The best things to do in NYC this week

Are you finding it hard to actually take lunch these days? Well, you're not alone. The delivery platform is offering the entire city free lunch of up to $15 tomorrow from 11am to 2pm. You read that right: free lunch for all! To make use of the promotion, simply download the Grubhub app or head to the company's official website and use promo code FREELUNCH. If you miss tomorrow's offer, worry not: Grubhub will soon be sharing a $5 off promo code—just keep checking this website for details about it. In a clever gimmick, the company is also offering to send you a calendar meeting invite tomorrow so that "employees are reminded that the priority is having a great lunch." After all, according to the survey, one-third of working New Yorkers say don't take a break because their calendar is booked during traditional lunch times.

Coffee liquor brand Mr Black is bringing its iconic Espresso Martini Fest to the United States for the very first time on May 16th through the 22nd. The event originally debuted in Australia back in 2016, setting up shop in London a few years later and now reaching this side of the Atlantic. During the week-long festival, New Yorkers will get to order $12 Espresso Martinis at all types of bars across town. 

Think!Chinatown, a non-profit based in Manhattan’s Chinatown, is throwing its first installment of Chinatown Night Market (formerly known as Chinatown Nights), a monthly summer series of art and food at Forsyth Plaza at the Manhattan Bridge. The first one is set for May 20 and will put Asian Pacific Islander vendors on display to showcase their traditional crafts and respective cuisines, including Cambodia Now, Choy Commons, Momo Delight, Pho Master, Twisted Potato, Xiang Mini Cakes, and local Chinatown favorites, Kopitiam and Alimama. The night will also invite artisans to show off their crafts, including paper cutting, sugar painting and braised straw figurines and will include live performances from the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, who will put on its 43rd Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Festival, and Soh Daiko, the Japanese drumming ensemble—in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD)'s "Flower Craft" will showcase works of six botanical artists who have been inspired by nature’s "ephemerality and its inimitable palettes" and have interpreted nature in a sculptural form. Each week a new botanical artist will be featured in the Flower Craft gallery as will a curated selection of vessels made in a range of mediums. The exhibition also coincides with MAD’s first-ever "bee residency," two newly installed beehives on the Museum roof. The hives are now homes for "Queen Aileen," named for the founder of MAD, Aileen Osborn Webb, and "Queen Toshiko Takaezu," named for the famed female ceramic artist and dedicated supporter of MAD. Additionally, MAD will be holding flower craft studio classes with artists through May and June and the Museum’s free art-making and discussion workshop will take place on select Thursdays from 4–6 pm in the Flower Craft gallery. A Flower Power Pass may be purchased online and will offer discounted admission to the Museum for $45 (a $108 value) during the run of the exhibition for visitors to experience Flower Craft in its entirety. The Store at MAD will offer fresh bouquets by celebrated New York City florists Anthony Brownie, Kat Flower, Petal, and Julia Testa, as well as floral inspired, handmade products from a global roster of artists. 

Now in its 29th year, the New York African Film Festival is back with an in-person gathering at Film at Lincoln Center on Thursday, May 12, to "take a look at the past, while capturing the present pulse and looking forward to envisioning a brighter future." Highlights include Gessica Généus’s feature directorial debut Freda, about a family’s in Haiti longing to escape ever-present violence (with a post-screening discussion with Généus will be hosted by CBS journalists Vladimir Duthiers); Tanzanian filmmaker Amil Shivji’s Tug of War about a rebellious young revolutionary who falls for an Indian-Zanzibari girl escaping an arranged marriage; the U.S. premieres of Charles Castella’s Abderrahmane Sissako, un cinéaste à l'Opéra, on the acclaimed director Sissako’s creation of an opera about the history of Africa at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and Ahmed Farah’s Ayaanle, about a Kenyan actor who becomes the most wanted man in Kenya; and the New York premieres of Nganji Mutiri’s Juwaa and French actress-director Aïssa Maïga’s documentary Marcher sur l’eau (Above Water). The festival runs there through May 17, then heads to the Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem from May 19 to 22. It concludes, as always, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music during Dance Africa (under the name Film Africa) from May 27 to June 2 (which includes the Memorial Day weekend).

Last year, popular speakeasy destination PDT opened Tropicale, an outdoor offshoot that New Yorkers happily flocked to. This summer, the bar revisits the al fresco concept with Calle San Marcos, a seasonal pop-up serving agave-forward craft cocktails and hot dog chef collaborations with Crif Dogs (where the original destination is hidden) in honor of PDT's 15th anniversary. Just like last year, the pop-up will take over part of St. Marks Place in the East Village, right outside Crif Dogs, where folks will get to order specialty cocktails concocted by PDT owner Jeff Bell and bartender Victor Lopez. The new imbibing menu is actually inspired by Lopez's hometown of Puebla, in Mexico and the game of loteria (think of it as a Mexican bingo). 

This all-star drag show on Thursday night features entertainers from across the country, to celebrate the release of the new photo book Legends of Drag: Queens of a Certain Age (Abrams). Enjoy performances by Flotilla DeBarge, Egyptt LaBeija, Shawnna Brooks, Lawanda Jackson, Dina Jacobs, Simone, Tasha Kohl, Harmonica Sunbeam, Nicole Paige Brooks. There will be a book signing with authors Harry James Hanson & Devin Antheus 7-8:30pm. The drag show at 9PM, DJ & dancing will follow. Tickets are $30.

Putting Green, an 18-hole course on a 15,000-square-foot tiered deck on the North Williamsburg riverfront has reopened at the former Con Edison site that now belongs to developer Two Trees. The course aims to serve two purposes—one, to provide a fun time to New Yorkers, and two, to teach them about climate change, green and blue infrastructure, animal habitats, energy, and emissions. Each hole offers up a different scene—hole 1 is "Down the drain," showing how litter and debris get washed down storm drains and into waterways. Hole 2, "Whale Fall Feast," shows what happens when a whale dies and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Hole 15, is "The Big Oyster" by you guessed it, the Billion Oyster Project. Other holes feature polar bears, a windmill, a cow, and a depiction of sea-level rise. 

Local brewery, Other Half, will be setting a bar and serving beer while Mom & Icepops will be selling popsicles!

The newly opened Vinyl Steakhouse is named for its dual conceits: music and meat. Musical memorabilia factors into the decor. Vintage-style show posters line the walls, prints depict Run-DMC, Debbie Harry and the Beastie Boys and shelves are filled with album sleeves. And, beyond those show tunes, expect to hear full sides from among the 2,000-plus records collected by sommelier-owner Kevin Flannery, who operates the restaurant with his somm wife Sofia. Steak, of course, factors significantly into the opening menu, including an 8- or 10-ounce filet mignon, ribeye, New York strip and dry aged porterhouse for two. Classic steakhouse sides like mac and cheese (this one truffled), creamed spinach (turned carbonara with pancetta, parm and egg yolk) and a potato pavé piled with bacon, chives, gouda and jalapeño are also available. 

This week, the popular Frieze New York returns to the city with a handful of satellite fairs. We've rounded up six fairs you'll want to visit during Frieze in NYC...

The Seaport's summer concert series under the stars will feature more than 60 shows including from artists like Simple Plan, Sum 41, The Offspring, Pusha T, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Blondie, DEVO, Deftones, The Head and the Heart, Flogging Molly, Bikini Kill, Mayday Parade, Jason Mraz, Rise Against, The Used, Dashboard Confessional, Franz Ferdinand, Jason Isbell and more.

For the month of May only, Off Broadway shows are offering a major discount on tickets. Those who show up to box offices 20 minutes before shows begin between May 9 and May 29 can get $20 tickets as part of the 20at20 promotion. Shows offering this promotion include ¡Americano!, About Love, After Happily Ever After, The Civility of Albert Cashier, André & Dorine, Colorblind, Drunk Shakespeare, Friends! The Musical Parody, Gazillion Bubble Show, H*tler's Tasters, Islander, Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo, Little Girl Blue, Mr. Yunioshi, Our Brother’s Son, Perfect Crime, Romeo & Bernadette, Shake Rattle & Roll Dueling Pianos, Sistas The Musical, STOMP, That Golden Girls Show! A Puppet Parody, The Importance of Being Earnestly LGBTQ+, The Office A Musical Parody, The Play That Goes Wrong, Three Sisters and Vital's Wizard of Oz.

Prepare to take a walk inside your brain when visiting "Life of a Neuron," ARTECHOUSE's latest immersive exhibition opening inside Chelsea Market on May 14. The show, mounted in collaboration with the Society for Neuroscience, took three years to create—and for good reason. Neuroscientists and artists came together to reconstruct a human neuron from the prefrontal cortex, which anchors the exhibit and will help visitors follow the development of an "average" brain from pre-birth to death. That's no small feat. Diluting a vast amount of complicated information into digestible bits understandable by the average non-scientist, the exhibit will showcase artistic renditions of a brain at the cellular level.

AO Uptown is introducing Tiny Martini Flights as a part of its new happy hour special. Grab yours Tuesday–Friday, 5-7pm for $15. You can choose from seven different martini variations served in 3 oz glasses, including espresso martini vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso; classic gin martini gin, dry vermouth, lemon twist; dirty martini vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine; taotini mango vodka, coconut rum, cranberry, lemon; lychee martini vodka, lychee puree, citrus; teatini pear vodka, peach oolong tea, lemon, honey; appletini vodka, apple pucker, lemon, simple syrup.  In addition to the flights, the happy hour menu also includes $5 canned sake, glass wine and beer, 50% off bottles of wine and $7 small plates (listed below). 

Every Thursday in May, 6pm-9pm, premium whisky brand, The Glenrothes will host underground jazz nights at 54 Irving Place for free. The newly updated space, which showcases custom artwork created by New Yorker illustrator Maddie Dai, will host jazz nights with signature cocktails and light bites. Brand Specialist Matt Wozniak will share special drams of whisky and each event will also have a pop-up in the space, including tattoo artist JP Rodrigues aka EL ConQuistaD'or on May 5, luxury menswear brand June79 on May 12, and vintage watches from Analog:Shift on May 19.

Stranger Things fans, rejoice! The much talked-about immersive experience based on the Netflix show has officially launched at the Duggal Greenhouse within the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The destination makes for the ideal immersive experience space. In 2009, Duggal Visual Solutions decided to retrofit and reinvent the at-the-time dilapidated World War II facility. Across its 35,000 square feet, the facility now boasts 70-foot ceilings, glass paneling and waterfront views—basically, the perfect blank canvas to bring the Netflix series to life. Once inside, visitors will be catapulted back into the '80s. They’ll start off the experience—which is co-produced by Netflix and Fever—at Hawkins Plaza. Then, they’ll get to walk through Hawkins Lab and spend time in the Upside Down. The goal? To figure out a way to escape the Upside Down and save the entire town. 

A staple of the Washington, D.C. food scene, Captain Cookie & the Milkman is a superhero-themed cookie and ice cream shop that just opened its first New York location at 741 Broadway, smack-dab in the middle of the New York University campus right by Astor Place. Sweet tooths can expect a rotating menu of homemade cookies, made-to-order ice cream sandwiches and farm-fresh local ice cream and milk at the new venue. Decor-wise, expect a giant illustration of, well, Captain Cookie, to take over an entire wall (yes, he readily resembles Superman). The superhero will watch over you while you revel in a whole lot of cookies—from funfetti to double chocolate, ginger molasses, snickerdoodle and more. We also urge you to try the shop's delicious ice cream sandwiches. 

The oldest gallery at the American Museum of Natural History has been completely overhauled into a stunning gallery that showcases the creativity, scholarship and history of the cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Opening to the public on May 13, the Northwest Coast Hall at AMNH has been curated by Peter Whiteley, curator of North American Ethnology at the Museum, and Ḥaa’yuups, Nuu-chah-nulth scholar and cultural historian, who worked with a group of consulting curators from the Coast Salish, Gitxsan, Haida, Haíłzaqv, Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, Nuxalk, Tlingit, and Tsimshian communities. With input from these Northwest Coast cultures, this new gallery illuminates them as vibrant, living communities with thousands of "glorious works of art, spirituality, and ingenuity," the museum says. The 10,200-square-foot gallery, which opened in 1899 under the direction of anthropologist Franz Boas, has been recontextualized to present a fuller picture—there are about 9,000 items and 78 intricately carved totem poles and a 63-foot-long Great Canoe affixed to the ceiling.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is back with part two of this year’s flagship exhibition “In America” with “An Anthology of Fashion,” and the new iteration of the show is an even more expansive look at what has defined American fashion over the years. It is a visually splendid tour through hundreds of years of this country’s history told through clothes designed and worn by its citizens. Building on last year’s spartan, intellectually rigorous presentation of garments categorized by the expression of various themes, this year’s show explodes across most of the American Wing of the museum. To help guide your visit to the blockbuster exhibition here are five things you’ll want to look out for...

Arlo Hotels is bringing back live music with Sofar Sounds, a series of intimate concerts with unannounced performers across its properties in Midtown, NoMad and SoHo. Each Sofar Sounds show offers a unique experience for visitors at Arlo Hotels, offering a wide range of musical genres. Following each show, concert-goers will also have the opportunity to relive the music via a custom Spotify playlist highlighting the latest artists performing at Arlo. Sofar Sounds takes place every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at one of the New York locations, please find the full list of upcoming shows here. Tickets are $24 and the shows' locations are revealed 38 hours beforehand. 

Food hall and marketplace curator Urbanspace is creating a Makers Market with 85 vendors from the Tri-State region to Bryant Park starting Friday, May 6. The array of vendors will be selling one-of-a-kind handmade items like handcrafted accessories, fine art and unique foods for the first three weekends in May. Vendors will include Hola! I’m Back (stoneware, jewelry and apparel from sustainable, upcycled materials), Otherworld (breakfast mixes including banana chocolate chip pancakes and apple cinnamon pancakes), Wandel (a biscotti-meets-cookie), Belle Threads (whimsical baby clothes), One Million Roses (wire sculptures), Hell’s Kitchen Hot Sauce, Made From Coins and Tibet Tree of Life (healing crystals, chakra stones, Tibetan singing bowls, incense, clothing and more). The market will run Friday-Sunday from May 6-22 from 11am-7pm.

"Casa Batlló: Living Architecture" is a new public art piece that will be on display outside Rockefeller Plaza through May 13—and it has some very interesting attributes. First of all, the work by Turkish-American media artist and director Refik Anadol is actually a constantly changing, live NFT—which means that it will look different every time you stop by it. The multi-sensory experience is inspired by the iconic Casa Batlló building in Barcelona. Designed by Antoni Gaudí, the site boasts an instantly-recognizable facade that has come to define the architect's aesthetic. The new piece by Anadol is actually made using real-time climate data from the Spanish city, as projected onto Casa Batlló—a fact that effectively renders the building the first UNESCO World Heritage Site to take the form of a live NFT. Talk about futuristic art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's new "Date Nights" will give visitors an opportunity to become acquainted with artwork with informal drop-in gallery chats, the chance to listen in on gorgeous live music and sip on yummy cocktails. These "Date Nights" will be held every Friday and Saturday night in the American Wing Café from 5pm to 9pm. Make it a night out with The Met's buy-one-get-one drink special and snack on light bites in the American Wing Café. More details can be found at metmuseum.org/datenight. There's literally no excuse not to go—the date nights come with museum admission, which is always pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents and NY, NJ, and CT students with valid ID. And this time, advance tickets are not required. 

On select Friday nights from April to October, the Intrepid Museum opens its doors for free (tickets are usually $33), allowing visitors can explore the Museum and enjoy free after-hours programming. This month, visitors can head to the Space Shuttle Pavilion for a special presentation from "Astronautica: Voices of Women in Space"—a work of music, voice, and video by women composers that was based on the words of women astronauts and includes videos taken by the astronauts while onboard space shuttles. Museum educators will also be on hand with demonstrations and hands-on activities and local astronomers will be on the flight deck with high-powered telescopes to help visitors navigate the night sky and answer questions about astronomy and stargazing. Guests are welcome to bring their own binoculars or look through the telescopes of the experts. (There will be no access to the Submarine Growler or Concorde during Free Fridays and last entry is 8:30pm). Check the program schedule at intrepidmuseum.org.

After a two-year hiatus, K2 Friday Nights at the Rubin Museum of Art are back with free admission, live music and art from 6 to 10pm every Friday night. Kick off your night with drinks and tunes by a DJ in the K2 Lounge before going on a free exhibition tour at 7:15pm and enjoying a free sound bath from Brooklyn-based musician and sound healing practitioner Samer Ghadry, sound artist Mari Tanaka and producer/musician David Ellengbogen. You can also check out the new exhibit, "Healing Practices: Stories from Himalayan Americans" and roam the museum. (RSVPs are encouraged for the soundbaths.)

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is exploring the work of Austin Hansen and the Black gaze in photography in "Been Seen," its spring exhibition. For 47 years, Harlem-based photojournalist, studio photographer, and documentarian, Austin Hansen ran a photo studio on West 135th Street that doubled as a gallery and exhibition space. Over his career, he photographed inside nightclubs, freelanced for the Amsterdam News, trained as a combat/war
photographer in the Navy, and continued to document community life in Harlem. Now, some of his 500,000 portraits of African American families, clergy, political leaders, entertainers, writers, and community members are on view as well as correspondence, original photographs, news clippings, programs for special events held at many historic Harlem churches, and other social events in Harlem and elsewhere. The exhibit also features the work of seven contemporary photographers: Dario Calmese, Cheriss May, Flo Ngala, Ricky Day, Gerald Peart, Mark Clennon, and Lola Flash, whose practices explore identity, Black experiences, visual culture, and portraiture.

The Final Frontier will be just a train ride away at The Paley Center for Media with its new immersive exhibition, "The Visionary Universe of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," opening on Wednesday, April 27. The exhibit celebrates the latest series in the Star Trek franchise, Strange New Worlds from Paramount+ and the other acclaimed series in the Star Trek universe from across the decades. Through May 29, fans and visitors will be able to take photos in the captain's chair, see costumes and props from several series (Vulcan uniforms, set pieces including the USS Enterprise), sit in for special screenings and bring kids to weekend events featuring Paramount+’s hit animated original kids’ series Star Trek: Prodigy and much more. The Paley Center will be holding a preview screening of Episodes 1 and 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on May 1 at 1pm and daily screenings of premiere episodes on the big screen from various Star Trek TV series, including "The Cage," the 1965 pilot episode from the original Star Trek series. Screenings begin at 12:10pm daily.

Baylander Steel Beach is many things: an aircraft carrier turned restaurant, a floating dining and drinking destination, the smallest aircraft carrier in the world (it's 133 feet long) and an absolute must-visit during the spring and summertime. After first launching in July of 2020, the former US Navy helicopter landing trainer is back for the 2022 season beginning Thursday, April 28 at its usual location: the West Harlem Piers in Upper Manhattan at 125th Street. Boasting a 4,000-square-foot outdoor deck, the bar-slash-eatery was peppered with picnic tables on both the upper and lower decks in previous years—we expect this year's setup to look the same. In addition to delicious seafood and the sort of fare that delights bar goers and settles a drinking stomach (lobster rolls, tater tots, fish and chips), patrons can look forward to a slew of nautical themed cocktails, including the Mermaid Potion (Empress gin, Rockey's botanical liqueur, Fever Tree elderflower tonic and lemon), the Pirates' Punch (Captain Morgan spiced rum, mandarin and pomegranate liqueurs, pineapple and fresh citrus juices) and the on-the-nose Boat Fashioned (Bulleit bourbon, blood orange vermouth, burlesque bitters).

If you have ever wanted to get inside an artist's head and understand where they were coming from, "Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure" will be the closest thing you'll experience to that. This major exhibition, opening Saturday, April 9, at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea, has an advantage that many other shows do not have—it was organized and curated by Basquiat's family (with famed architect David Adjaye and design firm Pentagram), who have done a painstaking job of showing both the famous artist's intimate side and his genius. The exhibit, which features more than 200 rarely seen works, isn't merely Basquiat's work hung on walls, it immerses viewers in creatively designed spaces to give a sense of place and context. It's broken up into distinct and vibrant categories—"1960," "KINGS COUNTY," "WORLD FAMOUS," "IDEAL" "ART GALLERY,"  "PALLADIUM," and "PLACE JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT"—that viewers can float through. Basquiat's work is front and center of it all, but certain highlights make his work come alive as if it had just been painted. Visitors can take another step to fully immerse themselves by scanning a Spotify code to access a playlist of music the artist listened to.

The days of ice skating at Rockefeller Center are over—a groovy roller skating rink is opening in its place this April with live DJs, concerts and performances as well as lessons. Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace, an iconic West Hollywood roller rink that became a "mecca of uninhibited fun," will operate a new roller rink between April 15 through October, according to Rock Center's owner, Tishman Speyer. The rink, which will be designed by Bureau Betak, will be smaller than the traditional ice rink at Rockefeller Center. Instead of keeping that size, it'll have space for the public to watch the skaters at rinkside from tables and chairs and from the Esplanades and Plaza on the upper level.

April is always crunch time on Broadway, as shows rush to open in time to qualify for the Tony Awards in June. But this year, the density of Broadway openings is especially crushing: When the smoke clears on April 28, the last official date for Tonys eligibility, 15 news shows will have opened in April, including 10 shows in the last 12-day stretch alone. All of these shows are already in previews or will be starting next week. Some may turn out to be among the best shows on Broadway. Others may…not. Stay tuned for Time Out's reviews of all of them. Meanwhile, here's a guide to what's coming down the Street...

An immersive experience with massive, ultra-realistic dinosaurs that takes place on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo is back!

Dinosaur Safari asks visitors to the zoo to traverse a path filled with 52 life-sized dinos and pterosaurs through a wooded area, where they will see the largest flying animal to ever live (the Quetzalcoatlus) and, of course, the Tyrannosaurus rex and the vegetarian Omeisaurus that stretches an impressive 60 feet long. When it first opened in 2019, it was a ride that used shuttles to introduce people to the dinos. Now, it's a 1/4 mile-long walk-through experience with 52 dinos rather than 40.

To make things as realistic as possible, the Bronx Zoo teamed up with a paleontologist from the American Museum of Natural History—Don Lessem even served as an advisor on the original Jurassic Park! The experience is topped off with an ADA-accessible fossil dig area for kids to play in, plus some additional dino-themed activities around the zoo. All ages. 

The Whitney Biennial has been a long time coming. Originally meant to open in 2021, the 80th edition combines three years of planning as well as 63 artists and collectives to present an event that has been described as both "dynamic" and timely by its curators. "Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept," which opens April 6, is broken up into two experiences on the fifth and sixth floors of the Meatpacking District building. Each one presents a completely different atmosphere—on the sixth floor is a cavernous, labyrinth-like gallery, and on the fifth floor is an open and airy room where works are displayed together. The exhibition mimics the range of emotions we felt during the past two years, from fear and pain to joy and hope, and everything in between. Artworks—even walls—will change and performance will "animate" the galleries and objects. The changing nature of the exhibition reflects these uncertain times.

Legendary record producer Clive Davis is officially the subject of an entirely new gallery aptly named the Clive Davis Gallery at New York University. The university's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts hosted the opening of the new space last week at 370 Jay Street, by NYU's downtown Brooklyn campus. The new gallery is home to a permanent exhibition on the lower level that explores the musical guru's historical career, celebrating the various artists that Davis, a Brooklyn native, has worked with throughout the years. The upper gallery, on the other hand, will host temporary exhibitions that run the gamut in both genre and execution, including works by NYU's own students, faculty and community partners. "The gallery aspires to reflect the creative community within and around 370 Jay Street and to engage critically with contemporary ideas and debates," reads the space's official website.

Times Square is obviously the ideal home for an exhibit focusing on Playbills—especially since 15 new shows are expected to open on Broadway by the end of this month. (A staggering amount!) The aptly dubbed Broadway Grand Gallery exhibit features eleven large Playbill monoliths featuring 21 currently running shows. You'll find them all on Broadway Plaza between 47th and 48th Streets and they will be on display through June 15. Each monolith is ten feet tall, six feet wide, three feet deep and features two shows on each side of it. Visitors will also notice that each portion of the giant Playbills features information about the depicted show, including a QR code that will direct those interested to a ticketing landing page. The installation includes a "Title" monolith that describes the exhibit and features a full map of theaters located in the area. 

A new outdoors installation has just taken up residence by Greenwich Village's Ruth Wittenberg Triangle, at the intersection of Greenwich Avenue, the Avenue of the Americas and Christopher Street—and it would be very hard for you to miss it. "Faces of the Wild" features nine, six-foot-tall sculptures depicting critically endangered animals. The monuments are based on the many photographs and sketches that the artists behind the works have taken of wildlife over the past 15 years.  The depicted animals include the northern white rhino, the chimpanzee, the addax, the western lowland gorilla, the polar bear, the red wolf, the African forest elephant, the hippopotamus and the lion. "These animals come from all over the world, from the African savannahs to the rainforests of Indonesia," reads an official press release about the installation. "They are all beautiful, instantly recognizable, yet in desperate need of help."

The return of Smorgasburg is upon us! Now in its twelfth year, the annual, weekly outdoor food festival will return to several New York City locations, and beyond, as of this Friday, April 1. More than a dozen new vendors are slated to join the lineup of 60+ returning food artisans. (Pandemic kitchen hobbyists should know that new vendors are still being accepted, and can apply for consideration online.)

RECOMMENDED: The ultimate guide to Smorgasburg 2022

The Force is strong with Star Wars fans at Fever's latest exhibition called "The Fans Strike Back," a showing of 600 items all made by those who love the iconic space opera. Opening March 24, the exhibit claims to be the largest Star Wars Fan exhibit with collectibles and figurines, life-size figures and famous costumes, more than 50 one-of-a-kind sculptures, armor, lightsabers, blasters, helmets, masks and more. Collectibles include the original editions of the comics of the first trilogy from 1977, 1981 and 1983, accessories made by robotic fans, vintage video games and figurines certified by the Action Figure Authority. While everything on view isn't officially licensed, visitors still get the full Star Wars experience. It is all fan-made which makes it even more impressive—fans' passion and love for the Star Wars universe is made evident through these items.

Hospitality company Gerber Group opened Daphne earlier this month as a complement to the hotel's rooftop bar, The Crown, and New Yorkers have been flocking to it ever since. Upon entering the massive 2,500-square-foot space, patrons are pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful silk pink flower installation by art studio Floratorium. Dazzling disco balls also permeate the premises, calling back to a time when the dance club you frequented was just as important as where your apartment was located. In addition to clubs' signature bottle service, the bartenders at Daphne can serve some remarkable cocktails that range from the classic to modern interpretations of the form. For every dirty martini, old fashioned and margarita there is an Aphrodite (Malfy gin, fortified wine, pomegranate and fresh lemon), Lite My Fire (Patron silver tequila, ginger liqueur, fresh lime and flamed rosemary) and Cider Car (Hennessy, apple cider and apricot liqueur), among other options. 

Serra by Birreria at Eataly Flatiron has changed its “winter in the Italian countryside” theme into a primavera concept. The bright, airy space—where natural light streams in through wide windows and a high glass roof will take on a greenhouse fashion—is intended to evoke the Italian countryside. The dining room will be festooned with faux blooms so you can swing by for a fresh spring selfie any time and save the visit to the Botanical Garden for the weekend. The installation features climbing vines and flowers among its photo ops. Serra’s new menu items are largely sourced from the Union Square Greenmarket nearby. You’ll see local produce in plates like the scarola alla griglia, which tops its main ingredient bitter greens with parmigiano reggiano, balsamic and EVOO, and the poached carciofo, which adds housemade gremolata, pistachios, herbs and lemon zest to the gently seared artichoke. Crostata varieties are also new to the dessert menu. Flaky crusts are filled with blends of chocolate and coffee, almond and cherry and apple and apricot. Limoncello-inspired cocktails also take flavors from fresh vegetables. Billed “veggie-cellos,” they include the Carota (with carrots), Piselli (spring peas) and the Rabarbaro (rhubarb.) The bar is also harking back to cocktails of the past with cosmos and grasshoppers. 

The AKC Museum of the Dog is opening a timely exhibit of 10 life-sized, carved-wood allegorical memorials of military dogs from WWII and Afghanistan by sculptor James Mellick. Visitors will see the artist's collections "Wounded Warrior Dogs" and "Over the Rainbow Bridge," along with the museum’s permanent collection, which includes sculptures, paintings, collars, vests, photographs and more. Mellick says that the exhibit of wounded and rehabilitated dogs aims to draw attention to the service and heroism of dogs in the military. The Wounded Warrior Dog statues are carved from cedar, walnut, sycamore, cherry,
poplar, maple and more, laminated and painted to showcase beautiful life-size dogs who
fought alongside veterans and often aided in the completion of successful missions. The AKC Library and Archives will also feature photographs and documents of the WWII U.S. Marine Corps "Devil Dogs" during the time of the main exhibit. Throughout the installation, there will also be events and veterans invited to speak on their experiences and the history of dogs in the military. For these dates, check the events calendar at museumofthedog.org

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) is hosting its first global survey exhibition dedicated to the use of clothing as a medium of visual art, March 12 to August 14. The work of 35 international contemporary artists, from established names to emerging voices, will be on display, and you'll see how they made or altered clothing for expressive purposes via sculpture, installation, and performance art to transform dress into a critical tool for exploring issues of subjectivity, identity, and difference.

Looking for a treat? Head to Ample Hills' Gowanus Scoop Shop rooftop for a comedy show hosted by Savannah DesOrmeaux (X Change Rate) and Jenny Gorelick (NY Comedy Festival) featuring a heavily female, queer, and non-binary line-up every Friday. Pizza and ice cream will be available for purchase at the show.

Featuring up-and-coming and established stand-up, character, storytelling, and musical comedy acts who are women, LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC performers, this show aims to provide a spotlight for underrepresented comedians...with a twist. (The dogs are the twist.) Anyone is welcome to bring their dog to the show as long as they get along with others. It might sound disruptive, but the ensuing performances are enhanced and even made better with furry friends around. They may not be the subject of the show, but comedians often incorporate them into their jokes and play off their barks and whines. Sometimes they sigh at the perfect time or demand pets from the performer. Comedians who have performed recently include Farooq Hussain, Jonathan Thomas, Sam Morrison, Ann Van Epps, Mariel Jimenez and Sami Schwaeber. Each show raises funds for local animal shelters like Muddy Paws Rescue.

Ladies take over Route 66 Smokehouse and Comedy Club on Wednesdays. Hosted by Alia Janine, the show features a heavy female line-up featuring some of today's top and up and coming comedians! Past and upcoming comedians include Janeane Garofalo, Usama Siddiquee, Chanel Omari, Dan Soder, Francesca Fiorentini, and Chanel Ali. Food and drink specials are offered all night and there's a party afterward! Each ticket comes with one drink.

For a revival of musical theater’s most famous portrait of a con artist, the new Broadway production of The Music Man seems oddly lacking in confidence. Meredith Willson’s 1957 classic should sweep you up in a happy spell of suspended disbelief—much as its reformable-rascal hero, the fast-talking traveling mountebank who calls himself Professor Harold Hill, does to the easily misled citizens of a small town in 1912 Iowa. And who better to cast such magic, one might think, than Hugh Jackman, a bonafide movie star with real musical-theater chops, who has already played a charming charlatan on film as the sucker-seer P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman? Yet while this Music Man is a solid and professional piece of work, and includes many incidental pleasures, the hoped-for enchantment never arrives...

As musical comedians, Rebecca Vigil and Evan Kaufman have played just about every room in NYC, and at their beloved monthly show, they play your heartstrings. Watch as the manically inventive duo interviews a couple in the audience live about how they met, then spins their love story into an epic, totally-improvised musical extravaganza. 

If you loved the music and cool jazz scene in Disney and Pixar's movie Soul, you'll want to make a beeline to The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, which has been transformed into the film's Half Note jazz club. Showcasing incredible artifacts from major players in Harlem's jazz scene, including Duke Ellington’s white grand piano, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis' tenor saxophone, a player piano and a working 78rpm Victrola, "The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure" highlights the many different cultures and creators who influenced this genre.

The luxurious Italian wellness spa QC NY has opened to the public, bringing the elegance and rejuvenation of a European spa to Governors Island, but with New York City flavor. It's immediately clear when you enter the spa that it was made to feel like home. From its cozy reception area decorated with custom-made furniture from Italy to its welcoming relaxation spaces with plush leather chairs and massive pillows you can sprawl out on, it feels like you're staying at a retreat with New York Harbor views. Since it's on the edge of the island, a short walk from Soissons Landing, looking out the windows offers gorgeous blue water views and glimpses of the city skyline. Because of its layout, the spa feels secluded from the rest of the island. Click through to read more about the new spa.

Once a week, after closing time, 10 people convene at the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there's a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine's show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.

Head to the Museum of the City of New York to see 100 photographs selected from the more than 1,000 images recently gifted to the Museum by the Joy of Giving Something (JGS), a non-profit organization dedicated to the photographic arts. Images range from documentary-style to quirky and from architectural to atmospheric. “Celebrating the City” features works by more than 30 creators new to the MCNY collection, including multiple images from Helen Levitt’s dynamic and celebrated street photography; Sylvia Plachy’s playful and eccentric examination of the people, animals, and moments of NYC; and Michael Spano’s slice-of-life city shots spanning the 1990s and 2000s. Other key figures in 20th-century photography are incorporated into the show, including Ilse Bing, Bruce Davidson, Mitch Epstein, Elliott Erwitt, Robert Frank, William Kline, Saul Leiter, Alfred Stieglitz, Rosalind Solomon, and Paul Strand, to name a few—all capturing indelible, sometimes implausible, intimate, and often incredible moments of the city. You'll even see a llama in Times Square, fireworks over the Brooklyn Bridge, polar bears playing in a pool at the zoo as well as subways, skylines, shadows, and stolen moments.

Starting March 4, MoMA and UNIQLO are offering free admission to NYC residents on the first Friday of every month from 4 to 8pm. On these days, you'll get to explore the museum during extended hours and enjoy its second-floor café and Museum store. UNIQLO NYC Nights are part of the two organization's decade-long partnership. You won't want to miss MoMA's upcoming exhibits "Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme: May amnesia never kiss us on the mouth" (Apr 23–Jun 26) and "Henri Matisse: The Red Studio" (May 1–Sep 10).

Kinky’s Dessert Bar, at 181 Orchard Street, is decked out in very explicit decor—a ton of sexually provocative posters and magazine covers adorn the walls and an upstairs seating area—the two-floor destination will function as both a bar serving drinks and desserts and, eventually, an event space. In addition to racy waffles, patrons will revel in a menu filled with all sorts of cookies and cupcakes. Yes, the treats are just as delicious as they are visually entertaining. (We tried them!) Standouts include the oatmeal raisin cookie Lick Me, the So Anxious vanilla cupcake made with creamy vanilla buttercream, the I Like it Rough (a red velvet cupcake topped with cream cheese frosting) and the Beg for More Banana—a waffle filled with homemade banana pudding and glazed with a banana cream. In a funny gimmick, customers can choose their waffle to be a dicky or a va-jayjay.

Comedy Nite Live is a new weekly stand-up comedy showthat features new comedians every week on Thursdays at 9pm at RPM Underground. Past comedians have included Usama Siddique, Zach Zimmerman, Jocelyn Chia, Derek Gaines, Robby Slowik and Kareem Green among others. What's cool is that the $5 ticket price includes an hour of free private-room karaoke after the show.

Just in time for Black History Month, the New-York Historical Society is bringing Frederick Douglass’ vision of freedom, citizenship and equal rights to life in a new ongoing special installation. A range of artifacts and documents illustrate Douglass’ vision, including illustrations from the popular press of the time and scrapbooks of articles by or about Douglass compiled by his sons that also documented his work to usher in a more just country. Visitors will also see speech excerpt from his contemporary, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who raises the question of gender in step with Douglass’ ideas about racial equality. Political cartoons and a copy of an editorial that Douglass wrote about Chinese immigrants’ right to belong in the U.S. in the Chinese American newspaper are also on view.

There's a lot to say about new Lower East Side cocktail bar Sally Can Wait—starting with the story behind the name, which is an ode to co-owner Matt Friedlander's dog, Sally. Sally Can Wait seeks to marry the culinary worlds of Latin and Jewish cuisines—a task that's rarely been attempted before. The food offerings immediately call out to both fares. Take the grilled mahi mahi Reuben, for example, which is a Cuban version of the classic Jewish sandwich (pastrami spice, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, house Russian dressing). The classic Cubano is also worth splitting (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, house pickles, yellow mustard) after an order of the oh-so-Jewish latkes, served with sour cream, pickled onion and Fuji apple compote. The cocktails are outstanding as well—which doesn't surprise us considering that Friedlander used to be the general manager at Grand Banks, and co-owner Zak Snyder was the bar manager at Analogue. The two worked at a slew of other New York City nightlife staples as well.

Whether it’s because it so often intersects with golden hour, or simply because the drinks are cheap(er), happy hour is the best hour in NYC. The discounted beer, wine and cocktails are terrific, but it’s even nicer to have less-spendy snacks to match. A lot of the best bars in town offer deals between about lunch and dinner, and these outstanding few slash their food prices to $10 or less for those precious minutes, too. 

Sands of Persia, a new dessert bar and hookah lounge, is serving up Turkish sand coffee. Traditionally, Turkish java is brewed in a pan filled with sand and heated over an open flame. The fine coffee grinds and water are then added to a small long-handled pot called cezce, traditionally made of brass, copper, silver or gold (most recently, also made with aluminum, ceramics or stainless steel) and boasting a specially designed pouring lip. The concoction is then mixed and placed in hot sand, which creates and even heat and helps the coffee foam almost immediately.  The sweets menu also includes a Fingerlime Chiffon Meringue (fingerlime yuzu cake, meringue, rosemary, orange mousse and lime gel), the Persimmon Wide (persimmon tuile with almond crumble, truffle oil, yogurt, butternut squash, creme brûlée and balsamic vinegar honey gel), the Desert Sunset (banana pudding with parle sugar jaggery) and the All is Well (brownie with soft serve), among other dishes.

Award-winning graphic novelist Peter Kuper's intricate drawings of insects—bees, ants, cicadas, butterflies, silkworms, beetles, dragonflies, and more—show them "flying, crawling, and interacting with the various rooms of the Library’s 42nd Street building, where they will be showcased. "This bug’s-eye view of the building’s Beaux-Arts architectural details illuminates the iconic spaces in a completely original way." Kuper has been working on an upcoming graphic novel, INterSECTS, and had the chance to explore the building and its rooms while they were empty during the pandemic. It was there that he realized that the building would be a perfect vehicle for his concept. Viewers of his work can access commentary by experts online and via QR codes, such as Jessica Ware on dragonflies, Gene Kritsky on cicadas, Michael Engel on bees, Barrett Klein on scarab beetles, and Mark W. Moffett on ants with Mexico’s leading poet/novelist, Homero Aridjis, reading his poem "A Una Mariposa Monarcha."  The audio talks are accompanied by the insect-inspired music of David Rothenberg. All of this plus downloadable coloring book art will be available on January 7 at nypl.org/intersects.

Every Monday evening, you can enjoy Prohibition-era cocktails and live jazz channeling the spirit and energy of the Harlem Renaissance at Sugar Monk. You'll have your pick of Prohibition and Pre-Prohibition cocktails (Sidecar, Clover Club, Bijou, French 75, The Boothby, The Bee's Knees, Hanky Panky and others) to sip on while Max Bessesen and his trio play on from 8 to 10pm. There's no cover, just make a reservation on Resy.

Sesh Comedy is the only BYOB comedy club in NYC and features comics from Comedy Central, HBO, Colbert, Netflix, Amazon, and others. It's "Comedy Cellar if the Comedy Cellar was $10 and when you arrived they handed you a free drink!" That's right, you get a free alcoholic drink with your ticket (if you're 21 or older). BYOB is also encouraged.

On Location Tours is once again offering its popular On Location Tours Sex and the City Hotspots Tour as both a public and private sightseeing experience. This bus tour highlights several famous NYC buildings and locations featured in the series Sex and the City, all from the comfort of a heated bus this winter.

On the tour, you'll see Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District, and SoHo and its one-of-a-kind boutiques, department stores and designer shops with tour guides who are local New York City actresses excited to share facts along with fun trivia questions about the buildings and locations.

Each tour guest will also receive a free Magnolia Bakery cupcake (and those over 21 can sip discounted cosmos at the famous NYC bar ONieal’s). 

Public tours run several times a week, including Fridays and Saturdays at 3pm. Private tours are offered daily, and a limo buyout option is available.

A high-end destination has opened at the South Street Seaport, combining a love for singalongs with delicious tabletop grills. Upstairs at Ssäm Bar is Momofuku's latest restaurant, this one located at Pier 17 (89 South Street, to be precise), on the second floor of Momofuku Ssäm Bar. While overlooking the East River, you'll get to sing your heart out to your favorite karaoke songs in one of two private rooms (each one accommodates up to 10 people) where you'll also get to order from the entire Asian-influenced menu. And because there is no karaoke without cocktails, here's a bit about that: from the Psycho Beach Party (mezcal, cynar, passionfruit, pineapple and blood orange) to the Toki Hot Toddy (Suntory Toki whisky, genmaicha tea and lemon) and the Suit & Chair (chai-infused rum, rockey's liqueur, ginger, salted plum and a chinotto float), you probably never have had such high-end drinks while screaming your lungs out to Prince's "Purple Rain." 

The Public hotel (formally known as “PUBLIC”) first opened on the Lower East Side in 2017 and hasn’t stopped opening since. Its post pandemic-restriction relaunch in June included a Peruvian-inspired restaurant called Popular (POPULAR), the adjacent Cantina & Pisco Bar (CANTINA & PISCO BAR) and a rooftop (THE ROOF). Now, the hotel adds a jazzy cocktail lounge to its cruiseship-like variety with Bar Chrystie (. . . you get the idea). Bar Chrystie, located on the hotel’s lobby level, aims to evoke “1920s Hollywood glamour,” which is rude, because NYC had the '20s, too. To ice that burn it is also “celebrating New York City’s legendary cocktail culture,” according to press materials. But it is also, “inspired by Bar Hemingway at the Hôtel Ritz Paris and Harry’s Bar in Venice,” so I guess if there’s ever been a place than this is it. Bar Chrystie is adorned with un-chandeliered chandeliers, bright night sky-blue banquettes, a Baccarat candelabra and “metal orbs." Its opening menu includes a robust and detailed cocktail list including classics and signature offerings, wine, beer, cider and a complement of Champagne. Snacks like truffle flatbread, croquettes and warm roasted olives are also available.

Although it might seem counterintuitive to establish a new business at the tail end (hopefully) of a global pandemic, the venture seems to be paying off for 30-year-old Adrian Rew, the founder and owner of record store Ergot. Ergot, which opened less than two months ago on East 2nd Street and Second Avenue, is the evolution of Rew's eponymous music label. Ergot is a minimally decorated, clean-looking space that fits right into the neighborhood. Countless vinyls are available for browsing, with an entire wall displaying some noteworthy picks, from Faction by Réseau D'Ombres to Bill Orcutt's A Mechanical Joey and DMX's second album Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Although clearly carrying a variety of genres—disco! Latin! Gospel! Pop! Experimental!—Rew reveals that New Yorkers are currently gravitating towards jazz and new wave.

A new exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum offers an intimate look at Andy Warhol's upbringing, specifically dissecting how his Catholic religion impacted his life and his art.

Although Warhol's faith was prominently featured in his work, albeit reframed "within the context of pop art and culture," not much has been said about how he viewed his religion in light of his sexual orientation, for example. 

"Andy Warhol: Revelation" will feature over 100 objects—from rare source materials to newly discovered ones—"that provide a fresh and intimate look at Warhol's creative process." Among the roster of works on display expect to see his 1986 "Last Supper" series and his experimental film The Chelsea Girls, from 1966, which was commissioned by the de Menil family and funded by the Roman Catholic Church.

A new audio tour by the Brooklyn Public Library seeks to explore the lives of the characters and authors that call the borough home in fiction and in real life. From Patti Smith to Biggie Smalls, Howard Zinn to Tanwi Nandini Islam, the guide covers a total of 16 writers over eight miles of Brooklyn. You can also expect to stop at important public libraries the likes of Washington Irving and Clinton Hill, which, according to an official press release, "played an important role in the lives of the featured author[s]." Expect the entire tour, which can virtually start off from anywhere in Brooklyn, to take at least two hours to complete, depending on how many stops you wish to make along the way.

Overthrow Hospitality—the group behind New York favorites Amor y Amargo, Ladybird and Death and Co., among others—has just debuted an attention-grabbing champagne and absinthe bar in the East Village that is inspired by... hell. Café de L’Enfer, which literally translates to "hell cafe" from the French, opened earlier this month and the decor is just as striking as the cocktails, developed by mixologist Sother Teague. The destination, which calls out to the famous Victorian-era Cabaret de l'Enfer in Paris, is filled with touches of the underworld. Expect skulls, deep red booths and ogre-like statues to adorn the dark space, located directly above Amor y Amargo. Think of Café de L’Enfer as a year-round Halloween extravaganza.

Lower East Side darling Meow Parlour, the famous cat cafe where New Yorkers get to play with adoptable cats while sipping coffee and munching on sweets, has finally reopened following an 18-month-long, pandemic-fueled closure. Now in "soft relaunch mode," the space at 46 Hester Street is welcoming guests with reservations on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am through 7pm. You can schedule your visit on the official website right here.

Eataly, the massive Italian marketplace that has become a centerpiece of Flatiron, is debuting its first indoor restaurant concept since 2018 on November 5. Bar Milano, which will feature 70 seats in total, takes over Manzo's location, the meat-heavy eatery that closed over a year ago. As its name suggests, the new spot's menu will focus on foods endemic to Milano, one of the most traveled-to cities in Italy. From moneghili (crispy, Milanese-style braised beef and pork "meatballs") to risotto alla Milanese (saffron, bone marrow brodo, 18-month parmigianno Reggion), tajarin al tartufo bianco (house-made 40-yold pasta, Ferrarini butter, 36-month parmigiano Reggiano, freshly shaved urbani white truffles) and a classic Milanese cutlet (breaded, fried and served with Italian chicories, lemon and extra virgin olive oil), the list of offerings really does pay homage to one of the most multicultural (and New York-like?) towns on the other side of the Atlantic. But as exciting as the proposed food is, visitors will likely fawn over the roving wooden Negroni cart that will be on premise.

Sobre Masa, the Williamsburg pop-up tortilla factory opened in 2020 with imported Mexican heirloom corn, has turned full blown cafe, bar and restaurant is expanding to one of Brooklyn’s taco capitals, Bushwick. Sobre Masa Tortilleria opened its doors at 52 Harrison Place, selling fresh, house-made tortillas alongside Mexican groceries and goods, a morning coffee shop with Oaxacan coffee and house-made Mexican pastries, as well as a taqueria vending a variety of traditional taco styles and cocktails highlighting Mexican spirits. 

One of Texas' best exports to New York City is getting a new Manhattan location this monday. Alamo Drafthouse, the cinema known for serving restaurant-quality food and drinks during its screenings, is opening its second New York location in Manhattan. Adding to its downtown Brooklyn location, Alamo Drafthouse's second NYC locations will be at 28 Liberty St. with fourteen auditoriums that seat up to 578 guests in total. The theater chain is known for its luxury reclining seats with built-in tables and cupholders. It's like being in an elite private screening room, but anyone can buy a ticket. Movie buffs at Alamo's Lower Manhattan location will be treated to 4K digital projection and 7.1 Dolby surround sound. The opening screenings include current blockbusters like No Time to Die, and Marvel's Eternals as well as classics like 1933's original King Kong. 

Newly opened in the West Village this past June, Yuco has 65 seats and an aim “to be the single most innovative Yucateco restaurant in the world.” Already, it's doing a bit to reorient fine dining in NYC. You can go to Yuco and spend $225 per person on its tasting menu before drinks, tax and tip. Nine courses are like a carousel of some of the best of what Yuco has to offer across its price tiers. A $95 prix-fixe lets you choose one item from first, main and mid-course sections. In a move that separates Yuco from NYC’s more antiquated institutions of higher eating, everything is available à la carte. Chef-partner Christian Ortiz’s excellent braised oxtail en mole, for example, appears on either the prix-fixe menu or on its own for $51. Even divorced from the pageantry of Yuco’s grandest tasting and the truncated spectacle of its second, the execution is remarkable. This is a ne plus ultra oxtail, rich and satiny and offset by a deep mole unlike what any other NYC restaurant has on its menu

Comedy Nite Live is a new weekly stand-up comedy showthat features new comedians every week on Thursdays at 9pm at RPM Underground. Past comedians have included Usama Siddique, Zach Zimmerman, Jocelyn Chia, Derek Gaines, Robby Slowik and Kareem Green among others. What's cool is that the $5 ticket price includes an hour of free private-room karaoke after the show.

The school cafeteria has nothing on this tapas restaurant. 

Oliva, a new Spanish restaurant by chef Franklin Becker, is adjacent to Manhattanville Market, which is within Columbia University’s Jerome L. Greene Science Center, but the offerings are far from university fare. 

The lively, fun West Harlem spot serves premium products sourced directly from Spain, showcasing shareable dishes with modern interpretations to whisk you across the Atlantic in just a few small bites. 

Oliva’s menu, developed with Chef de Cuisine Chris Strelnick, highlights cured meats, Embutidos, along with a variety of queso, a frio y ambiente section and finishes with a selection of calida y caliente. For non-hispanohablantes, that’s cold and hot dishes.

Standout dishes from the Fall 2021 opening menu include a mackerel and blood orange crudo, Serrano ham croquetas, crab fideos and a Soccarat, or seafood rice, for two. For dessert, a crema Catalana presents a creamy Barcelonian twist on more familiar creme brulee. 

The beverage menu, designed by mixologist Eamon Rockey, offers beverages from regions around Spain, local New York beers, ciders and spirits, plus cocktails designed to emulate the easygoing European lifestyle. There is, of course, sangria, as well as Spanish-style gin and tonics, with fresh and dried botanicals, and plenty of fortified wines, like sherry and vermouth.  

Live music nights help fill the floor-to-ceiling glass space with joy and celebration, and the restaurant serves as a nice pitstop for a drink and cheese plate before dinner or a full-on gathering hall for group celebrations. 

Oliva offers both indoor and outdoor dining and is open Tuesday through Thursday, 5pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday from 5pm-11pm and Sundays from 5pm-10pm. Reservations are accepted through Resy or by phone, 917-522-0391.

The New York Public Library has dug through its expansive and centuries-spanning archive to stage an impressive free exhibition filled with cultural artifacts. Launching this week, The Polonsky Exhibition of New York Public Library’s Treasures spans 4,000 years of history and includes a wide range of history-making pieces, including the only surviving letter from Christoper Columbus announcing his “discovery” of the Americas to King Ferdinand’s court and the first Gutenberg Bible brought over to the Americas. It opens on September 24.

On March 15, The Frick Madison opened at 945 Madison Avenue—the former home of the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Met Breuer—while Henry Clay Frick's mansion undergoes a massive renovation. This new stint will last two years, and while the Brutalist building by Marcel Breuer is a huge departure from the Gilded Age mansion, the space is offering a much different and rare look at the collection, according to museum officials. Unlike at the Frick Mansion, the Breuer building is a clean slate—stark in contrast, which actually helps to attract the viewer's attention to individual works. Eyes aren't busy looking at ornate furniture here. It's all about seeing the smaller details in the artwork that you might have overlooked at the mansion. According to Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director Ian Wardropper, "It's a different Frick than you’ve ever known."

Real New Yorkers are on the constant search for cool places to drink coffee — and a new Chelsea Market spot delivers. Day Drinks, a coffee and tea bar that dubs itself "a bar without alcohol" has officially opened in the food hall. Born from a conversation between the founders of artisan coffee roaster Pulley Collective and specialty coffee shop Ninth Street Espresso, which has been inside Chelsea Market for years, Day Drinks aims to redefine the coffee bar experience. Here, guests can order from extensive, locally sourced coffee and tea lists, as well as pick from kegged beverages including on-tap espressos, nitro coffees, sparkling teas, and botanicals. Everything is roasted, brewed, and carbonated on site, meaning that expert bartenders can then work directly with taps and ingredients, and tailor drinks specifically to each customer’s exact tastes, just like at a cocktail bar. By making everything on-site, Day Drinks also has an almost neutral carbon footprint.

Roosevelt Island, the storied former home to NYC's smallpox hospital and insane asylum, has its first-ever rooftop bar and lounge open to the public. Panorama Room is now open atop the newly opened Graduate Roosevelt Island hotel on the southern end of the island and the views are really unparalleled — perhaps even the best of any rooftop lounge. Located on the 18th floor of the hotel, the "jewel box" space by Med Abrous and Marc Rose, who are food and beverage partners of the hotel and co-founders of the hospitality group Call Mom, opens up to incredible views of the boroughs, the bridges and the East River, which shine like stars at night. Designed by James Beard Award-winning design firm Parts and Labor Design, Panorama Room is visually dramatic. Its palatial vibes are set by luxurious velvet vintage-inspired tubular lounge sofas, chrome and marble touches, mosaic tile columns and its giant, tubular acrylic chandeliers that hover above the massively long bar. It's not only luxe but it's somehow simultaneously futuristic and retro. 

The Museum of Sex always has something exciting going on behind closed doors. "Super Funland: Journey into the Erotic Carnival" is back and better than ever with its 4-D immersive “Tunnel of Love” ride, the Love & Lust Deity Derby game, an erotic fortune-telling machine (modeled as RuPaul), a kissing booth, the Glory Stall game, an immersive "Stardust Lane - the Erogenous Kaleidoscope," an erotic mechanical bull and a lit-up climbing structure, "The Climbx," and more. Then when it's time to take the edge off, visitors can slide down a spiral slide into the Museum’s psychedelic carnival bar, Lollipop Lounge, for cocktails. 

One White Street spans three stories at the storied address 1 White Street, which was the theoretical site of Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s Nutopian Embassy in 1973. Each floor has its own separate dining room with its own open kitchen. The space is neutrally hued, lined in pale wood and has pops of blue throughout. The first floor is designated for walk-ins and seats 23. The second and third floors are reservations-only. The opening menu includes chilled foie gras with peaches, plums and hazelnut, grilled monkfish, glazed gnocchi and a 60-day-aged strip loin. Ingredients are sourced from Rigor Hill Farm in the Hudson Valley, and wine selections from small, sustainability-oriented makers reflect those locally-grown goods. The downstairs menu is à la carte and a $148 six-course tasting menu will be available upstairs.

Taste your way around the world at a new wine bar that offers dozens of international wines, all by the glass. Temperance Wine Bar (40 Carmine Street), which officially opened yesterday, is a new neighborhood drinking spot with a fun energy and eclectic design featuring local artists. Most importantly, there's plenty to drink. At Temperance, Ojeda-Pons has curated an extensive menu of over 100 rotating international wines by the glass, as well as a selection of eight wines on tap. The wines range from affordable to higher-end, featuring classic European producers like Foradori and Clotilde Davenne, wines from New York like Millbrook Estate in the Hudson River Valley and Osmote in the Finger Lakes, wines from across the US like Monte Rio Cellars in California and Day Wines in the Willamette Valley, as well as wines from less traditional wine regions including countries like Morocco, Lebanon and Cyprus, and more. Other wine categories featured include smaller producers, lesser-known grape varieties, natural wines, orange wines, year-round rosés, sherry, sparkling wines from Champagne, and beyond.

The venue formerly known as Fat Cat has reemerged with a new name, new games, and custom ice cream. Cellar Dog (75 Christopher St.) is reviving the Fat Cat tradition of late-night basement gaming, with an updated concept for 2021. Cellar Dog will remain a live music and game hall, making the most of the 9,000-square-foot underground space. Games include pool tables, ping pong, shuffleboard, foosball, checkers and chess, as well as antique and novelty arcade games including Pac Man and many more. Live jazz and additional entertainment will also be booked throughout the week.

Immersive art exhibit Arcadia Earth has reopened after being closed due to the pandemic, and it looks better than ever! The exhibit aims to inspire visitors artistically and ethically, as it uses 15 rooms to spotlight the environmental challenges that our planet is facing (such as overfishing, food waste, and climate change). This exhibit will not only leave visitors in awe, but it will help support Oceanic Global, an organization devoted to raising awareness around our aquatic ecosystems. In addition, a tree will also be planted for every ticket sold, making it a perfect gift for your eco-conscious friends!

After Time Out first confirmed with Lucali owner Mark Iacono last month that his new slice shop was in the works, Baby Luc’s opened on Saturday with zero promotional fanfare but all the excitement we’ve come to expect for an operation by the famed pizzaiolo. In June, Iacono told us he was “nervous” about the new spot, even though Baby Luc’s has been in the theoretical works for quite some time, being that Lucali was originally intended as a slice shop. Lucali demonstrably worked out just fine in its eventual, whole pie form, as lines still accrue night after night. And it’s already the same deal at Baby Luc’s.

New York City is seeing its fair share of immersive exhibits with massive digital projections, from the dueling van Gogh shows to "Geometric Properties" at ARTECHOUSE. But the real O.G. is back. SuperReal has reopened at Cipriani 25 Broadway, inside the historic Cunard Building, bringing its cutting-edge projection mapping tech and multimedia art to its walls and ceiling—and it happens to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Cunard Building, which opened in 1921. Across 45 minutes, the show places viewers in five unique and abstract sequences that are both stunning and interactive. One minute you could be daydreaming in a fairylike flower garden and the next you're caught in an epic thunderstorm or thrown into the middle of a tropical disco. During the show, people are encouraged to relax on bean bags or play with balloons that also react with the 360-degree show. The floor is a gigantic mirror that only enhances the special effects. It's the ultimate place for selfies and fun Instagram fodder.

Get ready, New York, your acceptance letter to Hogwarts is here—the most magical place in New York City, the Harry Potter Store New York, is about to open on June 3. Wizards and witches will be able to shop from the world's largest collection of Harry Potter merch across 21,000 square feet at 935 Broadway in the Flatiron District at this highly-anticipated store. We've been waiting for a year to walk through these magical doors and on Friday, we were finally able to check it out. And Harry Potter fans? You're going to flip. Every detail of Harry Potter Store New York has been intricately designed, from the decor sitting on the shelves above all the incredible merch (yes, there are full house robes) to the design of the store itself, which has a room full of gorgeous HP stationary by MinaLima, massive models of Fawkes the Phoenix and a moving griffin as well as a spiral staircase that descends into a space made to look like the Ministry of Magic. 

Looking for some new spots in the city to explore as the five boroughs continue to reopen? Here’s an underground spot you’ll want to add to your list. Coby Club is a new, subterranean lounge opening on Seventh Ave that’s inspired by 1960s San Francisco nightlife. The lush space pays homage to San Francisco Chinatown nightlife in the 1960s and one woman in particular who was at the heart of it: Miss Coby Yee, the glamorous dancer and owner of the iconic club Forbidden City. The space certainly does have a sense of mystique to it with black velvet banquettes and red, silk-shaded lighting. In one especially timely touch, the walls are adorned with gold embossed phoenix-like dragons, meant—in part—to represent the city’s nightlife dramatically rising from the ashes this year with a new sense of strength and optimism. Who doesn’t love a little metaphorical wall art? When the space opens on April 22, you can swing by for craft cocktails and small plates. Live musical performances and other forms of live entertainment are planned for the near future once current restrictions relax. The owner behind the new lounge, Bob Pontarelli, has launched other well-known past restaurant and nightlife ventures, including Crowbar, Barracuda, Leshko’s, Elmo and Industry Bar.