Friday July 15
Location: South Street Seaport, NYC
Bands: The Radio Dept.
Show time: 7 PM; FREE
Venue: South Street Seaport
Food: Burritoville
Drink: Jeremy’s Ale House
Miscellaneous: Century 21
Swedish indie band The Radio Dept. make some sweet sounding music and even sweeter is the fact they are playing for FREE. Take advantage of this as they are definitely worth getting to know. Joining them is dream pop outfit Asobi Seksu. While most people buy hot dogs and grab a beer at expensive restaurants in the Seaport mall, you’ll be smart and head over to Burritoville for inexpensive and delicious California inspired burritos, all under $10. For drinks, Jeremy’s Ale House has a lively crowd and a beer list that will get you a pint for $5 and under. If you get down to the financial district early, check out Century 21. They won’t try to sell you some property, but they have some great designer clothing on the cheap, plus the place is huge to roam.
Friday July 15
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: The Dwarves
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Knitting factory
Food: Fette Sau
Drink: Spuyten Duyvil
Accessory: Union Pool
Hardcore/punk legends The Dwarves hit the stage hard at Knitting Factory in support of their new album The Dwarves are Born Again. Joining them are The Stalkers and Lugosi. If you’re feeling German BBQ, you can head over to Fette Sau (fat pig in German), where the owners of nearby bar Spuyten Duyvil have opened up this meat only restaurant serving up some of the best pork and beef in NYC. For drinks, Spuyten Duyvil is a beer lovers dream, with a selection from all over the world, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders and a neighborhood feel, it’s no wonder this place has been so successful. If you’re still ready for more, you must hit Union Pool, where there’s always a band playing, great DJs, and plenty of action.
Saturday July 16
Location: South Street Seaport, NYC
Bands: The Black Angels
Show time: 1 PM; FREE
Venue: South Street Seaport
Food: Burritoville
Drink: Jeremy’s Ale House
Miscellaneous: Century 21
You gotta love the summer in NYC. It’s one of the only times during the year where FREE shows run rampant and the 4Knots Festival is not to miss. The Black Angels headline a great lineup of bands that also include Titus Andronicus, Eleanor Friedberger, Mr. Dream, Davila 666, and Oberhofer. While most people buy hot dogs and grab a beer at expensive restaurants in the Seaport mall, you’ll be smart and head over to Burritoville for inexpensive and delicious California inspired burritos, all under $10. For drinks, Jeremy’s Ale House has a lively crowd and a beer list that will get you a pint for $5 and under. If you get down to the financial district early, check out Century 21. They won’t try to sell you some property, but they have some great designer clothing on the cheap, plus the place is huge to roam.
Saturday July 16
Location: Long Island City, Queens
Art: Nancy Grossman: Heads
Show time: See website for schedule; Through August 15
Venue: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Food: Sripraphai
Drink: Saints and Sinners
Miscellaneous: Baruirs
MoMA PS1 presents Nancy Grossman: Heads, a solo exhibition that focuses on the artist’s evocative head sculptures. Nancy Grossman has been making art for more than 50 years and is best known for her leather-wrapped sculptures of heads, which the artist made from the late 1960s through to the 1980s. The exhibition features 14 sculptures featuring a variety of her styles throughout her career. Being that you’re in Queens anyways, you HAVE to take the 7 train to Sripraphai, one of New York’s top Thai restaurants. What makes it better than most is the fact that the ingredients are fresh, and instead of choosing your entree with a choice of meat, they offer a novel sized menu with pics of every dish, most under $10. Once a heavily Irish neighborhood, Saints and Sinners is one of the best looking Irish bars left. Grab a Guinness at the bar or traditional Irish food. If you can, head over to Baruirs in Sunnyside for one of the best cups of coffee in Queens.
Sunday July 17
Location: Midtown West, NYC
Theater: Shakespeare in the Park
Show time: 8 PM; Through July 30
Venue: Delacorte Theater
Food: Swizz Restaurant & Wine Bar
Drink: Café des Artistes
Miscellaneous: Magnolia Bakery
What better way to spend a beautiful Sunday than in Central Park seeing Shakespeare in the Park. This year boasts two comedies to choose from: Measure for Measure and All’s Well That Ends Well. While Swizz has an extensive wine menu and a downstairs cave, it’s the cheese that people come here for. Fondue lovers, Swizz Restaurant & Wine Bar is the place to go and the menu is just as extensive as its wine. It’s romantic and cheesy. Get it! Café des Artistes is one of those old historic bars that’s as New York as it gets. This bar/restaurant was the meeting place of artists going all the way back to 1917. Today, it serves up new American dishes and cocktails to those in the know. To soothe your sweet tooth, check the uptown location of Magnolia Bakery and sink your teeth into one of the city’s best cupcakes.
