Category Archives: Going Out

Restaurants, Bars and Nightlife

Entertainment, Going Out, Theatre

Win 2 Tickets To See The Wittiest Comedy On Broadway

11 Comments

The laughter isn’t over yet!

Win 2 Tickets

To See Our Pick for Top Play for 2011

Enter F.A.M.E NYC’S “Spring Recess” Ticket Giveaway!

To enter, please leave a comment to this post answering

the following question,

Which New York City institution of higher learning is the oldest in the State of New York

 and an Ivy League school?

 

 

 F.A.M.E NYC’S “SPRING RECESS” ticket giveaway ends 12 p.m. May 4, 2012.  The winner will be announced on Cinco de Mayo!  Good Luck FAMERS I’m waiting to hear from you.

 

Check out Seminar on Broadway:  http://www.facebook.com/seminaronbroadway and https://twitter.com/#!/seminaronbway 

 

 

Arts, Going Out, NYC

I Know It’s Only The Rolling Stones…But I Like It

6 Comments

The Temptations proclaimed, “Poppa was a rolling stone.”  Blues maestro Muddy Waters told folks that he was a rollin’ stone.  But little did he know when he recorded that tune for Chess Records in 1950 that the title would be the moniker for one of the most iconic and successful groups of the 20th century.  Known as the first bad boys of rock ‘n roll and complete with a “g” on the end, The Rolling Stones formed in 1962 when then guitarist and founding member the late Brian Jones christened the name while setting up a gig.  Little did he, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman or Ian Stewart know that they would help to cement the British Invasion of the 60s as well as become some of the architects of rock ‘n roll. 

Fifty years later, amid a few changes in bandmates, The Rolling Stones are just as relevant and popular as they ever were.  And as the band and their throngs of fans worldwide commemorate the legacy of music The Rolling Stones has created, it was Porter Contemporary that had me in its sway.  Last Thursday the gallery gave its own homage to the group that ranked number 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists when it debuted, A Rolling Stone.  The exhibition is not only a celebration for the 50th anniversary of The Rolling Stones,  it also inspired by the proverb, “A rolling stone gathers no moss,”  (a sentiment that  perfectly exemplifies the career and members of The Rolling Stones).   Displayed in A Rolling Stone are the works of Jason Bryant, Jennifer Murray, Johnny Romeo, Adam Normandin, JaH-HaHa and Naoto Hattori.  The show is concise and cohesive; the 10 pieces selected for the exhibit are a beautiful representation of the individual artists’ style as well as the theme of the show.  JaH-HaHa’s paintings feature a young Mick Jagger and Keith Richards atop sheets of music.   Jason Bryant created works based on The Rolling Stones’ iconic album Sticky Fingers, while Jennifer Murray’s work showcased the proverb.

The merging of music and art has always been a particular source of inspiration and enjoyment for me.  Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from seeing this exhibit, considering that I’m a huge admirer of The Stones.  Well curated, reflections of each member’s personality are inherent throughout the space.  But out of all the members, A Rolling Stone reminds me most of Charlie Watts, understated but with a driving back beat that is intrinsic and entrancing, A Rolling Stone will be on exhibit until May 26.  I recommend going to see it; I guarantee you will leave satisfied.

Formerly Raandesk Gallery, Porter Contemporary is located in Chelsea section of the Village at 548 West 28th Street and is open Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Porter Contemporary

Slideshow by F.A.M.E NYC Editor

Entertainment, FAME, Going Out, NYC

A Legendary Evening for Legendary Damon

Leave a comment

So who can pull off making a grand entrance into a packed nightclub atop a white horse dazzling spectators?  Legendary Damon, that’s who (eat your heart out Bianca Jagger).  Last Sunday, NYC belonged to “the King of New York nightlife” as he celebrated his birthday with all the grandiose fabulosity that he has become recognized for.

Known for his lavish birthday soirees, Damon didn’t disappoint this year as he paid homage to one of the most iconic clubs in Manhattan’s history – Studio 54.  The Marquee, located at 289 10th Avenue, was decked out in silver, reminiscent of the famed hot spot, complete with various old school album covers on the tables of the VIP section and the smiling half moon (minus the spoon filled with snow).    Cocktails were being knocked back courtesy of Remy Martin V, and may I add they were extremely scrumptious. 

Like the legendary club created by Steve Rubell, the A-List, philistines and everyone in between mingled in harmony as DJs Jimmy the Gent, Charlie Brown, Goldfinger, Kiss and MOS spinned an array of classics and hip-hop bringing the club to a frenzy.  Among the celebrities toasting with the famed stylist and promoter were Chef Roblé, Karen Gravano of the hit VH1 show “Mob Wives”, UK R&B diva Estelle and Roc Nation’s Bridget Kelly, both of whom serenaded Legendary Damon.

 

All and all it is a fete that won’t be forgotten soon.  Swankier and more fierce than last year, Legendary Damon knows how to put the swagger back into NYC clubbing.  The countdown is on until next year; I can’t wait to see what he will pull out of his fashionable chapeau.

 

FAMERS, take a gander at the video that preceded his entrance into the club.

Photos and video courtesy of Pretentious PR, Maria Maltsava and Sarah McColgan

Entertainment, Going Out, Music, NYC

Friday Night in El Barrio

1 Comment

My earliest memories of people gathering together to enjoy good vibes and good music was probably the tenement parties I witnessed as a small child.  Now blotchy memories – more sensations than recollections – my brain paints pictures of water colored visions, a grill cooking hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken, the smoke rising as high as the project buildings, hip folks passing joints and sipping on drinks in brown paper bags,  elders talking, people playing cards and dancing.  As I think about those images, what resonates the most is the feeling – a feeling that settled into my tiny soul only to be resurrected at certain times.  That was my first taste of going out – a sip if you will.  As I got older the block parties got replaced by house parties.  Small basement settings replaced the open spaces of the courtyard.  Silhouettes of perspiring bodies outlined by blue and red light bulbs created heat and energy while folks tried not to bump the makeshift DJ booth.

And these reflections are the makings of me and countless others who walk under the beam of the moonlight to enter venues where electric pulses blast out of speakers and open the doors to our souls, where baby powder is sprinkled on the floor to transcend.   These reflections are also the makings of Joann Jimenez and Antonio Ocasio, the life force behind ¡WEPA! a monthly party held at Bar 13, located at 121 University Place.  Both Joann and Antonio are staples on the underground house scene and are New Yorkers from Afro-Latin descent.  With ¡WEPA! they have orchestrated the quintessential homage to their roots.  They are the pied pipers and we are the children of the night happily following them along their musical and visual journey.

The last Friday of every month people of various ages and backgrounds venture to the third floor of Bar 13 and enter into an entire universe to itself – a time capsule of classic and contemporary.  Flags and myriad articles of clothing hang on a line, cigars are rolled for a quick excursion to smoke on the rooftop, live percussionists, artists and visuals are mixed in with the best in Afro-Latin rhythms to create the spiciest soul session fit for consumption today.

Jimi Hendrix asked the question, “Have you ever been experienced?”  Well, I can now say I have, but what would be more appropriate would be to say that I’ve been re-experienced.  I’m an old dinosaur that vividly remembers the golden era of nightclubbing in New York City.  Nothing like the water-downed, table service driven parties of today, the ¡WEPA! experience evokes the spirit of old NYC nightlife with a vengeance.  Under one roof are elders, circle dancers, prancers and people just enjoying the scenery.  The amalgamation of the intimate party vibe and laid back fun from the block injects ¡WEPA!  with a dose of freedom and community, the likes of which I haven’t felt in ages – it is the very essence of home.

Everyone knows the expression, “Thank God it’s Friday!”  Well, I would like to revise that antiquated sentiment and say, “Thank God for final Fridays!”  ¡WEPA! turns every final Friday into a holiday – a blithe fete that culminates the end of each month.  Without at doubt, it’s the best $15 party in the Big Apple (RSVP to muzikbutrfly@gmail.com to receive the reduced price of $10).

 

 

 

 

But don’t just take my word for it FAMERS take a look for yourself by clicking, www.wepanyc.com or www.youtube.com/wepanyc.

Photos and video courtesy of Joann Jimenez and Antonio Ocasio

Entertainment, FAME, Going Out, NYC

A Blizzard of Savings

Leave a comment

Well, the weather outside isn’t so frightful.  But the savings are still delightful. The new Seasons of Savings booklet is out and offers discounts of up to 50% for shows, parking, hotels and attractions around the theater district.

Published twice of year, Seasons of Savings makes Broadway and Off-Broadway more accessible by providing amazing discounts to the hottest happenings in Times Square – the Superbowl is over, pick up a guide, run your fingers through a winter land of savings and warm up with a show.

To learn more or view the booklet, click http://www.seasonofsavings.com/.

Entertainment, FAME, Going Out, NYC

Grand Re-opening…Grand Closing?

Leave a comment

On January 18th Gotham’s hottest celebrities and Warren Buffett came out to celebrate with rap mogul Jay-Z.  And it was not to celebrate the birth of his daughter Blue Ivy Carter; it was to officially announce that 40/40 Club was re-opened for business.  Or is it?  Yes, the Flatiron nightclub, located on West 25th Street, received a $10 million overhaul, but apparently that wasn’t enough to get the club a passing grade with health inspectors and was closed again a day later.

According to the Post, the health inspector gave the club 69 violation points and a “C” grade, and in case you are unsure what that means, that is bad.  The health inspector found perishable food at dangerously warm temperatures inside the walk-in refrigerator, “hot” food left out on the counter and a worker mixing salsa with bare hands. 

The grade will be adjudicated at a hearing next month.  Ron Berkowitz, spokesman for 40/40 Club, stated to TMZ that the grade was a still pending.  Since news broke of the club’s closing a day after its star-studded re-opening, some have rushed to various websites to question Jay-Z’s business acumen.  But even “The Donald” has had his share of bumps along the road.  I’m sure HOV could’ve oversaw the details of re-opening of 40/40 Club with a platinum tooth comb to ensure no hiccups like this would happen, but I believe Jigga has much more on his mind as of late.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Entertainment, FAME, Going Out, NYC

Top Event For 2011 Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Leave a comment

The Harry Potter Film series may have come to an end, but before it did the movie magic of Harry Potter made a pit stop at Discovery Times Square.  I have yet to see all the films, but even a muggle novice like me can appreciate the lavish details it took to bring the J.K. Rowling series to the big screen.  After touring Hogwarts, I wanted to get a wand and cast a spell.  Abracadabra!

To view F.A.M.E NYC’s review, click http://famenycmagazine.com/2011/04/09/gettin%E2%80%99-muggle-wit-it/.

Arts, Entertainment, FAME, Going Out, NYC, Theatre

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Truth Marches On

Leave a comment

The 2011-2012 season of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater marked a new chapter in its vivid, far-reaching history when Robert Battle took the helm.  Battle, the second person to become Artistic Director for the company since the passing of its founder in 1989, officially began his tenure in July 2011 after Judith Jamison transitioned to the role of Artistic Director Emerita.   Previous to her 21 years of brilliantly preserving Alvin Ailey and AAADT’s legacy, Jamison had indelibly woven her spirit into the fabric of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  As Ailey’s former muse and principal dancer, the choice to have one of AAADT’s most famous faces assume the position of Artistic Director was obvious, but Battles roots with Ailey also run deep.

Battle has been a periodic choreographer and artist-in-residence at Ailey since 1999.  The works he has choreographed include Anew, The Hunt, Juba, In/Side, Mood Indigo, Love Stories and Takedeme, with The Hunt, In/Side and Love Stories (a collaboration with Judith Jamison and Rennie Harris) included the company’s current repertory.  Like Ailey, Battle also possesses a southern background growing up in Liberty City, Florida.  He studied dance in high school before entering Miami’s New World School of the Arts and moving on to The Julliard School.  He joined the Parsons Dance Company, dancing with them from 1994 to 2001.  In 2002, he premiered his own company, Battleworks Dance Company, in Düsseldorf, Germany.  Along with the works he created for AAADT, Battle has also created and restaged ballets for Hubbard Street Repertory Ensemble, River North Chicago Dance Company, Koresh Dance Company, Introdans, PARADIGM, and Ballet Memphis. In 2005, he was the recipient of the “Masters of African American Choreography” by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Art and received the Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA in 2007. 

Along with the changes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s have experienced this season, the New York City Center, AAADT’s New York City performing home, has also undergone a reconstruction of its own.  This year marked the completion of the most extensive renovation project in the theater’s 70 year history.  The alterations included a video gallery located in the orchestra lobby and the restoration of the ceiling and mural designs.  The vibrancy that is felt in the new New York City Center definitely resonated on stage as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater passionately placed the exclamation point on Robert Battle’s inaugural season.

This season AAADT presents a intricate mosaic of works which includes the premieres of Battle’s Takedeme, a blistering progression of fast-paced movements and vigorous jumps set to the rhythms of an Indian Kathak dance and a jazz score, Minus 16, choreographed by Ohad Nahirin and Arden Court by Paul Taylor.  Along with these company premieres, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater also included the world premiere of Home by Rennie Harris.  Home, an inspirational homage to people living or affected by HIV set to gospel house music, was inspired by stories submitted to the “Fight HIV Your Way” contest, an initiative of Bristol-Myers Squibb.  Ulysses Dove’s Episodes, the late choreographer’s visceral tribute to the people that had passed through his life with AIDS, also appeared in this season’s repertory.

Ailey staples such as Cry, Night Creature, Memoria and Revelations also made an appearance this year.  Some people go to Paris for inspiration, others the Big Apple.  But me, all I need is my annual dose of Ailey.  For the first time since I could remember, I felt as if I was watching AAADT with a new set of eyes.  Robert Battle’s influence felt extremely tangible and refreshing.  I felt his exuberance in every performance I witnessed and especially in Revelations.  Each time I view it, another discovery shines through.  This time is was the joy; under the directorship of Battle, Revelations was more celebratory than it has ever been.  The waves of reciprocity between the company and the audience circle around the theater like a boomerang.  By the encore of “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” all I wanted to do was throw my hands up and say, “Glory hallelujah!”  The legacy of Alvin Ailey is in well deserved and capable hands.  I am excited to view Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s future with Robert Battle commandeering the most veracious dance company to ever exist.

Photos: Andrew Eccles and Paul Kolnik, Nan Melville

Entertainment, Going Out

Forensics Comes To NYC

Leave a comment

Discovery Times Square has recreated the magical realm of Hogwarts.  It has resurrected the secrets of the Titanic and Pompeii and has allowed Egypt’s boy king to have a starring role in heart of the Theater District.  Currently, the large-scale exhibition center is bringing the world of forensics science right to New Yorker’s fingertips with CSI: The Experience.

Ever had the temptation to walk the grid of a homicide scene?  Ever desire to play detective? Well, CSI: The Experience takes the game of whodunit to another level.  It is the game of Clue on steroids.  Gone is the notion that Professor Plum off the body with the candlestick as you roll dice and try to determine if your hypothesis is correct.  CSI: The Experience is a true interactive murder mystery that is enjoyable for the entire family.

Before you get introduced to the crime scene, you receive a clipboard and sheet which you will use to record your findings.  As new recruits, you receive a CSI vest and are briefed through a video featuring CSI: Crime Scene Investigation creator Anthony E. Zuiker and Dr. Gilbert “Gil” Grissom, played by William Petersen.  After the video you and your class of neophytes are guided through one of three crime scenes.  Each scene has five forensic lab stations and video messages from additional CSI: Crime Scene Investigation  cast members as well as professional forensic experts all trying to assist you with the finding the poltroon that committed the heinous act, using the data you collect.

Totally engaging and enlightening, CSI: The Experience is by far the best exhibit I have witnessed at Discovery Times Square.  Sure, it is fun and educational to peer at ancient artifacts and reflect how much humans have or have not changed since Eve bit the apple, but CSI: The Experience truly lives up to its name.  You are not just walking through the exhibit; you are a part of the exhibit.  CSI: The Experience is recommended for ages 12 and older. The video portions are presented in English and Spanish subtitles.  CSI: The Experience has a limited run at Discovery Times Square, located at 226 West 44th Street, and is open Sunday – Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.  The average time to complete the exhibit is between 60 and 90 minutes.

For more information, visit DiscoveryTS.com/Exhibitions/CSI or www.CSIexhibit.com.

 

Photos courtesy of Edelman Public Relations

 

Going Out, NYC

Calendar Girls Turn NYC into A Real Hootenanny

1 Comment

Last week, Hooters unveiled their 2012 calendar at their New York City location.  The restaurant best known for their wings and waitresses celebrated the 26th edition of their calendar with appearances by 2012 Poster Girl Alex Dumrauf, Centerfold Crystal Cunningham, Cover girl Lindsay Way, Miss March Liz Lugo-Caveda, Miss December Morgan Meyer, and Miss July Sarah Hinton. 

The women appearing in this year’s calendar were selected from over 20,000 Hooters Girls worldwide and were shot by photographer Dylan Melcher.  The Hooters Calendar is a best seller in its category.  And here is a sneak peek of what 2012 has to offer:

Photo: John Marshall Mantel

Video courtesy of Parenteau Guidance