Mark Peikert

Getting seats to the best Broadway shows usually requires quite a bit of advance planning. But what if you haven't planned, and you urgently need to see a show tomorrow or even tonight? Don't panic: There are plenty of options for last-minute tickets, especially if you’re willing to put in some legwork. It partly depends on what you're willing to pay and how much risk you're willing to take—and, of course, on plain old luck. If everything goes your way, you might even luck into cheap Broadway tickets, great seats or a chance to see hit shows that you would never have been able to get into earlier. Here is our insider guide to buying last-minute Broadway tickets. The day before the show: Enter the digital lottery Many Broadway shows—including Aladdin, The Book of Mormon and Hadestown—conduct digital lotteries for cheap tickets on the day before each performance. In most cases, you enter the lottery online, then wait until later the same day to find out by email if you've won; if you do, you'll need to reply to the ticket offer within an hour or you'll lose your chance. A few shows, such as Wicked, do their drawings on the morning of the show itself; others have drawings once a week, notably the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child $40 ticket lottery and the $10 Hamilton lottery, both of which happen on Fridays and cover the week ahead. For a full list of shows that offer lotteries, consult Broadway on a Budget or Playbill's Broadway and Off Broadway listings. The morning of the s

Attention proud nerds: Anime After Dark is about to tip nerd culture into a deliriously playful burlesque fantasia at The Slipper Room. Expect a high-gloss collision of cosplay and cabaret as performers bring JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Spy x Family, Pokémon, Cowboy Bebop, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Ghost in the Shell and Sailor Moon to life with wit, heat, and precision. Featuring Lychee Mynx, Happy Bun Bun, Storm Psycho 6, Mae B. Koi and more. 

Tap your toes and enjoy the music at the 15th Annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, with performances running from June 1 through July 1. The festival pops up at major venues across NYC, including Sony Hall, Blue Note Jazz Club and SummerStage in Central Park. This year's performances include Ledisi, Durand Bernarr, Big Freedia, UMI, Bestin Conrad, Shabaka Hutchins, Kokoroko, Cymande, Take 6, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jose James, BLK ODYSSY Louie Vega: Elements of Life and more. Here's the full lineup with ticketing info. 

The Sierra Club has organized this inaugural Earth Day concert, dubbed Sierra Sessions. Hosted by KCRW DJ Novena Carmel, the night will feature performances by eco-conscious songwriters and storytellers, including Hurray for the Riff Raff, Irene Diaz, Dr. Lyla June, Rising Appalachia, Rozzi and more. Each artist will perform a few songs in the intimacy of Village Studios and share reflections on nature and life on Earth. If you can’t make it in person, the concert will be streamed on YouTube on Earth Day, when the various chapters of the Sierra Club will also host watch parties. If you can make it to the show, stick around afterward for an after-party.

Erstwhile podcast host and comic about town Marc Maron has been branching out into live music lately. He’ll bring both the laughs and the melodies with his Marc Maron Band for one night only this April 13 at Lodge Room. Joining him on the bill will be special guest comedians Blair Socci and Lara Beitz. 

Whether you’re excited about or terrified by artificial intelligence, it seems to be here to stay. Creatives can learn how to work with AI at RenderCon—which offers a deep dive into the future of media, art and technology as it relates to AI. Hosted by the Render Network, the conference hosts artists—including L.A.-based Refik Anadol, the mind behind soon-to-open Dataland—developers and industry leaders for two days of talks, panels and hands-on workshops focused on real-world AI production workflows. Expect practical insights, demos of cutting-edge new tools and networking opportunities.

It would be nearly impossible (or at the very least, incredibly time-consuming) to visit all of the restaurants in the Lower East Side. Luckily, Taste of the Lower East Side brings all of our favorites together in one place, and they are doing it all for charity. On Wednesday, April 29, dozens of the neighborhood's best restaurants, bars and small businesses are coming together to serve the best food and drinks in town. Pile up a plate with bites and drinks from Beauty & Essex, Freemans, Mia's Cocina and more. It is all going down at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues). Tickets range from $300 for general admission and up, with proceeds going to  Grand St. Settlement.

Immerse yourself in the cultural delights of the Jewish, Chinese and Puerto Rican communities of Chinatown and the Lower East Side at the 25th annual block party on June 21. While performers and klezmer bands take the outdoor stage, you can catch free language lessons, master your mah-jongg game, and, best of all, learn how to prepare empanadas, Chinese dumplings and kreplach and challah bread. Endless grub will be available for sale, and since this is the first time in 15 years the fest won't receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, your support means more than ever.

Timed to the United States’ 250th anniversary, the American Folk Art Museum's Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States exhibition explores how vernacular art has shaped national identity. Using the museum’s collection, the show delves into the meanings of “folk,” “nation” and “patriotism” at the 2 Lincoln Square gallery. It offers a thought-provoking look at who is represented in American stories and how those stories change. The show runs April 10–September 13, then reopens October 8 and runs through February 28, 2027.

Feast your eyes upon the best selection of contemporary and vintage jewelry designers at the NYC Spring Jewelry and Object Show. Held from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea (125 W. 18th St.), the showcase provides a platform for jewelry collectors and enthusiasts to buy and check out unique and historic jewelry pieces all in one place.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of MoMA PS1 with a free Block Party on Saturday, April 18. Running from 10am until 6pm at the Queens location, the event will feature artists, musicians and local companies coming together to party across the plaza, courtyard, and galleries in honor of five decades of modern art. The event is free, but "A Mural Workshop with Lady Pink" and "Red Canary Song Presents Fly in Power" require additional RSVPs.

The Met Gala? In this economy? The Debt Gala provides an inclusive alternative to the Met's annual satorial spectacle—all to raise money for Americans in medical debt.  The annual Debt Gala comes to Williamsburg's Music Hall on Sunday, May 3, with the theme "Body of Werrrk." The tongue-in-cheek event swaps formality for fun, reshaping the traditional gala experience into an open celebration for all. The theme is meant to encourage guests to design fashionable riffs on the human form.  In addition to throwing a great party, the event also centers economic justice and the struggle to afford rising costs of care. In its first two years, the Debt Gala has helped eliminate over $4 million in medical debt for struggling families. This year, proceeds from the Debt Gala will support Undue Medical Debt and Point of Pride. The red carpet begins at 4pm, followed by a 6pm show and an 8pm dance party. 

Step into the atmospheric Crypt of the Cathedral at St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave.) for Music in the Crypt, a hauntingly intimate concert from Grammy-winning Experiential Orchestra led by James Blachly. The program, shaped by the space’s resonant acoustics, features works by Franz Schreker, Caroline Shaw and Beethoven. Performances are scheduled for 7:30pm on April 10, and at 5pm and 7:30pm on April 11.

Los Angeles has never been shy about its burger credentials. After all, In-N-Out is practically a religion here. But now the city has something new to brag about: six local restaurants landed on the newly released World's 101 Best Burger Places list, a global ranking that evaluated burger destinations from London to Tokyo to Sydney. Leading the pack is Amboy Quality Meats, which ranked an impressive No. 9 worldwide, making it the highest-ranked burger spot in Los Angeles. The Chinatown favorite joins an elite group that includes celebrated burger destinations in London, Copenhagen, Hong Kong and New York. Not far behind is Arts District restaurant Camphor at No. 15. The Michelin-starred French-Indian restaurant has earned a devoted following for a burger that many Angelenos have long considered among the city's finest, an opinion that now has international consensus. The rest of L.A.'s showing demonstrates just how broad the city's burger scene has become. Petit Trois landed at No. 32, Hermon's at No. 70, Simonette in Culver City at No. 99 and HiHo Cheeseburger rounded out the list at No. 101. The ranking was created by the team behind the World's 101 Best Burger Places project, which says its judges evaluate more than 1,500 burgers annually and consider factors ranging from meat quality and cooking technique to consistency and guest experience. "​​We look beyond reputation alone. What matters is the complete picture: the quality and provenance of the meat, the skill behind t

One of Hollywood's most intriguing hidden restaurants is getting a guest chef takeover. From June 25 through 28, Rokusho, the intimate Japanese restaurant off Sunset Boulevard, will host Chef Joseph Geiskopf for a four-night residency showcasing the chef's traveling culinary concept, On'ry. RECOMMENDED: JPL’s open house is finally coming back again. Here’s how to get free tickets to the NASA tradition. If Geiskopf's résumé sounds familiar, that's because it reads like a greatest-hits list of modern fine dining. Before launching On'ry, he worked in the kitchens of The French Laundry, Noma, Red Medicine and Californios. His nomadic dining project allows him to collaborate with restaurants around the country, creating limited-run menus built around seasonal ingredients and local partnerships. For this Hollywood stop, Geiskopf will present a special menu available exclusively during the residency, giving diners a chance to experience dishes that won't be offered once the collaboration ends. Highlights include local tuna served with heirloom tomato, dashi granita, scallion and shiso; Hokkaido scallop paired with lychee, wild turnip and citrus fern; and smoked bone marrow takoyaki topped with bonito, ORRA Ossetra caviar, maple and crème fraîche. Dessert comes in the form of silken almond tofu with clementine granita, hand-pressed olive oil and citrus fern. The residency also offers an early look at Rokusho's upcoming beverage program. Head mixologist Joe Honda, whose Tokyo-influenc

An intergalactic dance party is landing in Tribeca this fall. From September 10 through October 18, The Flea will transform its theater into the Stardust Club for Beyond the Stardust, a new immersive nightlife experience that blends live music, performance art, theater and a healthy dose of cosmic escapism. Conceived by The Illustrious Blacks and Niegel Smith, the 60-minute production promises an "Afro-disco-space-punk spectacle" complete with original music, aerialists, dancers, go-go performers and a dance floor where audiences become part of the experience. The premise is delightfully bonkers, according to a press release: "New York City. Tonight. The Stardust Club at The Flea is electric with the spirit of intergalactic royalty who've come here to...well...to put it simply, honey, shake off all that shit going down and stay in the groove." The show features 12 original songs created by The Illustrious Blacks in collaboration with composer W. Andrew Raposo. The duo—partners Monstah and Black!—have spent years building a devoted following with performances that fuse DJ sets, live vocals, avant-garde fashion and choreography into something that feels equally at home at a nightclub, an art installation and a concert venue. For Beyond the Stardust, that aesthetic expands into a fully immersive environment with multiple stages, a bar, a glam station and plenty of opportunities for audience interaction. Think less traditional theater and more futuristic nightclub fantasia. Niege

If you've ever fallen down an Instagram rabbit hole of online furniture and suddenly found yourself redesigning your entire living room, there's good news: one of the Internet's fastest-growing furniture brands is headed to Chicago. Cozey, the Canadian direct-to-consumer furniture company known for its modular couches, washable rugs and easy-to-assemble home furnishings, will open a new retail pop-up in the Gold Coast on June 18. The temporary storefront marks the brand's first move into the Midwest and follows recent expansion efforts in Los Angeles and Australia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cozey (@cozey) Located at 901 N. Rush Street, the 5,345-square-foot space will give Chicagoans a chance to test-drive some of Cozey's most popular products in person, a huge opportunity from a company that built much of its reputation online. The showroom will feature the brand's signature modular seating collections, along with its newer bed system, storage solutions, rugs and other home essentials.  For shoppers who have hesitated to order a sofa sight unseen, that's kind of the point. "As with all our locations, we follow where the demand is," Cozey founder and CEO Frédéric Aubé said in a statement announcing the opening. To celebrate, the June 18 opening day will serve as a community drop-in party from 4pm–8pm, featuring live jazz, food and drinks, a photo booth and gift bags for guests (at least while supplies last). The pop-up arrives at a time wh

One of Downtown L.A.'s most recognizable hotels has a new name, a new look and an ambitious new mission. And Angelenos now have a new place to hang out and work. Photograph: Courtesy STILESTILE DTLA The former Ace Hotel, housed inside the historic United Artists building on Broadway, has officially reopened as STILE DTLA following a sweeping renovation that touches practically every corner of the nearly century-old landmark. The project marks the first U.S. property for South Korea-based hospitality company Aju Continuum and introduces a fresh vision for what a Downtown hotel can be. RECOMMENDED: Everything you *actually* need to know about the 2026 World Cup in L.A. Photograph: Courtesy STILESTILE DTLA Built in 1927, the Spanish Gothic tower has long been one of the architectural anchors of the Broadway Theater District. While the building's historic bones remain intact, Los Angeles design firm Design, Bitches has transformed the interiors with an industrial-modern aesthetic inspired by the city's creative culture. The result is less a traditional hotel and more of a hybrid clubhouse, workspace and cultural hub. Photograph: Courtesy STILESTILE DTLA All 182 guest rooms have been redesigned with upgraded bathrooms and improved layouts. Guests can expect a few unexpected touches, including a cassette library, Walkman listening program, Korean-made bath products, Copper Cow Coffee and Harney & Sons tea. The biggest changes, however, occurred outside the rooms. Photograph:

No surprise to any of us who eat in the state on a regular basis, but California dominated the food world's biggest night on June 15, with chefs and restaurants from Los Angeles, San Francisco and beyond taking home some of the most coveted honors at the 2026 James Beard Awards. RECOMMENDED: These four L.A. restaurants were just named some of the best in North America On the national stage, San Francisco chef Michael Tusk of Quince captured the night's Outstanding Chef award, one of the foundation's highest individual honors. And L.A.'s Providence, Michael Cimarusti's acclaimed seafood restaurant in Hollywood, won Outstanding Hospitality.  The headline local win went to chef Dave Beran of Santa Monica's Seline, who was named Best Chef: California. Beran's intimate tasting-menu restaurant has become one of Southern California's most celebrated dining destinations, and the award cements his status as one of the state's most influential culinary talents. Los Angeles restaurants also took home the prize in several major categories. Kato earned a second consecutive James Beard Award, for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, after winning Best Chef: California last year. And Kevin Diedrich took home Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service for San Francisco's Pacific Cocktail Haven. In non-competition honors, No Us Without You LA founders Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco were named Humanitarians of the Year for their ongoing work supporting undocumented restaurant workers

You don't need a ticket to a World Cup match to get in on the action this summer. A free FIFA Arena soccer field has quietly opened inside Central Park, giving New Yorkers a chance to play on a dedicated World Cup-themed pitch through July 18. Installed in the parking lot near Tavern on the Green, the temporary small-sided field is open to players of all ages and skill levels, and best of all, it won't cost you a dime. RECOMMENDED: Time Out Market New York, Brooklyn is transforming into an immersive “Portugal House” fan experience for the FIFA World Cup 2026 The FIFA Arena is part of the city's broader World Cup celebration and arrives just as soccer fever sweeps New York ahead of the tournament's biggest matches at MetLife Stadium. Unlike many World Cup events that require reservations or tickets, the Central Park pitch is completely free and generally operates on a drop-in basis. The field is open daily through July 18, with two sessions each day: 10am to 2pm and 4pm to 8pm. Most days are dedicated to open play, allowing visitors to jump into pickup games or kick a ball around with friends. Several special events are also scheduled throughout the activation, including a Youth Skills Academy for kids ages 6 to 14 on June 20 from 10am to 2pm, a Neighborhood Cup community tournament on June 27 from 4pm to 8pm, a Soccer in Schools educator event on July 8 from 6pm to 8pm and the U.S. Soccer Girls Summit on July 11 from 10am to 2pm. The installation wraps up with a closing celeb

A year ago, Time Out New York gave The William Vale a five-star review and dubbed it "effortlessly cool." Now, we've ranked it as the top hotel in all of Williamsburg because things have only gotten better since then. RECOMMENDED: The 8 best hotels in Williamsburg for 2026 Over the last 12 months, the 23-story William Vale has become one of Brooklyn's defining hotels, and not just because of its sweeping skyline views. Although, according to Time Out's ranking, those views are the property's defining feature, visible from nearly everywhere in the building, particularly from each and every guest room, all of which come with private balconies. The hotel's appeal extends well beyond the view, though. The rooftop bar Westlight remains one of the city's most sought-after cocktail destinations, while the outdoor Vale Pool continues to draw both visitors and locals during the warmer months. Guests can also take advantage of multiple dining options, a fitness center and easy access to some of Williamsburg's best shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Time Out's editors praised the property's combination of design, amenities and location, noting that it manages to feel like a resort while remaining firmly connected to the energy of the neighborhood. The recognition comes as Williamsburg continues to evolve from an artists' enclave to the hipster capital to, now, one of New York City's premier destinations for visitors. And concurrently, the neighborhood's hotel scene has grown increasin

Rosie O'Donnell is coming home, and she has a lot to talk about. The comedian, actor and former daytime-TV powerhouse will bring her new solo show, Rosie O'Donnell: Common Knowledge, to Off Broadway's Daryl Roth Theatre for a limited 12-performance run beginning July 22. The engagement follows sold-out runs at Dublin's Olympia Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where the deeply personal show earned enthusiastic audiences and strong word-of-mouth. RECOMMENDED: Gazillion Bubble Show is closing after 19 eye-popping years For New Yorkers, the hour-long production marks O'Donnell's first new stage show in nearly a decade. It also arrives at a particularly eventful moment in the Emmy winner's life. Written after her move to Ireland, Common Knowledge finds O'Donnell reflecting on everything from her Long Island childhood and the death of her mother to parenthood, politics and the realities of starting over in a new country. According to the show's description, O'Donnell mixes sharp comedy with candid storytelling, examining what it means to leave the United States, adapt to life in Dublin and raise her youngest child, Clay, while continuing to learn from them along the way. The result is more intimate conversation than stand-up, delivered by someone who's spent decades in the public eye. "I'm thrilled to be performing in my hometown," O'Donnell said in a statement. "There's no place like New York." After all, few entertainers are as closely associated with New York as O'Donn

The most extraordinary thing about Smorgasburg LA is not that it turns 10 on June 21. It's that the free parking there isn't the first thing an Angeleno brings up about the weekly food market. That’s how good the food on hand is every week. That should come as no surprise to longtime visitors, who have seen everything from Tacos 1986 to Bridgetown Roti to Broad Street Oyster graduate from a parking lot food stand to a brick-and-mortar location over the last decade. Not to mention now-beloved L.A. staple Holy Basil, whose chef Deau Arpapornnopparat was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef. “Smorgasburg was such a great starting place for us,” Arpapornnopparat tells Time Out over email. “We began with The Base and were able to kind of test out what worked and what didn’t. During COVID, we expanded and evolved with Holy Basil and were eventually able to open up our brick and mortar location in downtown.” Photograph: Courtesy Smorgasburg LASmorgasburg LA People always claim that Los Angeles is a city without a past, that old canard from urban geographer Michael Dear that has been repeated so often over the last 30 years that it’s now accepted wisdom. Never mind that one can go to Musso and Frank and sit in Charlie Chaplin’s booth, or go to the Egyptian Theater to catch a movie the way Angelenos did 100 years ago. And while a decade pales in comparison to much of what L.A. in general and downtown in particular can offer, the landmark anniversary is especially impressive considering

Yes, chef: New Yorkers are about to get a chance to experience high stress and fine dining with an immersive, one-night-only pop-up inspired by The Bear. Ahead of the June 25 premiere of the fifth and final season of FX's hit restaurant drama, Just Bare is bringing Chef's Edit to Manhattan's Meatpacking District. The dinner experience will take over Meatpacking Collective on June 18 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, offering fans a chance to step into a version of the series' chaotic, emotionally charged culinary universe. RECOMMENDED: The final season of FX’s ‘The Bear’ premieres on June 25 The event aims to recreate the atmosphere of the show's fictional restaurant, complete with nods to some of its most memorable locations. Guests will begin the evening with a walk-in refrigerator photo opportunity before moving into an open-kitchen dining experience. The centerpiece of the evening will be a five-course tasting menu created by Courtney Storer, the chef and culinary producer behind the show's famously meticulous food scenes. Each course will be inspired by a different character from the series, with Just Bare chicken featured throughout the menu. Storer will also be on hand during dinner to guide guests through each dish and share insights into the culinary techniques, character inspirations and behind-the-scenes food storytelling that helped make the show's kitchen feel so authentic. Reservations are now open at Eventbrite, but this is expected to sell out fast. The timing couldn't

Tripadvisor just revealed the best hotels in America for 2026 and the top pick isn't in New York or Los Angeles or, frankly, anywhere you've likely traveled. If you're planning a vacation this year and looking for inspiration, Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotels rankings has plenty of suggestions. Highlighting the highest-rated stays across the country based on reviews from millions of travelers, the top 10 list is predominantly a where's that of America. RECOMMENDED: Colorado and Utah named among the most exciting destinations for summer travel The rankings are based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews posted throughout 2025. Tripadvisor notes that fewer than 1 percent of its roughly 8 million listings worldwide earn the "Best of the Best" distinction, making the list one of the platform's most selective annual awards. Topping the list for 2026 is the FivePine Lodge and Spa in Sisters, Oregon. According to Tripadvisor, the property stood out for its peaceful vibes, rustic cabins and spacious main lodge. Visitors can also enjoy free breakfast, nightly happy hour and an on-site spa as well as a microbrewery.  That top choice is indicative of travelers favoring smaller destinations. While New York City and Miami Beach both made the top 10, the list is mainly focused on charming small towns and historic districts. Oregon, in particular, had an impressive year, landing two properties in the top three. In addition to FivePine Lodge & Spa, the Atti