Friday September 11
Location: Upper East Side, NYC
Bands: NY Gypsy Festival
Show time: 8 PM; Through September 26
Venue: Hungarian House
Food: Barking Dog Luncheonette
Drink: The Auction House
Miscellaneous: Uptown Lounge
In its fifth year, the NY Gypsy Festival, running from September 11th to the 26th will show off some of the most talented and inventive musicians helping to preserve this centuries old style of music as well as those helping to take it into the next century. This show features Zlatne Uste who’s repertoire spans throughout the genre of Balkan music while Luminescent Orchestrii blends Romanian gypsy, punk, tango and much more. If you love dogs, not hot dogs but real doggies, then you’ll really love the Barking Dog Luncheonette, as the décor features everything with a dog on it. The food, is your regular diner fare with plenty of burger, sandwich, and hot plate options. Grab a drink and feel like you were transported to the late 1800’s at The Auction House. With ornamental red velvet couches, exposed brick walls, and vintage chandeliers, this hidden gem of a bar is cozy. Beautifully designed, Uptown Lounge is a bar and restaurant serving American fare like Apple Peppercorn Pork Chops ($18), while being big enough to stick around afterwards for drinks.
Friday September 11
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Art: Plan B
Show time: Thurs – Mon: noon to 6 PM; Through October 24
Venue: NURTUREart Gallery
Food: Bonita
Drink: Savalas
Miscellaneous: Fabiane’s Café & Pastry Shop
What originated as a survey that circulated among emerging artists in NYC on their response to the current economic climate, turned into the exhibition Plan B, which takes a look at society’s growing skepticism and the re-evaluation of existing social and economic norms. Featured works by artists include Double A Projects, F.E.A.S.T., K.I.D.S. and Secret School, Jess Levey, OurGoods, Lynne Pidel, Mark Stafford and Tattfoo Tan. If you’re in the zone for Mexican, Bonita is a great place. Serving the standard fare, try the mouth-watering chicken burrito and Mexican corn on the cob, wrapped in cheese with a hint of spice for that extra kick. If you’re looking to dance afterwards, Savalas has both great DJs and drink specials on top of delivering on the fun factor. Fabiane’s Café & Pastry Shop is a great little cafe in the heart of Williamsburg that’s great for not too late night people watching. Try one of their fantastic desserts or sip coffee and stare at the passing hipsters.
Saturday September 12
Location: Tribeca, NYC
Bands: Contramano
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: 92Y Tribeca
Food: Pakistan Tea House
Drink: Mocca Lounge
Miscellaneous: Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Argentine trio Contramano blend punk, pop, electronic and chamber music to make fun and interesting music that will have you dancing in no time at this recession themed dance party. Joining them are Diego Garcia and Linfinity. Nearby, Pakistan Tea House is a buffet style Indian restaurant where you can choose between chicken, meat, fish and vegetables. It’s affordable and very good. For drinks, check out Mocca Lounge. With a funky interior and a menu of Italian inspired fare, it’s also a bar with a large list of coffees with or without alcohol, beers, and frozen shots. Smack dab in the heart of Chinatown, the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory makes gourmet ice cream flavors like Black Sesame, Ginger, Durian, and more exotic flavors like Taro and Wasabi. Don’t worry, they have the go-to’s like Vanilla, fruits, and chocolate flavors too.
Saturday September 12
Location: Coney Island, Brooklyn
Event: Parachute: the Coney Island Performance Festival
Show time: 6:30 PM
Venue: New York Aquarium
Alien Stingers Exhibit (Surf Avenue at West 8th Street)
Food: Nathan’s Famous
Drink: Ruby’s Old Tyme Bar and Grill
Miscellaneous: Brooklyn Cyclones
Celebrating literature and performance, Parachute: the Coney Island Performance Festival is a two day word fest featuring the best of Brooklyn artists who have books out as well as poetry workshops so you can perfect the art with the pro’s. While you may not be Kobayashi, eating a hot dog, a corn dog, or even cheese fries at Nathan’s Famous goes back several generations. Expect long lines, but it’ll be worth it! Not just a tradition but an institution on the boardwalk, Ruby’s Old Tyme Bar and Grill is a great dive bar for cheap drinks and watching local drunks belt out Rat Pack songs. Even if this minor league Mets team isn’t playing a baseball game, The Brooklyn Cyclones stadium is worth the short walk over on the boardwalk to check out it’s size and beauty.
Sunday September 13
Location: East Village, NYC
Film: Suspiria
Show time: 7:30 & 9:30 PM
Venue: Anthology Film Archives
Food: Pukk
Drink: The Magician
Miscellaneous: Mason Dixon
Italian horror film Suspiria, directed by the legendary Dario Argento in 1977 tells the tale of an American ballet dancer who arrives at a dance academy in Europe only to find that the people who run it are part of a coven led by a centuries old witch kept alive by satanic rituals and black magic. Pukk serves up some delicious vegetarian Thai food. With a futuristic design, plastic and green tint everywhere, the menu offers everything from Pad Thai to Spicy Watercress Duck, only the duck, like all meat here, is made of vegetarian soy. A chill bar to go for a drink and not be bothered with loud, annoying drunks is The Magician. This place, which has no visible name, is across the street from Welcome to the Johnsons. With a southern theme, the draw at Mason Dixon is being one of only two bars in NYC with a mechanical bull. For $10 you can ride it. Expect to be thrown off in 5 seconds, if you can stay on that long!
