small, friendly yoga studio is a neighborhood favorite but deserves to be better known. Founded by teachers from the now-defunct but still-beloved Bhava Yoga (which held court on Sixth St. at Ave. C), East features four vinyasa-style classes a day in a clean, airy, and appealing ground-floor studio. (Check their Web site for specific schedules and class details -- Diana G.’s sessions are highly recommended.) If you would like to check out East, e-mail us at admin@twi-ny.com for a first-time-student buy-one-get-one free deal or just stop by the studio.
twi-ny/mdr
Dawgs on Park is not burger-friendly
178 East Seventh St. near Ave. B
212-598-0667
Right near Charlie Parker Pl. (the jazz great lived in the neighborhood in the early 1950s) is one of the worst meal deals in the city. Unfortunately, we don’t eat hot dogs, the specialty of this endearing little dog-friendly shack — and the reason most people frequent this tiny joint that has no air conditioning, plays lousy music, and has an extremely friendly staff. Its Hot Diggity Dawg, Chili Dawg, Prairie Dawg, Corn Dawg, and My Mom Lives in Chicago Dawg have been celebrated in publication after publication, but we’re burger folk, so we went for a cheeseburger with fries, garlic roasted mayo, and spicy salsa, along with homemade lemonade. Everything was good (although the burger was a little underdone), but it cost fifteen bucks. When we first heard the counterman say that, we were in such shock that we just gave him a twenty without thinking. He might have sensed our surprise, as he offered us free lemonade refills later. (They also make milkshakes and egg creams.) We guess it’s sort of like ordering the filet of sole at Peter Luger’s, so it serves us right.
twi-ny/mdr
Getting creative with gardening in the East Village
530 East Sixth St. between Aves. A & B
Open Saturday & Sunday, 12 noon — 5:00, through October
Usually open noon to dusk the rest of the week
Admission: free
Membership: $20
212-228-2511
A small, round plaque with a turtle on it and the phrase "La Lutte Continue" ("the struggle continues") welcomes visitors to this enchanting little oasis. You’ll feel as if you’ve entered another world as you wind down the gravel path of this fantasy garden that features unique and colorful works of art that blend in with the trees and plants. In the back are some plastic chairs, a green bench with yellow flowers, another bench under a shady trellis, a wall of birdhouses, and a brick that proclaims, "Resist." On the first Wednesday night of every month, open meetings are held from 6:30 to 8:00; the next meetings are September 7, October 3, and November 2. One sign says, "Please treat this garden as if it were your living room." We’ve never had a living room this beautiful, this comforting.
twi-ny/mdr
East Village garden is a neighborhood treasure
Ave. B between Fifth & Sixth Sts.
Open Saturdays and Sundays, 1:00 — 6:00, through October
Admission: free
646-228-1455
Formerly known as the 6th St. & Avenue B Garden, this lush greenspace, run by volunteers, is one of our favorite stops in the East Village. Like most community gardens, it has struggled for survival, but it is now a 501(c)3 with permanent site status recognized by the Parks Dept. (and it continues to fight for other threatened community gardens). Surrounded by a green gate decorated with metal hands all over it, this hands-on garden is filled with blooming trees, enchanting ponds, flowering shrubs, animal sculptures, herbs and vegetables, a great phrenology head, and lots of shade. At the back is a trellis where events are held; see below for a list of upcoming events. Near the southeast corner stands a remarkable tower of children’s junk (the garden calls them street treasures), a crazy installation with dangling dolls and stuffed animals, broken wagons and carousel horses, and religious icons, flanked by the American and Puerto Rican flags. Half a millennium ago this area was a salt marsh; today it is a thriving community project that is a centerpiece of this changing neighborhood.
Admission: free
http://6bgarden.org/eventsaugust2005.htm
Thursday, August 18 Pets on Parade, contest and prizes, 7:30 pm
Thursday, August 18, 25 Qi Gong with Freddy Alva, 8:00 am
Friday, August 19 La Fiesta, presented by Maya da Silva, featuring Andalusian flamenco, singing, dancing, and more, 8:00
Tuesday, August 23 HOWL! Blues Poetry Workshop with Yictove, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, August 23, 30 Yoga Tuesday Mornings with Joan Coddington, 7:00 am
Wednesday, August 24 HOWL! Artists’ Slide Night, 8:30
Friday, August 25 HOWL! Firefly Cinema, dusk
Sunday, August 27 HOWL! Mr. Raga’s Neighborhood, live funk, raga, and jazz, 8:00 pm
Sunday, August 28 General Membership Meeting, 4:00
Sunday, August 28 HOWL! LES Ladies of Jazz, with Evelyn Blakey, Liz Diamond, and Mary Beth O’Hara, 7:00 pm
Southwest corner of Fifth St. & Ave. B
The Brooklyn couple known as Thundercut are street artists who, among other things, love to redesign "Walk / Don’t Walk" lights throughout the city. They place their own colorful cutouts of superheroes and city denizens over the illuminated sign, and when the lights start flashing, the images come to life like an ultracool Lite-Brite. They often relate their pieces to the neighborhood itself; they’ve put a Yankees fan outside of the Stadium and a mermaid on Surf Ave. in Coney Island. On the southwest corner of Fifth & B, on the green "Go" side, they’ve added an upside-down hip-hopper with his Adidas sticking up in the air, dancing on his head next to his beat box. In fact, the entire sign has been turned upside down, as evidenced by the upside-down red hand that signals "Stop." Be sure to check out the careful holes in the hip-hopper that make him shine so well. Visit the Thundercut Web site to see their own slide show, which includes a couple of shots of them in action, designing their unique and entertaining work.
Private Collection, Courtesy Neue Galerie
Otto Dix, "Dead Sentry in Trench"
Neue Galerie, third floor
1048 Fifth Ave. at 86th St.
Closed Tuesdays through Thursdays
Through September 26
Admission: $10
212-628-6200
http://www.neuegalerie.org/neuemain.html
Both Otto Dix and Max Beckmann served in the Great One and experienced the horrors of war firsthand; this exhibition proclaims that "war is hell" in stunning, unforgettable ways. On one wall of this small gallery are the ten primary sheets that comprise Beckmann’s "Die Hölle" ("Hell"); the crowded, nearly Cubist lithographs are filled with tortured souls, maimed men, starving families, and Beckmann himself. Some of the individual pieces have been on view in New York City in recent years -- "The Night" was shown at MoMA QNS in 2003, "The Way Home" at the Met last fall — but seen together, they tell a heart-wrenching tale of the death of humanity. In "The Martyrdom," German Social Democrat and Spartacus League leader "Red Rosa" Luxemburg is nearly torn apart as she’s carried on a cross. In "Malepartus," a band plays while grotesque members of high society dance with each other. In "Night," a man is hanged and a woman is tied to a pole in a suffocating, claustrophobic space. And in "The Last Ones," Beckmann, who was a medical orderly in the war, is toting a machine gun, blasting away. The exhibit is supplemented with three paintings by Beckmann, including two telling self-portraits that place his work in context; the opposite wall features three unique portraits by Dix, whose "Der Krieg" ("War") is one of the most remarkable series you’ll ever see.
Dix’s fifty prints that make up "War" are absolutely horrific and utterly terrifying. The pieces are smaller and darker than Beckmann’s, and more frightening. While Beckmann’s war takes place at home, on the streets and inside houses, Dix’s war is fought in the trenches, where soldiers become rotting skeletons, bodies hang from barbed wire, and even the survivors are battling death. Using different techniques, including etching and drypoint, Dix, who earned the Iron Cross in WWI, relates the hellish nature of war in gloomy panels that, taken together, would make one scary graphic novel — and are just as relevant today as when he made them in 1924. In "Soldiers’ Graves Between the Lines," the moon casts an eerie shadow on the dark night. Two skulls appear to be drowning in the earth in "Buried Alive." In "Shock Troops Advance Under Gas," four ghostly figures are charging forward in gas masks, evoking current fears of bioterrorism. There appears to be no relief in sight for the troops in "The Second Company Will Be Relieved Tonight." Several pieces show soldiers dancing with grotesque women, some of whom look like ghosts. In "The Madwoman of St.-Marie-à-Py," a lady erupts, a dead body at her knees. The "Dead Man" from St. Clement at first could be sleeping — until you look closer and see his brains oozing out of his head. Don’t rush through this powerful room; walk through it several times, take a seat, and breathe in the horror. It’s an exhilarating yet paralyzing experience.
Also at the Neue
Neue Galerie, second floor
The Neue Galerie, located in a 1914 Carrère & Hastings structure built for Cornelius Vanderbilt III, features a terrific permanent collection on the second floor, which has recently changed somewhat. One room is dedicated primarily to Gustav Klimt, featuring "The Dancer" and, over the fireplace (check out the Herculean ironwork), "The Black Feather Hat." Also in the room are clocks designed by Adolf Loos, Joseph Urban, and Hans Prutscher as well as a landscape by Egon Schiele. In a darker room reside nine sketches and drawings by Alfred Kubin (we love the skulls that trail "Mother Earth," the dreamy "Dying," and "The Dead Kaiser"), nineteen glorious pieces by Gustav Klimt (consisting primarily of enticing erotic nudes), and others. In the southwest corner of the west room you’ll come upon Oskar Kokoschka’s portrait of Paul Scheerbart. And don’t miss Franz Xaver Messerschmidt’s two hysterical head sculptures at the top of the stairs, "A Strong Man" and "A Difficult Secret."
Because the Dix/Beckmann exhibit has been put together in one room, the Neue had three other galleries to fill, and they’ve done so in creative ways. The most exciting contains dozens of photographs of German artists, often taken by well-known photographers: Adolf Loos by Man Ray, Oskar Kokoschka by Brassaï, Lyonel Feininger by Andreas Feininger, Paul Klee by Josef Albers, and Wassily Kandinsky by Man Ray, as well as snapshots of Josef Hoffmann, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Max Beckmann, Franz Marc, George Grosz, and Mies van der Rohe. Gallery 304 holds paintings by Emil Nolde, Kandinsky, Marc, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, and Erich Heckel. And Gallery 301 features several enchanting works by Paul Klee and furniture by van der rohe and Marcel Breuer in addition to paintings by Oskar Schlemmer and László Moholy-Nagy.
twi-ny/mdr
Peter Sís turns subway into a happy place
86th St. 4/5/6 subway station
Admission: $2
Czech-born children’s book writer/illustrator and MacArthur Fellow Peter Sís (THE TREE OF LIFE, MADLENKA’S DOG, TIBET THROUGH THE RED BOX), who now lives in the New York area, has done an MTA poster of the Gramercy Park neighborhood as well as the depiction of New York City in a whale’s body that appeared in subway cars a few years ago. Now Sis has designed a series of mosaics for the 86th St. Lexington Ave. station, colorful, fantastical pieces that form a "Happy City," shown through day and night eyes. At the top of one set of stairs, the bold blue "night" eye is made up of stars, with buildings as eyelashes and animals surrounding the pupil. Look closely to see the missing structures (including the Guggenheim) and creatures (we love the pig) flying around by themselves on their evening escapades. At the top of another staircase is the "day" eye, with chirping birds singing to a subway band that includes a bagpipe, a sax, a tuba, a bongo, and an unusual stringed instrument. The iris contains a city skyline, happy kids riding animals, and the Guggenheim and nearby buildings sedately anchored in their daytime positions. Yet one more eye shows people of different nationalities traveling toward the center; here buildings fly away to make room for the new immigrants. For more on subway art, look for our next issue, which will take a look at "Along the Way: MTA Arts for Transit," a fun exhibit at the UBS Gallery that examines the last twenty years of art projects in the subway, including "Happy City."
Courtesy of Toho Co., Ltd.
Toshiro Mifune takes a beating in SAMURAI REBELLION
Film Forum
209 West Houston St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.
August 19 — September 15
Tickets: $10
212-727-8110
http://www.filmforum.org/films/samurai.html
Film Forum is hosting nearly a month of some great samurai flicks, from familiar classics by Akira Kurosawa (SEVEN SAMURAI, YOJIMBO, HIDDEN FORTRESS) to less-well-known genre favorites by Kihachi Okamato (SWORD OF DOOM, KILL!) to awesome tales by Masaki Kobayashi (SAMURAI REBELLION, HARAKIRI).
Friday, August 19
through
Thursday, August 25 SAMURAI REBELLION (Masaki Kobayashi, 1967), 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30
Friday, August 26
and
Saturday, August 27 SEVEN SAMURAI (Akira Kurosawa, 1854), 1:00, 4:40, 8:20
Sunday, August 28
and
Monday, August 29 HIDDEN FORTRESS (Akira Kurosawa, 1958) 2:00, 4:40, 7:00, 9:40
Tuesday, August 30
and
Wednesday, August 31 YOJIMBO (Akira Kurosawa, 1961), 1:10, 5:20, 9:30, and SANJURO (Akira Kurosawa, 1962), 3:20, 7:30
Toshiro Mifune is a lone samurai on the road following the end of the Tokugawa dynasty in Akira Kurosawa’s unforgettable masterpiece. Mifune comes to a town with two warring factions and plays each one off the other as a hired hand. Neo’s battles with myriad Agent Smiths are nothing compared to Yojimbo’s magnificent swordfights against growing bands of warriors that include one man with a gun. Try watching this film and not think of several Clint Eastwood Westerns as well as HIGH NOON. (In fact, Sergio Leone’s 1964 Western A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS is virtually a shot-by-shot remake of YOJIMBO.)
In this YOJIMBO-like tale, Toshiro Mifune shows up in a small town looking for food and fast money and takes up with a rag-tag group of wimps who don’t trust him when he says he will help them against the powerful ruling gang. Funnier than most Kurosawa samurai epics, the film is unfortunately brought down a notch by a bizarre soundtrack that ranges from melodramatic claptrap to a jazzy big-city score.
Thursday, September 1
through
Saturday, September 3 KILL! (Kihachi Okamato, 1968), 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45, 10:00
Sunday, September 4
through
Tuesday, September 6 HARAKIRI (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962), 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30
Wednesday, September 7 SAMURAI ASSASSIN (Kihachi Okamoto, 1965), 1:00, 5:10, 9:10, and ZATOICHI THE FUGITIVE (Tokuza Tanaka, 1963), 3:20, 7:30
Thursday, September 8 THRONE OF BLOOD (Akira Kurosawa, 1957), 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Akira Kurosawa moves Shakespeare’s MACBETH into medieval Japan, where an eerie forest spirit predicts great things for two celebrated warriors, Washizu (the awesome Toshiro Mifune) and Miki (Akira Kubo). But power, jealousy, and revenge get in the way of their lifelong friendship, aided by the plans of Lady Washizu (Isuzu Yamada and her fab eyebrows). THRONE OF BLOOD is a misty masterpiece of psychological suspense and the inner battle between good and evil. Underappreciated character actor Takashi Shimura, the Japanese Ward Bond, costars as a framed leader loyal to his lord.
Friday, September 9
and
Saturday, September 10 SWORD OF DOOM (Kihachi Okamoto, 1966), 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30
Sunday, September 11
and
Monday, September 12 BANDITS VS. SAMURAI SQUADRON (Hideo Gosha, 1978), 1:30, 4:30, 7:30
Tuesday, September 13
and
Wednesday, September 14 SAMURAI SAGA (Hiroshi Inagaki, 1959), 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Thursday, September 15 ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO (Kihachi Okamoto, 1970), 1:00, 5:30, 10:00, and GOYOKIN (Hideo Gosha, 1969), 3:10, 7:40
Film Forum
August 24-30
Tickets: $10
212-727-8110
http://www.filmforum.org/films/elevator.html
Louis Malle’s first feature-length fiction film, following THE SILENT WORLD (made with Jacques Cousteau), is a classic French noir that comes with all the trimmings — and can now be seen in an excellent new 35mm print with new subtitles. Jeanne Moreau stars as Florence Carala, who is married to ruthless business tycoon Simon (Jean Wall) but is carrying on an affair with Simon’s right-hand man, Julien Tavernier (Maurice Ronet). Julien plans the perfect murder — or so he thinks, until he has to go back to retrieve a crucial piece of evidence and gets trapped on the elevator. While he struggles to find a way out and Florence waits for him anxiously at a neighborhood bistro, young couple Louis (Georges Poujouly) and Veronique (Yori Bertin) take off in Julien’s convertible and get into some serious trouble of their own. Mistaken identity, cold-blooded killings, jealousy, and one of the greatest film scores ever — by Miles Davis, recorded in one overnight session — make ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS a splendid debut from one of the world’s finest filmmakers.
twi-ny/mdr
Queen Anne's Grant on Varick St
Between Clarkson and West Houston Sts.
http://www.nyhistory.org/teachers/46.html
http://elsinore.cis.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/nj14.htm
What a surprise this was. A few years ago we ducked into this building by Clarkson St. to get out of the rain, and are we ever glad we did, since it is a little treasure trove of New York City land and real estate history. One side of the lobby is covered with old surveying plans of New York City, and the other side displays, in a highly unusual way, text of an old New York grant. First, to your left, you will see I.N. Phelps Stokes’s "Redraft" of the Castello Plan, an architectural plan for New Amsterdam back in 1660. Next to that is the 1730 Lyne-Bradford Plan for New York City and its harbor. The upper part of this side of the lobby, winding its way behind the security desk, contains a more recent infrared satellite photo of the city. The other side of the lobby is just plain crazy. It is a series of three-deep sheets of glass that contains the original Old English words of Queen Anne’s Grant to Trinity Parish of what was to become known as New York City. The first glass panel features the words in frosted glass over regular glass; for the second panel, it is just the opposite, as the words can be read on regular glass, stenciled out of frosted glass; and finally, the third panel has the words on a mirror, creating a bizarrely enticing effect, although it is difficult to actually read what’s there. The lobby also includes old photos of that Clarkson/Houston Street New York City corner and cool, colorful art on the elevator doors. The friendly guard will let you walk around and check it all out if you ask nicely.
twi-ny/mdr
Retro-pop culture is the fashion at Alphaville
226 West Houston St.
212-675-6850
As opposed to other city shops that clutter their narrow aisles with so much retro stuff that it all starts to look like junk, Alphaville treats its stock merchandise -- mostly from the 1940s through the 1970s -- like individual pieces of art, organized by color as much as theme; in fact, it refers to itself as a "store / gallery." (It’s owned by a former graphic designer.) Although you won’t find as many bizarre items here as you will in those other shops, you will be able to linger on individual items longer. From dime novels to movie posters, from STAR WARS playing cards to an uncut sheet of Wacky Package stickers, from Looney Tunes glasses to classic Golden Books, from the Cooties game to Nixon/Agnew flicker buttons, from X-Ray Specs to an ultrahip collection of View Master marvels and old-fashioned holiday cards, Alphaville is a great place to kill some time (and spend some money, though most things tend to be pretty cheap) before or after a screening at Film Forum right across the street.
Copyright Miramax
Heath Ledger & Matt Damon are Grimm brothers
Opens August 26
http://www.miramax.com/thebrothersgrimm
It’s difficult to see a Terry Gilliam movie without thinking about his famous failures and oversized budgets, from the battle over the final cut of the excellent BRAZIL (1985) to the generally panned (and underrated) ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1988) to the never-completed THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE, whose story was told in the fine documentary LOST IN LA MANCHA (Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe, 2002). The former Python’s latest effort is, unfortunately, dreadful -- a cold, distant reimagining of Will and Jake Grimm, who gave the world myriad fairy tales that are still beloved (and still rather frightening) today. (And this one had its share of problems with the studio again — this time with Bob and Harvey Weinstein.) Will (Matt Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger), the brothers Grimm, here are portrayed as con artists who travel French-occupied Germany pretending to slaughter made-up ghosts and goblins for money. But they’re soon captured by French general Delatombe (a disappointing Jonathan Pryce) and his right-hand man, the inexplicably Italian commander Cavaldi (a ridiculously overacting Peter Stormare). They are ordered to solve the real mystery of the disappearance of a group of young girls from the small village of Marbaden — or else they will be killed themselves. Screenwriter Ehren Kruger, who previously gave us such winners as REINDEER GAMES (John Frankenheimer, 2000) and THE RING TWO (Hideo Nakata, 2005), fills the movie with references to Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel, the Frog Prince, and Cinderella, but that doesn’t help save the film’s own lack of believable, endearing characters. You won’t care about anyone or anything that happens in Gilliam’s two-hour mess, which looks as if it was hacked to bits in the editing room like your mother’s chopped liver.
Village Theater
158 Bleecker St. at Thompson St.
Through August 25
Reviewed: Saturday, August 13, opening night
Tickets: $15
212-279-4488
http://www.shakedown-street.com
Michael Norman Mann, who collaborated with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter on the musical CUMBERLAND BLUES, returns to the legacy of the Dead with SHAKEDOWN STREET, which had its world premiere at the Fringe Festival last week. Mann uses such Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia classics as "Help on the Way," "Mission in the Rain," "Wharf Rat," and "Foolish Heart" to tell the story of a down-on-his-luck private detective (an excellent Michael Hunsaker) who becomes embroiled in a noir tale of vamps, crooked politicians, double crosses, dual identities, and a possible hidden fortune, set in 1940s San Francisco. Director Jeff Griffin squeezes a lot of people onto the small, bare stage at the Village Theater, which was very crowded and extremely cold on opening night.
The music of Dead leader Garcia, who died ten years ago this month, has been reorchestrated for the show, which sometimes works well ("Wharf Rat," "Scarlet Begonias" -- the latter sung by Derek Hake in a showstopping performance) and sometimes not ("Stella Blue," "Leave the Little Girl Alone"). The most inventive use of a song is "U.S. Blues," which becomes part of a cleverly designed boxing match. The show also features such non-Garcia numbers as "Mister Charlie" (Hunter/Ron "Pigpen" McKiernan) and "The Other One" (Bob Weir/Mickey Kreutzmann) as well as a bunch of new songs by Hunter and Greg Anton that were written specifically for the musical — and pale in comparison to the Dead tunes. Perhaps what is most impressive about SHAKEDOWN STREET is the way Garcia and Hunter’s music is incorporated into the plot; this is not just an excuse to play some great songs but a well-thought-out production that more often than not makes sense.
Manhattan: 326 East 110th St. between First & Second Aves.
Brooklyn: 2336 Linden Blvd. between Essex St. & Shepherd Ave.
Staten Island: 3139 Veterans Rd. at Arthur Kill Rd.
Queens: 92-99 Queens Blvd., Rego Park
Bronx: 464 East Fordham Rd.
Biscuits & Bath: 1535 First Ave. at 80th St.
Cats: $30
Dogs: $75
Telephone: 311
As reported in the New York Post, the city’s animal shelters have been overloaded with dogs and cats this summer, and if the animals don’t get adopted immediately, the AC&C will start euthanizing them, despite the center’s plan to be a no-kill shelter. In order to adopt a pet, you’ll need a photo ID and proof of residency.
All contents copyright 2005 by Mark Rifkin and twi-ny. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission. Please note that events, dates, and prices are subject to change.
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Various downtown venues
Home base: FringeCentral
127 MacDougal St. between West Third & Fourth Sts.
Through August 28
Tickets: $15 per show, Fiver Pass five shows for $65, Flex Pass for ten shows for $110
212-279-4488
This year’s collection of offbeat, independent theater includes JESUS IN MONTANA: ADVENTURES IN A DOOMSDAY CULT, FLEET WEEK: THE MUSICAL, BY OSCAR MICHEAUX, THE KIMONO LOOSENED, THE LAST CASTRATO, A LESBIAN IN THE PANTRY, ALL CONSUMING, and WEDDINGS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, among many others. Among the venues participating in this year’s event are the Flea Theater, Dixon Place, Collective: Unconscious, the Players Loft, the Lucille Lortel Theatre, P.S. 122, the SoHo Playhouse, and more.
Summer Jazz on the garden terrace at Scandinavia House
58 Park Ave. at 38th St.
Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 9:30 through August 24
Cover charge: $3
Food and drink available from Restaurant Aquavit
212-847-9740
http://www.scandinaviahouse.org/programs.html#con
Wednesday, August 17 Sofia Laiti
Wednesday, August 24 Amanda Monaco 4
The New York City Downtown Boathouse
Pier 26 between Chambers & Canal Sts.
Weekends and holidays 9:00 am — 6:00 pm
Pier 66A at the end of 26th St. on the Hudson River
Weekends and holidays 10:00 am — 5:00 pm
Informational sessions Wednesdays at 6:00 pm
Through October 16
Everything free, but walk-up only, first come, first served
646-613-0740/0375
http://downtownboathouse.org/calendar.html
Wednesday, August 17 Forward stroke clinic
Wednesday, August 24 Assisted rescue procedures
Wednesday, August 31 Traditional Greenland kayak equipment and techniques
Pier A Park at First & Sinatra Dr.
Hoboken
August and September films start at 8:15
Admission: free
Blankets & lawn chairs encouraged
201-420-2207
http://www.hobokeni.com/film.asp#mus
Wednesday, August 17 SHARK TALES (Bibo Bergeron & Vicky Jenson, 2004)
Wednesday, August 24 SHREK 2 (Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury, 2004),
Wednesday, August 31 ROBOTS (Chris Wedge & Carlos Saldanha, 2005)
Grand Central Terminal
Vanderbilt Hall
Admission: free
http://www.grandcentralterminal.com
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/html/tour
Thursday, August 18 Experts from the television show offer home-improvement advice, 11:00 am 7:00 pm
Czech Center
1109 Madison Ave. at 83rd St.
Alternate Thursdays at 8:00 pm
Admission: free
212-288-0830
Thursday, August 18 OUT OF THE CITY (Tomas Vorel, 2000)
All events approximately 11:00 am - 6:00 pm unless otherwise noted
Admission: free
http://www.nyctourist.com/st_fairs_calendar.htm
http://nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html
http://www.clearviewfestival.com
http://www.brooklyn-usa.org/street_fair_concerts/Street_fairs.htm
Thursday, August 18
through
Sunday, August 21 Borgetto Cultural Festival: Steinway St. between 25th & 28th Aves.
Saturday, August 20 Summer Seaport Festival: Water St. between Fulton & Moore Sts.
Saturday, August 20 Village Visiting Neighbors Festival: University Pl. between Waverly Pl. & 14th St.
Saturday, August 20 Harlem Week "Uptown Saturday Night" Festival": 135th St. between St. Nicholas Ave. & Malcolm X Blvd.
Saturday, August 20 Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce Festival: Greenpoint Ave. between 44th & 48th Sts.
Sunday, August 21 Lexington Ave. Summer Festival: Lexington Ave. between 45th & 57th Sts.
Sunday, August 21 St. Cecile Scholarship Fund / 23rd St. Association Festival: Sixth Ave. between 14th & 23rd Sts.
Sunday, August 21 East 55th St. Conservative Synagogue Festival: Lexington Ave. between 45th & 57th Sts., 1:00
Sunday, August 21 Brooklyn Puerto Rican Day Parade: Graham Ave. from Montrose St. to Lindsey Park
Sunday, August 21 Flatbush Ave. BID / Flatbush Ave. Festival: Flatbush Ave. between Parkside & Courtelyou Rds.
Sunday, August 21 Harlem Week "Harlem Day" Festival: West 135th St. between Malcolm X Blvd. & Fifth Ave.
Sunday, August 21 Washington Ave. Merchants Association Festival: Washington Ave. between Eastern Pkwy & St. Marks Ave.
Thursday, Aug 25 Feast of Santa Rosalina Society: 18th Ave. between 67th St. to Bay Bridge Pkwy
Saturday, August 27 Gramercy Park Neighborhood Festival: Thirrd Ave. between 14th & 23rd Sts.
Saturday, August 27 Our Lady of Pompei Festival: Bleecker St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves.
Sunday, August 28 Third Ave. Merchandise Fair: Third Ave. between 23rd & 34th Sts.
Saturday, August 27 Westchester Festival: Third Ave. between Westchester Ave. & 152nd St.
Sunday, August 28 Daytop Village Street Festival: Madison Ave. between 42nd & 57th Sts.
Sunday, August 28 Brighton Jubile: Brighton Beach Ave. between Coney Island Ave. & Corbin Pl.
Rockefeller Plaza
49th St. between Fifth & Sixth Aves.
Outside TODAY studio 1A
Fridays at 7:00 am
http://www.msnbc.com/news/TODAYSUMMERCONCERTS_Front.asp
Thursday, August 18 Hilary Duff
Friday, August 19 Michael Buble
Friday, August 26 Joss Stone
Barnes & Noble
33 East 17th St. at Union Square (US)
212-253-0810
600 Fifth Ave. at 48th St., Rockefeller Center (RC)
675 Sixth Ave. at 22nd St., Chelsea (CH)
160 East 54th St. at Third Ave., Citicorp (CC)
105 Fifth Ave. at 18th St. (18)
4 Astor Pl. at Broadway (AP)
1972 Broadway at West 66th St., Lincoln Triangle (LT)
396 Sixth Ave. at Eighth St., Greenwich Village (GV)
2289 Broadway at 82nd St. (BW)
240 East 86th St. at Second Ave. (86)
106 Court St., Brooklyn (CS)
267 Seventh Ave., Park Slope (PS)
Admission: free
http://storelocator.barnesandnoble.com/events.do
Tuesday, August 18 John Irving, UNTIL I FIND YOU, US, 7:00
Tuesday, August 23 Cynthia Ozick, HEIR TO THE GLIMMERING WORLD, BW, 7:30
Wednesday, August 24 Elie Wiesel, THE TIME OF THE UPROOTED, US, 7:00
South Street Seaport Museum
211 Water St between Beekman and Fulton Sts.
212-748-8786
http://poetshouse.org/progcoming.htm
http://www.southstseaport.org/calendar/calpubprog.html
Friday, August 19 Joshua Beckman, $6, 7:00
Laughing Lotus
59 West 19th St. at Sixth Ave., third floor
Fee: $15, includes mat
212-414-2903
Friday, August 19 Featuring free tarot card readings, live music by the Ohm Boyz, and Edward Vilga’s vinyasa class, 10:00 pm — 12 midnight
Tanner Park, Copiague
Admission: $5 adults, $2 children
631-587-3696
http://www.babylonarts.com/Bluegrass.htm
Saturday, August 20 Featuring live bluegrass from Bering Strait, Buddy Merriam and Back Roads, Free Grass Union, the Blue Spruce Cloggers, Brewflies, the Linemen, and DuneGrass, with children’s activities, a petting zoo, arts and crafts, food stations, dance, and more, 12 noon — 8:00
St. George Library Center
5 Central Ave. near Borough Hall, Staten Island
Saturday afternoons at 2:00
Admission: free
718-442-8560
http://www.nypl.org/branch/local/si/sgc.cfm
Saturday, August 20 SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAAD ASSSSS SONG (Melvin Van Peebles, 1971)
Saturday, August 27 RAGING BULL (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
135th St.
Admission: free
212-862-8477
http://harlemdiscover.com/harlemweek/schedule05.htm
Sunday, August 21 Upper Manhattan Auto Show, 135th St. between Fifth Ave. & Malcolm X Blvd., 10:00 am — 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 21 International exhibitors & vendors, 135th St. between Fifth Ave. and St. Nicholas Ave., 11:00 am — 8:00 pm
Sunday, August 21 Gentrification: Opportunity or Obstacle? Part I, panel discussion, 135th St. Stage near Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., 2:00
Sunday, August 21 Film premieres from Spike Lee and Charles Stone, with live performance by Jeremy James, Gentrification: Opportunity or Obstacle? Part II, and HARLEM’S MART 125: THE AMERICAN DREAM (Rachelle Gardner), St. Nicholas Park, West Lawn, 135th St. & St. Nicholas Ave., 7:00
Departing from 59th St. & Columbus Circle
Tickets: $30, reservations and prepayment required
718-694-1867
http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/museum/programs.htm
Sunday, August 21 Take a vintage prewar R1/R9 subway, stopping at the Transit Museum and Rockaway Park, traveling through the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve, with a two-hour stopover by Jacob Riis Park, sponsored by the New York Transit Museum, 10:00 am — 6:00 pm
Rumsey Playfield in Central Park
Enter at 72nd St. & Fifth Ave.
August 23-27 at 8:00
Admission: free
http://www.centralparknyc.org/17613/4755274
Tuesday, August 23 ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Wednesday, August 24 MARATHON MAN (John Schlesinger, 1976)
Thursday, August 25 THE BAND WAGON (Vincente Minnelli, 1953)
Friday, August 26 THE MUPPERS TAKE MANHATTAN (Frank Oz, 1983)
Saturday, August 27 LITTLE MANHATTAN (Mark Levin, 2005)
The Half King
505 West 23rd St. between Tenth & Eleventh Aves.
212-462-4300
http://www.thehalfking.com/calendar/jan04.htm
Wednesday, August 24 Bret Easton Ellis, LUNAR PARK, free, 7:00
BAMcinematek / BAM Rose Cinemas
Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
August 24-25
Tickets: $10
718-636-4100
http://bam.org/film/VillageVoice04.aspx
Wednesday, August 24 DO THE RIGHT THING (Spike Lee, 1989), 4:30 & 7:30 (7:30 screening followed by Q&A with Rosie Perez)
Thursday, August 25 THE 24 HOUR WOMAN (Nancy Savoca, 1999), 4:30, 6:50, 9:15
Crash Mansion @ BLVD
199 Bowery at Spring St.
212-982-7767
http://www.myspace.com/wiredrock
Thursday, August 25 Long Island band celebrates the release of their debut CD, YOUR FIRST TIME, doors open at 8:00
Tenri Cultural Institute
43A West 13th St. between Fifth & Sixth Aves.
Three-day session: $110
Daily sessions: $40
Daily concerts: $25
Master classes: $20
212-645-2800
Friday, August 26
through
Sunday, August 28 Weekend of accordion concerts, classes, and workshops, sponsored by the American Accordionists’ Association, featuring Dr. William Schimmel, Dr. Robert Young McMahan, Paul Stein, Dr. Mark J. Birnbaum, and many more