The Weekend Shortlist April 15 to 17
Friday April 15
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Bands: O’ Death
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Knitting factory
Food: Fette Sau
Drink: Spuyten Duyvil
Accessory: Union Pool
American Gothic country act O’ Death come back strong with their new album Outside which is loaded with folk, bluegrass, and punk. Joining them are Grandchildren and Country Mice (formerly We Are Country Mice). 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.
Friday April 15
Location: East Village, NYC
Theater: The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures Get Tickets Here
Show time: See website for schedule; Through June 12
Venue: Public Theater
Food: Oyama
Drink: Grassroots Tavern
Miscellaneous: Mud Cafe
Despite the long name, Tony Kushner’s new play The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures explores revolution, radicalism, marriage, sex, prostitution, politics, real estate, unions of all kinds and debts both unpaid and unpayable. With sushi that’s 50 percent off all the time, you might think, “Something’s wrong with that?†but at Oyama the fish is good and the rolls are inventive, making this one of the best low-priced sushi joints in the city. Though St. Marks all of a sudden lost its charm, Grassroots Tavern hasn’t. This large dive bar has cheap drinks, darts in the back, and old men behind the bar, things a good dive bar should have. Excellent coffee served in a big mug and a healthy menu of food coupled with a year round enclosed outdoor backyard patio make Mud Cafe a great little coffee shop in the area.
Saturday April 16
Location: Lower East Side, NYC
Band: Eternal Summers
Show time: 8 PM
Venue: Cake Shop
Food: San Loco
Drink: Max Fish
Miscellaneous: Sugar Sweet Sunshine
If you’re looking for some new music to check out, definitely stop by the Cake Shop tonight to check out Eternal Summers who make excellent dreamy pop music. Also on board for this show are Hands & Knees and Natural Child. Who knows, you may find your new favorite band here. Let’s face it, San Loco does not serve the greatest Mexican food ever. But it certainly isn’t bad. The prices are inexpensive, you can get a heaping amount of nachos for as little as $3.75, and telling by the heavy traffic, the place is doing just fine. What I like about Max Fish is that it’s a local bar for local artists. It’s walls play host monthly for art exhibitions, there’s a pool table in the back, and drinks aren’t pricey, like many new bars springing up in this neighborhood. For one of the best cupcakes in the city, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has 10 varieties, on top of cakes. Try the Sexy Red Velvet or the Bob, a yellow cupcake with chocolate almond buttercream.
Saturday April 16
Location: Midtown East, NYC
Art: Bye Bye Kitty!!! Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art
Show time: See website for schedule
Venue: Japan Society
Food: Peking Duck House
Drink: Blackstones Pub & Restaurant
Miscellaneous: New York Milkshake Company
The exhibition Bye Bye Kitty!!! Between Heaven and Hell in Contemporary Japanese Art features 16 emerging and mid-career artists whose paintings, objects, photographs, videos, and installations meld traditional styles with challenging visions of Japan’s troubled present and uncertain future. At one of my favorite places to get duck, The Peking Duck House, the meat is succulent and the skin crunches like a potato chip. Sometimes you just want to grab a pint without paying a cover charge or playing host to a group of people after work, which is why I like Blackstones Pub & Restaurant. It looks like an old-time saloon and has two pool tables in the back and plenty of other games, while also being big enough to grab traditional American food from the menu. If you’re still hungry, check out the New York Milkshake Company for one of the best $6 shakes of your life.
Sunday April 17
Location: SoHo, NYC
Event: George Condo: Mental States
Show time: See website for schedule; Through May 8
Venue: New Museum
Food: Nha Trang
Drink: Naked Lunch
Miscellaneous: La Esquina
George Condo first burst onto the art scene in the early 1980s with a provocative style and a unique adaptation of the language of Old Master painting that saw him create one of the most imaginative bodies of work in contemporary art. The exhibition George Condo: Mental States features works spanning the artists career with over 80 paintings and sculptures on two floors. One of the best affordable Vietnamese restaurants in the city, Nha Trang is right near the downtown courthouse, making it a high volume place. Despite that, the food is great and the Pho (rice noodle soup) dishes are $5 and under. Named after William S. Burroughs novel, Naked Lunch is a cool and comfortable bar where local artists usually gather. No shooting up though! One of the best taqueria’s in the city, the Mexican food at La Esquina is authentic and to die for. While tacos will set you back $3, plates are in the $6 to $7.25 range.