Friday March 12

Location: Union Square, NYC
Event: Henry Rollins Get Tickets Here
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
Food: Maritime’s Matsuri
Drink: Hiro
Miscellaneous: Cha An Japanese Tea House

Start off the evening at Maritime’s Matsuri*, with Chef Tadashi Ono’s highly acclaimed Japanese food (*make a reservations). At Matsuri the fish is so fresh it’s flown in from Japan daily. I highly recommend the sushi with one of over 200 kinds of sake they stock. After dinner, head to the Japanese-themed bar Hiro for a dimly lit cocktail to lubricate your mind before the show. Henry Rollins, former Black flag singer, and currently an actor and writer traveling the world and reporting back to us on stages everywhere, he makes his way back to NY on “Frequent Flyer Tour” recanting stories with wit from his worldwide travels. After trying to gather yourself from your mind expansion you might want to head down to Cha An Japanese Tea House to sip some Matcha tea and calm yourself down.

Friday March 12

Location: Midtown West, NYC
Bands: Some Enchanted Evening: A Musical Tribute to Broadway
Show time: 5:30 PM
Venue: American Folk Art Museum
Food: Wichcraft
Drink: Subway Inn
Miscellaneous: Kinokuniya Bookstore

At Some Enchanted Evening: A Musical Tribute to Broadway, the American Folk Art Museum celebrates all things Broadway with classic show tunes and contemporary Broadway favorites. Join them as singers from Mamma Mia, Chicago, Title of Show, West Side Story, Shrek, and more, regale you with songs and stories of their “Life Upon The Wicked Stage.” The concept of Wichcraft may sound easy, as it’s a gourmet sandwich chain created by Top Chef judge and restaurateur Tom Colicchio, but the ingredients are to die for and a must try if your in the neighborhood. The first time I went to Subway Inn I thought it was completely strange that there was a dive bar off Lexington Avenue, especially in this neck of the woods, but somehow it works. Born in the 30s, this bar has somehow remained, and thank god, as it’s easily the cheapest place in the area for a drink. For fans of Japanese pop-culture, Kinokuniya Bookstore has a large selection of Japanese themed books, videos, CDs, magazines, comics, and stationary.

Saturday March 13

Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Band: Hip Hop Karaoke NYC – 4th Annual Tribute to The Notorious B.I.G.
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Knitting factory
Food: Fette Sau
Drink: Spuyten Duyvil
Accessory: Union Pool

Celebrate the life of Biggie Smalls at Hip Hop Karaoke NYC – 4th Annual Tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. and sing along to all his hits and represent. If your 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 March 13

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn
Band: Sissy Spacek
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Issue Project Room
Food: El Viejo Yayo
Drink: Buttermilk Bar
Miscellaneous: The Chocolate Room

By way of California, Sissy Spacek (not the actress by any means) play a mashing of grindcore and other core styles that you might call noise but live they are absolutely insane leaving everything onstage broken. In other words, lot’s of adrenaline and pieces everywhere. Keeping the night going, try El Viejo Yayo for dinner. This gorgeous and warm restaurant has an elegant dining room and an affordable menu offering Dominican/Latin cuisine. The outside of Buttermilk Bar may look non-descript, but looks are deceiving . . . just not in this case, as this low-key watering hole is where you can grab a cheap drink in a friendly atmosphere, while playing a board game or two. With a near insane menu of chocolates from coffee and tea to delectable dessert, and even beer, The The Chocolate Room is a great way to end the night on a high note.

Sunday March 14

Location: Upper West Side, NYC
Art: The Grateful Dead
Show time: See website for schedule; Through July 4
Venue: New York Historical Society
Food: Swizz Restaurant & Wine Bar
Drink: Café des Artistes
Miscellaneous: Magnolia Bakery

The first large-scale exhibition of materials from The Grateful Dead archive, it chronicles the band’s history through art, original documents, performance footage and productions.
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.