The best things to do in NYC this weekend

For the first time since 2019, the Coney Island Brewery is hosting a vinyl record fair. Join Adam Realman and Loud Clown Productions are bringing in a diverse group of vinyl dealers from Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Long Island, and New Jersey for the first area record fair since pre-Covid. Shop from 20 tables of vinyl and music collectibles and 10 varieties of delicious craft beer. Head on over on Sunday, September 26, from 11am-5pm. Admission is free, but proof of vaccination is required.

This annual literary celebration brings together 140-plus spectacular writers from across the globe for a full week of talks, shopping and even yoga to satisfy the borough’s brainiacs. Bookend events will be taking place all week, including a celebration of childhood reading at its Children’s Day (October 2) with authors David Levithan, Mahogany Browne, Sophie Blackall, Sayantani DasGupta, Brian Floca, Gayle Forman, R.J. Palacio in Brooklyn Commons in MetroTech in Downtown Brooklyn. Don't miss the Literary Marketplace (Sunday, October 3), or its virtual Festival in the evenings until 11pm.

Insectageddon is a collective performance and call to action presented by artist and poet Cecilia Vicuña that includes performances and poetry throughout the High Line. Those who go through the event will learn about the millions of insects that make their home on the High Line every year by following the life cycle of the butterfly and centers the voices of children as today’s leaders in climate change activism. The family-friendly event also features art-making workshops, short film screenings, and insect-inspired culinary delights from High Line food vendors. It's free to attend on Saturday, September 25, from 3 to 6pm. Film screenings will continue until 9pm.

Reid Pope is hosting a night of art, comedy, drag, and thirst...you'll enter into a fake art gallery of parody thirst traps with interactive stations and performers that'll immerse you in a drag/comedy show that ends in a live DJ set. Expect special performances by Cuntyham, Nico Carney, Jes Tom (Netflix), Becca O’Neal (Comedy Central), Esther Fallick, Sydnee Washington (Comedy Central). Tickets are $15 and the party takes place at Mika Bushwick.

As part of Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Share the Stage series, Mark Morris Dance Group is doing two special outdoor performances (2-2:45pm and 4-4:45pm) an all-ages family-friendly workshop (3-3:45pm) at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn on Saturday, September 25. MMDG artists will showcase three dance pieces — Quad, Words, and the premiere of their brand new performance Water — under a stunning backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, at one of the Park’s most iconic locations. Both performances and the workshop are free and walk-up only. No advanced registration required.

Shop the best of Brooklyn right in the heart of midtown Manhattan. On Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26, Rockefeller Center will host Brooklyn Pop-up, a curated artisan bazaar on the Plaza featuring a revolving group of Brooklyn and New York based creators of contemporary fashion, home goods and children’s products, in addition to jewelry vendors, artisanal distillers, and more. While browsing the market, visitors can also enjoy the works of on-site artists who specialize in balloon modeling and origami, music by DJ Rustam Ospanoff, and view the sculpture SHARE created by Brooklyn-based artist KAWS. Vendors, who will be selling their wares from 10:30am to 5:30pm each day, include Modern Doll Studio, Zulia & Huipa, Malcontent Plus, Will to Adorn, AnnetteBrooklyn, Nohemm, Suri & Huacaya, crescent bleu, LLC, Chee Lee Designs, Adorned By V, A New Day, A New Dawn NYC, Breukelen Rub Spice Co., LAiif Naturals, Avalah, Essence Of ASÉ, Let's Converse, String Thing Studio, Maivino, AGOWA, KELLNER and Red Bridge Studio.

Located in historic Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, the Fort Hamilton Distillery is allowing visitors behind the scenes with tours of its distilling operations. The one-hour tour will include stories about the rise, fall, and rebirth of New York Rye, as well as bottle their own whiskey and taste it straight from the tap. Guests also will be introduced to exclusive distillery-only whiskey bottlings and collaborations with local artisans, including barrel-aged New York maple syrup and whiskey-infused, single-origin chocolate bars. Tours are available every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting September 24. Start times vary between 1 and 7pm and costs $30 per guest.

Giant origami-inspired sculptures now decorate Broadway, bringing a child-like whimsy to the Garment District. The installation, entitled "Hacer: Transformations," features seven massive paper-like animals: two dark turquoise coyotes, two medium turquoise rabbits, a magenta elephant, a yellow dog and a green bear cub. It's located on the public plazas of Broadway Boulevard in the Garment District between 36th and 39th Streets and will be there through November 23. The installation is part of Garment District Art on the Plazas, a year-round public art program made possible through Arterventions, part of the New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program. 

On September 25, on West 104th Street (between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive) you shop from a bustling street market with more than 60 stalls with second-hand treasures. Bid on gift certificates, antiques, vintage collectibles, posters, photographs, paintings, theater tickets, household items in their original boxes, and services at the Silent Auction. Browse a large selection of novels, plays, poetry, history, biography, children’s books, cookbooks, atlases, dictionaries, and CDs at the Book Sale. Grab dessert at the Bake Sale, hunt down a two-dollar labor saver or conversation piece at "What-A-Bargain," or take part in a raffle (the last winner took home $2,495.) Seasoned New York musicians will provide live music, too. It's free admission from 10am to 5pm.

Lyoness NYC is a woman of color-owned burlesque and dance company known for its sultry, upbeat, and dynamic performances with group heels and jazz dance routines with a repertoire of music styles including jazz, disco, pop, and R&B by the world's most inspiring female singers. Enjoy solo burlesque acts, drag, aerial, flow, vocal, and step, as well as GoGo Dancers during pre-show and intermission. They'll be at Drom on Sunday, September 26, at 8pm. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Queer Window is an LGBTQIA+ themed sketch show written, performed, created, produced, and conceived by an all-queer cast that was forged in the flames of Squirrel Comedy Theatre's virtual shows. Now they're back, on stage, and creating chaos in your face. Head out on Sunday, September 26, for the 10pm show. Tickets are $15.

Seth Rudetsky is hosting a live watch party for the 74th Annual Tony Awards at Asylum NYC! It’s been over a year without Broadway, and it is finally making its slow return. Celebrate this weird off-season Tony Awards and watch along with Seth! There will be giveaways, games and more. Show up on Sunday by 7pm. Tickets are $20.

It'll look like something out of Alien, but there's a very good reason why a 505-foot-tall sea creature will be climbing the United Nations building this week. In the evenings between September 21 and 24, a video installation called "Vertical Migration" will feature a "siphonophore," an ocean creature that is a symbol of the many working as one, according to artist group SUPERFLEX, who created the work, commissioned by ART 2030 and TBA21-Academy.

Out-of-towners and locals get psyched for the annual Feast of San Gennaro, and for good reason: the event includes the best spots in Little Italy. Eat at some of the best Italian restaurants in the city, watch colorful parades, catch free concerts and of course, see the world-famous cannoli eating competition. Click through to read all about this year's festival.

Pier 17 is offering free fitness once again! On Tuesday and Thursday nights as well as Saturday mornings through September, get your body going with classes from Trooper Fitness, Pure Barre, HIIT The Deck, and Lyons Den Power Yoga. 

You won't want to miss the Floral Escape at the farm either if you're looking for another fall-themed photo opp. The multi-sensory floral-filled installation is full of multi-colored pumpkin displays, splashes of eye-popping flowers and beautiful floral arbors to stand under. It'll be here through Halloween along with the annual corn maze!

Contrary to its moniker, Oktoberfest, the annual autumnal celebration anchored in Munich, Germany, with satellite festivities all over the globe, kicks off in the last days of summer. Lucky for you, New York City hosts some of the best boozy, musical sausage fests in the world. This year’s events include weeks-long waterside parties, backyard blowouts and brewery bashes—all with plenty of German (and local!) beer to start your fall eating and drinking plans out right.

For one, the Bronx Brewery is hosting two sessions of an Oktoberfest celebration with a batch of Das Bronx and a full day's worth of music, food, and fun. Find out more here.

Insofar as anything is National Whatever Day, this Saturday, September 18, is National Cheeseburger Day. This year’s contribution from Black Tap Craft Burgers and Beer, which first caught fame a few years ago for its over-the-top “CrazyShakes,” is one free cheeseburger with any food or beverage purchase. The first 100 people to enter their information into this site will be eligible to redeem the offer. Later entries will receive a coupon for one free classic shake with the purchase of an entrée. NYC’s participating locations are in midtown at 136 W 55th Street and Soho at 529 Broome Street.

New York's sartorial street photography hasn't been the same since Bill Cunningham passed away in 2016, leaving a blue workman-jacket-sized hole in the fashion scene. This fall, a new exhibit will honor the late photographer, with an exhibit highlighting his career and most popular work. Experience the Times of Bill Cunningham will bring the photographer’s six-decade-long career to life, exploring his work capturing everyday New Yorkers and celebrities like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Anna Wintour, all on the streets of Manhattan. Immersive experiences include a staircase where visitors’ outfits will be digitally transformed into one-of-a-kind fashion statements worthy of a Cunningham photo. An ever-changing gallery will highlight the links between fashion trends captured by Cunningham and today’s current street styles. The bi-level, 18,000-square-foot exhibit will also feature large-scale reproductions of Cunningham’s most iconic photos, video and audio interviews, and important artifacts like Cunningham’s bicycle and his trademark blue jacket.

Photoville is back in its 10th year and the second to bring photography to every borough of
New York City.

The free, outdoor, pet-friendly photography exhibition is heading to NYC Parks — Brooklyn Bridge Park, Astoria Park, Barretto Point Park, Chelsea Park, Jackie Robinson Park, East River Promenade, St. Nicholas Park, Travers Park, Van Cortlandt Park, the South Beach Promenade — as well as Brookfield Place, the Alice Austen House (Staten Island), the Lower East Side at the Abrons Arts Center and Times Square. 

You won't want to miss this year's Photoville because it is packed with 75 exhibits outside and free online programming for photo lovers between September 18 and December 1, including panel discussions, interactive workshops, one-on-one safety clinics,  professional development opportunities with Diversify Photo and Leica Camera, Photo Wings and the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

New this year is "Community Day: Photo Festival Opening" on September 18, where there will be a visual storytelling event with a family activity area by Stoop Stories, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and Aperture; the Penumbra TinType Sessions; pop-up music and dance
performances by the Haiti Cultural Exchange; exhibition tours by featured artists; photo
puzzles on the lawn; a professional development educator lab; photo workshops with Leica
Camera and Adobe; a Smorgasburg pop-up; and an evening screening of 10 Under 10
enlisting the New York Times, National Geographic, Pulitzer Center, and more. Musicians from Carnegie Hall will serenade the audience with lullabies.

Highlights of this year's exhibitions include:

"1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows," by Ai Weiwei
"TAXI: Journey Through My Windows 1977-1987," by Joseph Rodriguez
"Secrets of the Whales" by Brian Skerry for National Geographic
"Bronx Life," by David Gonzalez
"Last Chapter of War in Afghanistan," by Paula Bronstein
"Rebel Vision: Black Women Photojournalists"
"Diaspora on the Frontline," by Rosem Morton

Find a full list of hours and events on Photoville's website.

Enter a trippy world at "Cascade," an interactive dreamworld of hypnotic projections, mind-bending paintings, and transformative patterns. In her most ambitious project to date, Los Angeles-based artist Jen Stark harnesses the intricate systems of the natural world to bring tranquility to chaos. This interactive art exhibition built into Brooklyn's venerated William Vale Hotel features 6,000 feet of interactive projections and 3-D mapped environments. Walking through Cascade, visitors will be surrounded by tantalizing visual effects and enveloping sounds. Kaleidoscopic environments showcase the artist's signature drips and cascading designs, immersing the viewer in Stark's ecosphere of kinetic and undulating patterns.

The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum are showcasing a collaborative exhibition with Eleni Petaloti and Leonidas Trampoukis of the Greece- and New York-based studio Objects of Common Interest. Works by Petaloti and Trampoukis, who take an intuitive approach to object and space making inspired by “moments of unfamiliar simplicity,” are interspersed within The Noguchi Museum’s garden and first-floor permanent installation.

Andy Warhol's photography is getting its own exhibit at Fotografiska this fall that will showcase more than 120 images, 20 of which have never been shown to the public before. "Andy Warhol: Photo Factory," opening September 10, will pay homage to Warhol’s New York City studio and give viewers an inside look at his life and work. They'll come to understand how he experimented with photography and how it served as a springboard for his iconic silkscreen paintings, commissioned portraits, and commercial work.

Joe’s Pub, a performance space located within The Public Theater, will make a long-anticipated return this fall with its beloved Friday Night Cabaret series, kicking off on September 17 from 6pm to 8pm, with composer Henry Koperski and singer-actor Larry Owens. The event is a free, open-to-the-public event that will be performed on Astor Place. 

Fans of British street artist Banksy, rejoice! "Banksy Expo: Genius or Vandal?," an immersive exhibit featuring a ton of the artist's work, is here. It features over 80 "genuine and certified works belonging to private collections" alongside a "virtual reality experience through the artist's career, created especially for this event." The entire shindig lasts between 60 to 80 minutes and it will be appropriate for guests of all ages. Let's be honest: they had us at "Banksy."

A new art installation featuring creations from Grimes, Bon Iver, Miguel and other big-name entertainers is open in Brooklyn. Undercurrent, which is pitched as an “immersive audiovisual” experience, will feature a 60,000 square foot space showcasing celebrity-made art pieces that poignantly explore the ever-increasing climate crisis. Viewers can expect to find imaginative pieces, including Grimes’ AI-created meditations and a multimedia installation from Bon Iver, which will feature a new version of his 2019 song “Naeem” remixed by Chris Hontos. Other artists involved also include Aluna, Actress, Jayda G, Mount Kimbie, and Nosaj Thing.

Economy Candy, a Lower East Side favorite of children and embarrassingly tipsy day drinkers alike since 1937, has reopened after an 18-month closure due to the pandemic. Even absent a sweet tooth, anyone who’s ever tippled downtown knows its facade: Bold vintage script above an equally old-fashioned stripy awning within walking distance of some of the best bars in NYC. For years, it was the kind of place giggling brunchers and aspiring couples on first dates could accidentally happen upon and enjoy a little serendipitous whimsy. Economy Candy is located at 108 Rivington Street, and will be open from Friday-Tuesday from 12pm-5pm beginning September 10. 

The Brooklyn Museum is giving The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute a run for its money this year with its high fashion exhibit featuring the House of Dior. Opening September 10, the major exhibit — co-curated by Dior scholar Florence Müller of the Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion at the Denver Art Museum — thoroughly explores the high fashion history of The House of Dior, which dates back to the turn of the 20th century, when the brand's namesake Christian Dior founded the label. The multi-gallery exhibit brings many of Dior's sources of inspiration to life, including flowers, nature, classical and contemporary art, featuring artwork from the Brooklyn Museum's collections. Objects on display will be primarily from the extensive Dior archives and some 200 haute couture garments as well as photographs, archival videos, sketches, vintage perfume elements, and accessories.

The AKC Museum of the Dog is opening a new exhibit to honor the work of search and rescue dogs during the rescue and recovery efforts on and after 9/11. Highlights include several sculptures from AKC’s DOGNY project that raised over $3.5 million for search and rescue organizations whose dogs directly worked at Ground Zero, winners from the “Salute to Search and Rescue Dogs” art contest hosted by the museum as well as feature portraits by artist Ron Burns, creator of the coffee table book, The Dogs of Ron Burns: A Tribute to the Dogs of 9/11.

"Search and rescue dogs are some of the unsung heroes of 9/11," said Alan Fausel, Executive Director of the AKC Museum of the Dog. "The work they did during the rescue of and recovery efforts is truly extraordinary. All dogs have a job and on this solemn anniversary, we honor those whose job it was to save us."

A free virtual tour of the exhibit will also be available on the Museum’s website shortly
after the exhibit’s opening.

The Museum at FIT's "Ravishing: The Rose in Fashion," explores "how the rose has influenced the way we look, dress, feel, and fantasize" with over 130 rose-centric garments, accessories and more. The first major exhibit in the space since the museum closed in March 2020, "Ravishing" will run through November 28. Luxurious, hand-woven and embroidered 18th-century silks, 1960s-era stilettos, 1980s Halston gowns, contemporary gender-neutral catwalk trends and more are featured in the galleries.

If you think about it, history is a bit like a word in a Rick Ross rhyme: It tends to repeat itself. That’s not the only thing history and rap have in common at this hilarious show, inspired by that other hip-hop musical. Hip-hop improv group North Coast invites audience members to suggest a favorite historical figure—be it Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Bea Arthur or beyond—then its members perform a fully improvised and factually accurate musical based on that person’s life.

A brand-new immersive visual experience is landing atop the One World Trade Center this fall. Through a series of interactive visual installations, visitors to One World Observatory will step into a narrative voyage exploring the past, present and future of Lower Manhattan.  The stimuli-packed journey comes courtesy of the Montreal-based immersive media studio Float 4. 

Stumpy's Hatchet House, NYC's newest axe-throwing venue, is opening at Industry City on September 2. Set across 12,000 rustic square feet, the new venue will have 14 (socially-distanced) throwing pits with two targets each. Throwers get their own coach to teach them how to throw safely and lead games among teams. If axe-throwing isn't your speed or you've finished up your set and want to keep playing, Stumpys also has foosball, cornhole, shuffleboard and giant Jenga surrounded by TV screens playing major sporting events. Apparently, axe-throwing pairs nicely with drinking alcohol as we have learned with Kick Axe Throwing and Hatchets & Hops and the slew of other axe-throwing bars, so Stumpy's will, of course, have a bar—a 700-square-foot bar—serving up craft beer and wine. The cool thing about Stumpy's is that it'll serve food from Industry City tenants, including personal pizzas from Table 87, and for larger group reservations it has partnered with Sahadi’s and Hometown Barbeque & Seasoned by Shalini.

This is the only stand-up comedy show in a Brooklyn Boathouse, boasting some of the best local talent for free on the shore of the Gowanus Canal! Proof of vaccination is required.

New York's favorite warehouse party spot is returning this weekend! Bushwick's House of Yes officially reopened on Friday, August 27 after over sixteen months of closure. Guests can catch a dance break in House of Yes' newly redecorated patio garden and front room. Party instructions encourage guests to dress up, as is the norm at this quirky venue. "Looks are mandatory for entry. This is your moment. High style, art vibes, Express your best, brightest and boldest looks," reads the invite. 

Have you herd? The CowParade is back! New York City is playing host to 78 painted fiberglass cows—now through September 30—each of which is uniquely and vibrantly designed by artists such as Cey Adams, Lady Pink and The Love Child, and big names and groups like Neil Patrick Harris, Zac Posen, FIT, Macy's and Moulin Rouge! The Musical! They can be found in eight "pastures" across the boroughs—Industry City (Brooklyn), Hudson Yards (Manhattan), the New York Hall of Science (Queens), Bronx Community College (Bronx), National Lighthouse Museum (Staten Island), Rockaways Beach (The Rockaways), and Macy’s at 34th Street and Bloomingdale’s at 59th Street. 

When Crown Shy opened at the base of the beautiful 70 Pine Street in 2019, it was eerily clear that it was that year’s best new restaurant. Saga, from Crown Shy’s chef James Kent and restaurant partner Jeff Katz, will open on the 63rd floor of that same obscured-in-plain-sight Art Deco building. It is its own restaurant, but comparisons are inevitable. While even an accomplished drinker can get out of dinner at Crown Shy for about $125 on the high end, the minimum spend at Saga will be $245 for an eight-to-ten course tasting that includes one welcome cocktail. The intro drink itself is an obvious narrative device, but let’s go back half a page in any case. To enter Saga, you will pass through 70 Pine’s lobby to the elevators, where you will be escorted dozens of floors up by a host who will speak a bit to the building’s history. The air pressure will change before the doors open to Saga’s lovely bar, which mirrors Crown Shy’s, writ small. As subtle as it is, the lighting might be the first thing to catch your eye. Soft beams enhance the space’s Deco finishes and recall happy times downstairs, or cue new ones to come. Both restaurants share the lighting designer David Weiner, who has created a pattern so unmistakably Crown Shy, or, now Saga, it should be patented. But this is not a drinking bar. You’ll collect your welcome cocktail before you’re shown to one of Saga’s many terraces that make you realize, if you’ve managed not to so far in life, why some people chase money so hard. There are many good views in New York City, but this one feels particularly rich, imbued with the spirit of the building’s top three floors’ almost unbelievable original intended use as an early 20th-century financier’s private home. 

Have some laughs with your ice cream! Nick Hopping and Samantha Freeman host a stand-up show every week at Ample Hills that you'll want to attend because each ticket comes with ice cream. It sounds like a cool time to us. Head to Ample Hills Red Hook at 8pm on Wednesdays, and Ample Hills Gowanus at 7 and 8:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Chef Jonathan Benno’s Michelin-starred Benno restaurant, which has been temporarily closed since March of 2020, is scheduled to reopen with a French fine dining menu this September, but another eponymous Benno operation is pacing to beat it to the finish line. The brand new Bar Benno will open in the Evelyn Hotel this Friday, August 27. It is intended as a casual companion to the reimagined Benno. Opening menu items include a fruits de mer plateaux with oysters, jumbo shrimp, Maine lobster remoulade and tuna tartare ($100), escargots ($18) rotisserie chicken ($32) and steak au poivre ($52). A happy hour from 5pm to 7pm each night includes deviled eggs with ossetra caviar ($12), salmon rillettes ($9) and white anchovies ($9.) And cocktails like the Death by Ramos (gin, absinthe, citrus, cream, egg white and Champagne), will be available alongside wine in 250ml and 500ml increments, as well as by the standard glass and bottle.

Great Jones Distilling Co. opened to the public on August 21, as Manhattan's first and only legal whiskey distillery in over 100 years. Over six years in the making, the 28,000 square foot venue will feature a fully functioning distillery, a tasting room and several drinking and dining venues, including an underground speakeasy and full restaurant to open this fall. The menus are heralded by Executive Chef Adam Raksin, who formerly worked at Per Se. Visitors can book several different experiences, including a tour detailing the whiskey making process ($35), a culinary cocktail pairing experience ($145) and a hands-on mixology class ($110). The craft whiskey made at Great Jones starts with grains sourced exclusively from New York state. Exclusive bourbon and rye is available only at the distillery. 

Roosevelt Island has its first-ever rooftop bar and lounge open to the public. Panorama Room just opened 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 Jewish Museum's new exhibit explores the subject of art looting during World War II, focusing on the Nazi's theft of artwork and the journey these some 1 million works (And 2.5 million books) took as they traveled through distribution centers, sites of recovery, and networks of collectors, before, during, and after the war. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, and Judaica that survived this traumatic period of violence and upheaval against tremendous odds. By tracing the fascinating timelines of individual objects as they passed through hands and sites, their myriad stories will be brought forward, often in dialogue with archival documents and photographs that connect them to history.

Afterlives will include works by major artists that were looted from Jewish collections during the war as well as treasured pieces of Judaica. Rare examples of Jewish ceremonial objects from destroyed synagogues; works by such renowned artists as Pierre Bonnard, Marc Chagall, Paul Cézanne, Gustave Courbet, Paul Klee, Franz Marc, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Camille Pissarro, among others; and rarely seen archival photographs and documents will all be on view. 

The Mediterranean pop-up Sami & Susu, which gained fans at temporary residences in Brooklyn and Manhattan last year, landed in a permanent location on the Lower East Side today. Co-owners Amir Nathan and Jordan Anderson, who formerly worked at forever buzzy restaurants Via Carota and Olmsted, previously ran a takeout and delivery iteration of Sami & Susu at Maracuja in Williamsburg and The Ten Bells here on the LES. The new edition is one part little shop, selling olive oil, spice blends and housemade items like baba ghanoush and muhammara, and one part Mediterranean restaurant, with a smattering of seats inside and out.  

Workers and tourists near Rockefeller Center have a new, very large, friend in their midst. Right outside 30 Rock, an 18-foot-tall bronze sculpture by renowned street artist KAWS stands alone. The sculpture, titled "SHARE," is actually two pieces in one — "COMPANION" and "BFF" — and is meant to convey emotions many of us have been feeling these days, according to Rockefeller Center officials. To us, the expression on "COMPANION" evokes the fear, sadness and isolation we've felt this past year and a half. But we see the smaller piece, "BFF," clutched his hand, reminding us of the comfort we seek.

It’s fairly common to encounter a pop-up exhibition or art installation in the city, but it’s not very common for an entire gallery district to pop up. That’s just what’s happening now through September 30 in the South Street Seaport with “The Magic HOUR,” a series of specially curated exhibitions throughout the area produced by artist Kamau Ware of Kamau Studios and presented by The Howard Hughes Corporation. The immersive, multi-sensory exhibitions explore the impact of COVID-19 in NYC and beyond through the works of 30 artists located in various locations.

Socrates Sculpture Park's newest exhibition is a solo show featuring Guadalupe Maravilla’s "Planeta Abuelx," rooted in ancestral and Indigenous practices of holistic healing. It expands upon the idea of Mother Earth by paying homage to our elders as not only a vulnerable group lost to COVID-19 but as keepers of curative ancestral knowledge passed down through generations.

"Retablo Billboard" first greets visitors to the park as a devotional painting made with Daniel Vilchis, a fourth-generation Mexican artist whom the artist met when retracing his migration. The painting depicts the casting process used to create the "Disease Thrower" sculptures (below), along with some of the symbolic materials that are part of the installation, including twisting gourds and ears of corn in the ancestral/medicinal garden.

"Tripa Chuca" is hard to miss—a tall sculpture paired with two separate lines on the earth that create an ephemeral ground drawing plays on a game from Maravilla's childhood called "rotting guts" where players simultaneously draw lines that never touch. The lines, which represent two individual life journeys, are located inside a circle of medicinal plants.

"Disease Throwers (#13, #14) Installation," surround "Tripa Chuca" and reflect experiences of illness and migration. The towering, totemic, twisting forms recall coral formations and are constructed primarily from recycled aluminum-cast water-expanding gel beads and stainless steel tubing. The sculptures feature two large gongs activated during sound baths and various symbolic elements, including cast fruits, vegetables, decorative dishes, and other aluminum parts relating to the artist’s personal healing journey. These two shrine-like, instrumental structures create the central element of the exhibition’s altar-space.

The previously mentioned medicinal garden is part of this installation and includes roses, tobacco and various healing plants and the Three Sisters (corn, squash, beans) that are interspaced with twisting aluminum wires installed to protect the plant beds and as a reference to sacred medicinal plants as well as the artist’s own braided hair, which was cut off as part of a ritual at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As part of the exhibition, Maravilla has been offering a series of healing sound baths via portable octagonal steel holders that secure additional gongs played by the artist and sound healers. An aluminum fire pit at the center of the installation is also utilized during sound bath activations. The next one is on August 22 and again on September 4 at 6pm. 

Don't miss out on a free comedy show with live brass music every Saturday night in Central Park (right off central Park West at West 100th Street). Music is by Brass Queens and the comedian lineup changes weekly!

Your favorite Pixar characters are coming to Battery Park's Pier A this August as part of a Pixar-themed mini-golf course pop-up! Pixar Putt will be set up at the park with 18 fun and interactive holes inspired by the stories, characters, and icons from some of Disney and Pixar's most beloved films including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, Coco, A Bug's Life, Wall-E, and Inside Out. The course will be open seven days a week, Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 8pm (last entry is 6:30pm) and on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 10pm (last entry is 8:30pm), and will take about 2 hours to get through. There will also be adult-only sessions available—Pixar Putt After Dark will take place on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to 10pm for those Pixar/Disney fans 18 and older.

Showstoppers! Spectacular Costumes From Stage and Screen is set to open August 5 and run through September 26. The unique attraction, displaying over 100 designs, will feature a 20,000-square-foot immersive set within the heart of Times Square at 234 West 42nd Street. The show aims to not only provide visitors with a behind-the-scenes stage and screen experience but also play a major role in New York’s ongoing revitalization. The large-scale offering will feature the original costumes from a number of Broadway hits, past and present, including Moulin Rouge!, The Lion King, Wicked, and Chicago. A few costumes from smash television shows and films will be in the mix, too, including pieces from Saturday Night Live and the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die.  Showstoppers! will “pull back the curtain on the hundreds of costuming experts who create, supply and care for them, and infuse much-needed vitality back into the Theatre District,” organizers behind the exhibition wrote in a press release. All proceeds will raise money for the Costume Industry Coalition Recovery Fund, which first launched last year with a goal of raising over $20,000 for out-of-work members.

So often we experience New York by train, car, and on foot, but what about by boat? Well, the South Street Seaport Museum recently revived public rides on its red-and-yellow W.O. Decker, the last tugboat ever built in New York. The historic ship, first constructed in 1930, will allow patrons to gaze at key city marvels in a new way, cruising by the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Skyline over the course of a 75-minute ride.  This marks the first time South Street Seaport is offering rides on the historic Decker since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 52-foot wooden tugboat was first built in 1930, back when industrial ships heavily dotted the East River. The ship was donated to South Street Seaport in 1986 and then added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.  The W.O. Decker will run on Saturdays through August 21, 2021. There will be three scheduled rides throughout the day, the ship leaving shore at 1:15pm, 2:45pm, and 4:15pm. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors/students, and $15 for kids, and can be purchased in advance on the museum’s website. 

Ms. Kim's, a new K-town karaoke lounge from Korean beauty entrepreneur Anna Kim, combines sophisticated style with sing-alongs. Envisioned during the pandemic, when we all just needed to belt out our frustrations, and spend some much-needed time outside of our homes with friends, Ms. Kim's offers both communal space and soundproof private karaoke rooms, so guests can customize their experience as it suits their needs. In the main lounge and bar, mixologist-approved cocktails take the place of the ubiquitous karaoke bar beer pitcher. Ingredients in the signature drinks, which start at $16, include butterfly pea flower, herbal infused syrups and top shelf spirits. Fine wine is sold by the glass or bottle, and beer is available on tap or by the bottle. For soju, the 46-proof Hwayo - 23° is available by the 375 mL bottle. Fridays will also bring live music to the bar, for those who prefer to sway to the sounds of jazz, rather than sing. To eat, Ms. Kim's offers a short menu of Japanese and Korean finger foods, like vegetable or shrimp tempura with four types of salt, three types of fried dumplings, and chicken karaage with garlic ginger soy sauce.  

An NYC icon, Lamb Chop, is returning to her roots in NYC during the International Puppet Fringe Festival this month. The native New Yorker and former star of Lamb Chop’s Play Along will return to iconic Manhattan landmarks as she makes her way to the Museum of the City of New York’s exhibition "Puppets of New York," opening August 13 in partnership with the International Puppet Fringe Festival. More than 100 iconic puppets—including Punch and Judy, Oscar the Grouch, Lamb Chop and Lion King—will be on display to celebrate the history of puppetry in NYC. The exhibition is also part of Puppet Week NYC, featuring the International Puppet Fringe Festival, the world’s largest puppet event.

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. 

Every Saturday night at 8pm, two piano men battle it out to prove who is truly the master of all 88 keys, with a playlist decided entirely by the audience. Whether you’re in the mood for Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera or current chart toppers, these pianists are up for the challenge. But they expect you to do your part by singing along, but from home. Find tickets and request songs here: bit.ly/SRRshows 

Every Tuesday night at 7pm, play Name That Tune for a chance at $50 in cash and other prizes. There's a new theme each week. Tickets are at bit.ly/SRRshows

On Wednesday nights at 7pm, try your hand at Piano Bingo, an interactive, all-request event. Every song checks a box and every game has a winner! There's $100 in prizes every week. Get your game card at bit.ly/SRRshows. 

And starting July 31, it'll have an all-request rock n' roll party at the Cellar (July 31), the Cutting Room (Aug. 7 & 21) and Burgerology (Aug. 28).

This annual summer concert series brings Broadway actors and composers to the Times Square pedestrian plazas to perform their own original music. The tradition continues this year with performers from shows like Anastasia, Company, Oklahoma, Next to Normal, SpongeBob SquarePants and many more, with Ben Cameron as their affable host. If you can't make it in person, you can watch it live on Youtube:

July 30: Austen Bohmer/Plain Austen, Ryan Scott Oliver
August 6: Sky-Pony (Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Worsham), Starbird & the Phoenix (Courtney Bassett and Andrew Swackhamer)
August 13: Dru Serkes, Christian Thompson, Jaime Cepero
August 20: Masi Asare, Joel Waggoner
August 27: Damon Duanno, Rona Siddiqui
September 3: Jen Sánchez, baby chemist
September 10: Jasmine Forsberg, Matt Doyle & Will Van Dyke
September 17: Ethan Slater, J. Robert Spencer
September 24: Christy Altomare, Jerusha Cavazos
October 1: Zack Zadek, Alice Lee, Nora Schell

The romantic and verdant rooftop atop the McKittrick Hotel, Gallow Green, has finally reopened to the public and it's just as beautiful as ever. Gallow Green, which is in full bloom right now, is open for dinner and drinks on Tuesday through Sunday evenings for those looking for a more intimate and romantic rooftop bar scene. When you're sitting under the lofty vines, hand-crafted cocktails are just an order away, including the Sleep No More (pea flower-infused vodka, elderflower, and rosé cider) and Gallow Green (bourbon, blue curaçao, citrus, and ginger), which are named after the hotel and its residents. For the summer, there is also frozé on tap, wine by the glass and bottle, local seasonal draft beers, and bottled ciders.

Get a whole new perspective on this neighborhood in a 90-minute journey that covers landmarks such as the MetLife Clock Tower, Appellate Courthouse and, of course, the Flatiron Building. Bring comfortable shoes and maybe an umbrella. Starts at 11am, rain or shine.

Governors Island has its own flea market thanks to FAD Market, which is bringing over 35 of the city's best emerging makers, designers, artists, and entrepreneurs to its shores. Taking place along the tree-lined King Avenye, nestled between historic early 20th century buildings, this idyllic market setting is steps away from Yankee Pier, where the Brooklyn ferries dock, and Liggett Terrace, where the food trucks rally. Vendor highlights include Harlem Hoopz, redefining the classic hoop with a twist; Oliver Flynn, an eco-friendly shop with the goal of reducing plastic waste with products like shampoo bars; Marco Catini Photography, black and white photography by visual storyteller, Marco Catini; Nine Leather Co., minimal and functional handcrafted leather accessories that can be personalized with your name or initials at FAD Market; Doku, hand-illustrated silk & cotton scarves and bandanas.

Putting Green, an 18-hole course on a 15,000-square-foot tiered deck on the North Williamsburg riverfront has finally opened 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. The best part? All proceeds go toward organizations combating climate change.

Start your engines for MoMA’s newest exhibition, Automania. At first glance, cars might seem like mundane, carbon-emitting fixtures of contemporary life across much of the world. They’re woven into the fabric of American life — many towns and cities are nearly impossible to traverse without a vehicle. But as much as we take cars for granted, these marvels of machinery and human ingenuity emerged through some complicated socio-political and economic conditions. Featuring vintage cars from the earliest years of automobiles, Automania unpacks the complex relationship, and dependence, between us and cars. The two-part exhibition consists of galleries on view from July 4 through January 2, 2022, and a total of nine vintage cars dotting the museum’s first floor and Sculpture Garden until October 10. The exhibition pulls its name from a 1964 Oscar-nominated cartoon by the British animation team Halas and Batchelor (most famous for their adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm).  In a press release, the MoMa pitches the ambitious show as examining “the car as a modern industrial product, transportation innovator, and style icon, as well as the generator of fatalities, traffic-choked environments, and ecological disaster in the oil age.” And, at the end of the day, the younger ones are sure to be impressed by all the cool cars.

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. Opened by Backal Hospitality Group (BHG), 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.

Head to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2 to skate with a beautiful view of the city. While the roller rink is used by a hockey league twice a week, it is open for public skates most days in the summertime for just $6. It's free on Mondays and Fridays between 3:30 and 6pm. Skate rentals are just $7. If you're looking for some themed fun, the rink is hosting a 1980s throwback skate, a boy band night, and a Pride skate this year. 

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!

Families with bored kids eager to get creative and messy have a new outlet for expression in Manhattan. CAMP, the experiential retailer known for its kid-friendly shops, is opening its newest NYC location, July 1 at The Shops at Columbus Circle. CAMP's newest story will be themed Art Camp, focusing on the visual arts with experience and merchandise. Art CAMP will be a two-floor interactive experience for families with kids of all ages. Interactive art experiences throughout the space, are designed to allow kids to explore from room to room and discover colorful, creative, expressive activities, while parents shop (or just enjoy a paint-heavy experience away from their own walls). The Splatter Room will allow kids to create their own Jackson Pollock-inspired masterpieces (and CAMP is only blocks from MoMA, should parents want to turn this into a somewhat educational experience). A Slime Lab will teach new slime skills and help kids create take-home slimes in special varieties like Glow in the Dark and Rainbow. And, because this is camp, tie-dye will also be available.   Just like every other CAMP location, Art Camp includes a canteen and a theatre for performances and workshops for kids ages 2-12 and their parents. 

One of the last of its kind, this ten-act extravaganza of human oddities aims to satisfy nostalgic and progressive temperaments alike. Finally returning after a year of closure, the iconic spectacle adds a footnote to the controversial freak-show conversation by celebrating the talents of those “born different.” The lineup includes contortionists, sword swallowers, fire eaters and escape artists.

Lovers of ethnic foods, rejoice: New York's renowned Queens Night Market is officially coming back on June 19, running every Saturday through October 30. As usual, vendors of all sorts will take over Flushing Meadows Corona Park, serving everything from Indian tandoori kebabs to Bengali fuska, Hong Kongese soy sauce noodles and Puerto Rican papas rellenos. There will still be a $5-$6 price cap on food orders, to make sure you get to eat all that's available without breaking your wallet, plus beer and wine on offer for purchase. In terms of music, you can expect live gigs to capture your attention as well. 

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. Created by multimedia entertainment company Moment Factory in partnership with hospitality brand Cipriani, SuperReal first opened in the summer of 2019. It aims to transport visitors through dreamlike scenes in its gorgeous hall. 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.

The murder-mystery dinner-theater event enters its umpteenth year of comedy, Mafia intrigue and lotsa pasta. The show’s producers assure us: It’s the most fun you’ll ever have getting whacked.

The speedboat-thrill ride The Beast, which takes people on a rollicking jaunt down the Hudson River while doing figure eights and doughnuts, is now selling tickets for the summer. You might've seen it tearing down the river in summers past—it would be hard to miss since it is New York’s only jet-powered speedboat attraction that goes about 45 mph to party music. The Beast’s route takes guests from Pier 83 to the Statue of Liberty and back again with splash-filled action all the way. The crew also gives some narrative and historical information while speeding down the river. The video trailer for the attraction is sheer perfection and shows how much like a roller coaster it is when it tops out at 45 mph and makes a sharp turn in the water. After all, it has 1400 BHP-horsepower with two ZF 3000 marine gears powered by twin Hamilton Jets.

2021 is shaping up to be the Summer of Van Gogh (but in a fun way) with not just one, but two separate immersive Van Gogh experiences. In addition to Immersive Van Gogh, tickets are also currently on sale for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. The experience fills a 20,000-square-foot space with mesmerizing lights, captivating music and, of course, detailed projections of the works of one of the world’s most famous artists that completely surround you as if a witch has trapped you in a painting. In addition to those eye-catching floor-to-ceiling projections, the experience also includes separate galleries providing more information on Van Gogh’s life, his technique and his influence—making this not just an insta-ready outing but an educational one as well. (It goes without saying that it would be a perfect thing to bring your kids to!) An on-site, ten-minute-long virtual reality experience takes you on a journey of “a day in the life of the artist.”

Greenpoint Terminal is playing host to a new outdoor dance party every Sunday at 2pm called Hot Honey Sundays. Resident DJs @deo.Jorge, @jkriv, and @anna_collecta will provide tunes for dancers starting at 2pm. The events are BYOB but food can be found at Greenpoint Terminal. The best part? You'll have sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline as you dance. Organizers say there will be enough space to safely get down on the dance floor. 

"It’s a safe space where people can get back together, share their passion for good music, dance away, get weird, feel sexy, enjoy the sunset, spread love, and celebrate life above all."

The city's coming back in all of its glory, as new exciting things to do are popping up across all boroughs each day. Today's announcement: free kayaking sessions at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. Now through the end of August, folks can grab a kayak on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and a take a spin on the water from Pier 2. Additional information to keep in mind: novices and experts alike are welcome on the water and will all be looked after by safety boaters wearing red vests.

After a 15-month-long shutdown, this Upper West Side year-round bazaar is officially coming back on June 6. Although usually operating both indoors and outdoors, the market will, for now, only take over an open-air space on Sundays between 10am and 5:30pm. Grand Bazaar is one of NYC’s oldest and largest marketplaces, where you can buy vintage, antiques and more goodies from more than 100 local merchants, with photographers, jewelers and furniture designers selling their best. In addition, the weekly mainstay hosts a series of special events around the holidays, which we hope to be able to enjoy this year as well. 

The insanely '60s-chic TWA Hotel is bringing the joy of roller skating to the tarmac this summer with Roll-A-Rama. The Runway Rink, which is a 44-by-56-foot outdoor rink around the hotel's 1958 Lockheed Constellation "Connie" airplane, will be open every weekend (weather permitting) for skaters ready to celebrate the city's reopening. Just don your tube socks and headbands to glide around the tarmac to disco and other oldies. One 50-minute skate session is just $20 per adult and $16 per child (under 12) with skate rentals included. Head over on Fridays from 4-8pm or on Saturday or Sunday from noon to 8pm to get your roll on. Since capacity is limited, tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be purchased with a credit card.

It’s finally outdoor eating and drinking season in New York City, and rooftop restaurants and bars citywide are throwing open their doors for the occasion. So, too, is Smorgasburg, with a brand new spot in Jersey City set to launch on May 29, and the World Trade Center location returning on Friday, May 21.  Smorgasburg is best known for its locations on the Williamsburg waterfront and in Prospect Park, and we expect details on those venues soon. For now, Here’s a little more about what Smorgasburg 2021 has on deck...

The Market by Brooklyn Pop-Up will be at The Brooklyn Museum each week featuring over 30 vendors selling contemporary fashion, jewelry, beauty, home decor, artisanal distillers, apothecary goods, food and more.

One of the best rooftop bars in Manhattan is back with a totally new menu of vibrant cocktails and bites. Jimmy, which sits on the 18th floor of the brand new ModernHaus SoHo hotel on Thompson Street, has totally unobstructed views of the city skyline, and once its pool opens this summer, it'll be the perfect hangout spot. To celebrate reopening and its 10th anniversary, Johnny Swet, Jimmy's master mixologist and partner has concocted exciting new cocktails like The Mexican Honey Bee, Sazerac Tonic, Marmaduke, Lavender Lemonade and Strawberry Moscow Mule, and frozen options, like the Boozy Watermelon Frosé. Yes, please! 

This beloved destination is now official open for the season, set to feature around 20 food vendors each Saturday from NOON to 7pm through November. Among the rotating lineup of vendors are San Antonio's Wood Fired Pizza, Downeast Lobstah, La Braza, Osicala NYC, Sechebel Catering Co. and Sweet and Salty Empanads. Dessert-wise, visitors can indulge in Island Love Cake's aged-rum cakes, Dre's Water Ice and Ice Cream Southern-style treats and baked goods from Sweet Obsessions, among others. As is now the standard across the world, COVID-19 safety measures are in place. Attendees are required to social distance and wear masks throughout the open space, of course. You'll also need a ticket to get in (which you can get right here) but, worry not, it's all completely free.

A lush, tropical oasis awaits you in Soho at Gitano's Garden of Love. The Garden of Love brings back its massive Mezcal bar with views of the Freedom Tower and the downtown NYC skyline and gorgeous greenery that will make you feel transported to Tulum, Mexico. Now in its fourth summer, the bar and restaurant will again span the same 24,000-square-foot city block with 30-foot palm trees, tropical plants, twin pergola dining decks, an open fire kitchen and a reflecting/meditation pond. Guests will get to enjoy the space with a stream of gypsy-disco music, entertainment and art. Executive Chef Antonio Maldonaldo's menu this year includes Mezcal-focused cocktails and modern Mexican dishes cooked in a wood-burning oven and open-fire grill, including the tuna tostada, truffle tlayuda, grilled chicken pastor, watermelon salad and more. Preview reservations are open now at sevenrooms.com.

The North River Lobster Company is back open and offering trips on its three-story yacht and a summery menu by executive chef Gil Martinez that includes mouth-watering lobster rolls and an indulgent raw bar. The "Shelly" (for a cool $99) is New York City’s biggest lobster roll at over two feet long. Of course, it's meant to be shared — it's packed with Atlantic lobster, Old Bay mayo, celery, lemon zest, and lettuce all set on a giant 28-inch potato roll. If sharing isn't in the game plan, you can order the Double Truffle Roll ($29.95) that features truffle-mayo drenched lobster or the Lower East Side Roll ($23.50) packed with chunks of fresh lobster mixed with scallion cream cheese, red onions, chives and everything seasoning on an everything potato roll. If you want to forego the bread, a full lobster dinner ($42) comes with a 1¼ lb lobster, corn, potatoes and coleslaw. You'll be able to wash it all down with a refreshing Watermelon Mule, the Frozé! Frozé! Frozé, the Lifesaver with Ketel Botanical Peach and Orange Blossom Vodka, Triple Sec, orange and grenadine or a crisp margarita or sangria — all come in a standard 12-ounce serving ($15), a 24-ounce keepsake illuminated Lighthouse cup ($25), or a 64-ounce pitcher ($55). You can also order buckets of ice-cold beer, cider and hard seltzer, too.

Broadway is still closed, but its stars are clearly ready to take on the spotlight once more—and they're doing so in super-creative ways. Take violinist Suzy Perelman, a Broadway veteran who has played in shows like Phantom of the Opera, Cats and My Fair Lady: the musical guru joined forces with Broadway pianist Christian Regul to lead impromptu one-hour-long concerts from her very own courtyard at 149 West 85th Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. How cool is that? The first al fresco musical event, which also delightfully featured a hula-hoop, happened earlier this month. Since then, the duo has set up an Instagram account (@concertsinthecourtyard) to alert the public of their upcoming performances and post footage from each one.

Have you ever wanted to dress up like a character from Xanadu, The Great Gatsby or Donna Summer and dance and skate with other like-minded people? Join the insanity at Coney Island icon Lola Star’s infamous roller disco at Lakeside Prospect Park, where you need to unleash your inner Roller Blade vixen to keep up with the crowd. Costumes are highly encouraged at this kitschy and mostly adults-only roller-skate dance party, so be sure to dress to dazzle your fellow skaters. Make sure to check dreamlandrollerink.com for the full schedule so that you know what costume to wear! 

Head over to Q.E.D. Astoria for stand-up each Friday night with the Transplants Comedy Show. As the name suggests, the comedians on stage are not originally from New York City, so they'll be telling jokes and stories about NYC and their hometowns. Hear from comics like Leclerc Andre (from D.C.), Mike Feeney (Long Island), Reggie Conquest (West Philly), Lindsay Theisen (South Carolina), Katie Boyle (Ireland), Pedro Gonzalez (Colombia) and Usama Siddiquee (Canada).

Like something out of a 1950s horror film, six giant red tentacles are reaching into the sky above the Coney Island boardwalk. Luckily for us, it's part of a massive poster advertising the New York Aquarium's new "Spineless" exhibit about the world of invertebrates including octopuses, squid, sea anemones, jellyfish, and other sea animals that lack backbones. The huge poster stretches across a portion of the aquarium's education building and features a massive octopus with eight tentacles with the upper half of six of them continuing into the air as inflatable arms. "Spineless" opened in August 2020 and highlights the ocean’s invertebrates by giving visitors a close-up view of the big-brained giant—a Giant Pacific Octopus—in a pop-up bubble within the animal’s habitat and pulsing jellyfish in three habitats. More than 20 species of animals including squid, cuttlefish, lobsters, crabs, sea anemones, sponges are on view.

This adults-only painting party experience in West Harlem and the Lower East Side is opening its outdoor spaces again! Pick up a paint brush with cocktail in hand (like the Picasso Punch or the Sistine Apple) and create your own masterpiece. If you're hungry, no worries, Paint 'N Pour also has small plates (shrimp po’boy sliders, orange bbq henny wings, cauliflower bites, bacon egg and cheese sliders, french toast and chicken 'n waffle sliders). Tickets are $50 and include all art supplies and a 2-hour open bar. 

Celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's expansive 2021 exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden is finally opening this weekend with outdoor installations across the garden's 250-acre landscape. Four of the projects will be making their NYC debut, the most exciting of which will surely be Infinity Mirrored Room—Illusion Inside the Heart, which will be housed in a cube-shaped structure located out in the open. Featuring mirrored sides, the exterior of the piece will reflect the changing skies while the interior will glow with a seemingly endless array of colored lights. To avoid long lines, timed tickets will be issued to get in. Elsewhere, there will be an interactive greenhouse installation, in which visitors will be invited apply stickers picturing coral-colored blossoms throughout the interior—thus taking part in one of Kusama’s signature "obliteration" pieces. Also on view will be two new outdoor monumental sculptures, the self-explanatory Dancing Pumpkin and a 13-foot high biomorphic form featuring a polka-dotted face called I Want to Fly to the Universe.  The NYBG itself will chime in with special flower bed plantings patterned on Kusama’s paintings and an allée of trees wrapped in polka-dotted fabric.

The Rubin Museum of Art's newest exhibit invites you to unplug and free your mind through Tibetan Buddhist art, including 35 traditional objects, including 14 from the Rubin Museum’s collection, with two contemporary works by Nepal-born, Tibetan American artist Tsherin Sherpa. "Awaken" features works from the 7th and 21st centuries including stone, wood, and metal sculptures, traditional Tibetan hanging scroll paintings, illuminated manuscript pages and vibrant contemporary pieces. Through these, the exhibition introduces the central teachings of Tibetan Buddhism as visitors "progress through 10 milestones on the journey from the chaos of ordinary life to the awakened states of awareness." 

Your eyes will feast on the bold colors, varied textures and patterns that call your attention in this exhibit of Hassan Hajjaj’s photography. The immersive exhibit showcases five series Hajjaj developed over three decades that captures popular culture, street style, hip-hop and haute couture—all of which challenges the viewer through an eclectic confrontation of styles, and invites them to re-examine cultural stereotypes and cliches, Fotografiska says. Hajjaj asked local women to pose wearing his creations (traditional Moroccan djellabas, hijabs, caftans and babouches covered with candy-colored polka dots, leopard prints or counterfeit brand logos) in the streets of the Medina, often parodying the poses typical of
Western models. The title "VOGUE, The Arab Issue" has a double meaning—“issue” refers not only to a copy of the monthly magazine but also to an important topic or problem for debate or discussion, one he also probes in his video Naabz and the series "Hijabs and Handpainted
Portraits."

“Geometric Properties: An Immersive Audio-Visual Journey Through Fractal Dimensions,” is the first solo exhibition of Dutch artist Julius Horsthuis’ work to come to NYC. Previously, his work has been featured in Manchester by the Sea and through collaborations with musical artists like ODESZA, Meshuggah and Birds of Paradise. He uses fractals to create alternate science fiction-like realities using visual art and motion graphics, and they are a real trip, to say the least. The digital art destination on Manhattan’s west side (it’s literally located in Chelsea Market’s former boiler room) is opening the new show on March 1, and it will be on view through September 6. If you want to stop by and check out the endless geometric iterations and fractional dimensions for yourself—you frickin' fractal freak you—tickets cost $24 for adults and $17 for children. (Pro tip: New York and New Jersey residents receive a $5 discount on tickets on weekdays.)