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

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.

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.

A Current Affair returns to Brooklyn with 70 premier vintage retailers on April 11 and April 12, offering thrifters access to some of the best deals around, not to mention rare and collectible designer vintage. Come out to the Industry City location in Brooklyn at 51 34th St. on Saturday and Sunday, and browse clothes, bags, accessories, jewelry and more. General admission is $21.88, but early-bird and weekend passes are also available at higher price points.

Celebrate sustainability in action at the Earth Day 2026 Festival, a free gathering from noon to 6pm in Union Square. Expect a full afternoon of climate-focused, family-friendly programming, including interactive workshops, live performances, "climate art" and activities. Dozens of environmental nonprofits and green businesses will be on hand, alongside sustainable food vendors, to make it easy (and fun) to learn how to live a little greener. 

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 inaugural Downtown NYC JazzFest brings five nights of live music to Lower Manhattan from April 22–26, taking over The Django, Roxy Bar and Club Room at Soho Grand. Expect a mix of rising talent and marquee acts, including Shayna Steele, Mark G. Meadows and Brian Newman, all celebrating downtown’s long-standing jazz legacy, where tradition meets experimentation in some of the city’s most atmospheric spaces. Tickets vary in price based on venue, from free Saturday and Sunday afternoon sets at Roxy Bar to $40 performances at The Django.

Discover new global perspectives at the inaugural CONDUCTOR Art Fair of the Global Majority, a boutique event spotlighting artists and galleries from historically underrepresented regions. Running April 30 to May 3 at Brooklyn's Powerhouse Arts (322 3rd Ave.), the fair brings together work from across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and Indigenous nations. Curated by Adriana Farietta in collaboration with Powerhouse Arts, expect a showcase that challenges traditional art market narratives while celebrating the richness and diversity of global contemporary art. 

On April 18, 19, and 25 at the Broadway Comedy Club, veteran magicians Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio perform a comedic set of tricks and illusions that is especially tailored to delight young audiences—though the rest of the family is likely to enjoy it, too. And at just $25 a ticket, this is a surprisingly affordable Times Square outing for a larger group.

Feast your eyes upon the best selection of contemporary and vintage jewelry designers at the NYC Spring Jewelry and Object Show. Held from April 24-26 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 jewelry all in one place. Tickets are $23.18 in advance and $25 at the door.

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. 

California’s dining scene just got a fresh Michelin-sanctioned shake-up, and it’s not just Los Angeles. The Michelin Guide announced the addition of 12 new restaurants across the state to its 2026 California selection. And while L.A. leads the pack with half of those, the list underscores just how geographically and culturally diverse California dining has become.  RECOMMENDED: The best new restaurants in Los Angeles to try right now The L.A. options span cuisines and neighborhoods. There’s Corridor 109’s seafood-focused tasting menu, Chinatown’s Chinese-American standout Firstborn and Koreatown’s Italian-Korean pasta experiment Lapaba. Also making the cut: Little Fish Melrose Hill, which graduated from pop-up to permanent space; Lugya’h by Poncho’s Tlayudas, serving Oaxacan specialties inside a market; and Zira Uzbek Kitchen, bringing Central Asian flavors to Fairfax. But zoom out, and the rest of the state is just as appetizing. Up north, the Bay Area lands five new entries, with four in San Francisco—Dingles Public House, La Cigale, Naides and Wolfsbane—plus Yeobo, Darling in Menlo Park. The group includes everything from British pub fare to Filipino cuisine to ambitious tasting menus that pull from Nordic, Japanese and French influences. Further down the coast, Montecito’s Little Mountain rounds out the list, signaling Michelin’s continued interest in California’s smaller, high-end dining destinations beyond the usual urban hubs.  That diversity is the point. Michelin’s

You’ll soon be able to see Broadway’s underworld without paying Broadway prices. A filmed version of the Tony-winning musical Hadestown, featuring its original Broadway leads, is set to hit cinemas this July, bringing the long-running phenomenon to the big screen in a long-awaited “proshot” release. The production, written by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and has become one of the defining Broadway hits of the past decade.  RECOMMENDED: Hadestown Makes a Hit From a Myth The filmed performance captures a special reunion of the show’s original principal cast, who returned to their roles for a limited engagement in London in 20205, during which three performances of the production were professionally shot by director Brett Sullivan of Steam Motion and Sound. That means audiences will see the original Orpheus and Eurydice, Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada, as well as Patrick Page, Amber Gray and Tony winner André De Shields. The West End cast also includes Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel as the Fates, as well as Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Ryesha Higgs, Waylon Jacobs and Christopher Short.  “We are eager to share this iconic performance of Hadestown, featuring a unique combination of our original Broadway cast and West End company, made for the big screen,” producer Mara Isaacs said in a statement. “A great deal of love and care has gone into capturing the show on film, allowing it to live

Lower Manhattan is getting a street-level rethink just in time for a global spotlight. The New York City Department of Transportation has unveiled a slate of bike and pedestrian upgrades stretching from SoHo and the East Village up to Union Square, all of which are expected to begin rolling out this spring ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The changes aim to tame some of the busiest, most congested corridors in Manhattan while making it easier (and safer) to get around without a car. RECOMMENDED: This Upper West Side train station may soon be renamed after New Yorker Saul Zabar The main improvement is a long-awaited, continuous north-south bike route from Prince Street to 15th Street. This new connection will link the Brooklyn Bridge area to Union Square along Lafayette Street and Fourth Avenue. The existing one-way bike lane will be widened from 5 feet to 11 feet, making room for two-way bike traffic and creating a smoother, more connected route. Crosstown connections are getting attention, too. A short but crucial two-way bike lane will be added along Astor Place, linking existing routes on Lafayette and Broadway, while East Eighth Street will see new standard bike lanes. Later this year, the city will also “harden” the protected lane on 13th Street with concrete barriers to prevent the all-too-common scourge of cars blocking bike lanes. These changes aren’t only for cyclists. The plan also gives pedestrians more space in some of the city’s busiest spots. Sidewalks on Fourt

One of L.A.’s most beloved modern comfort food restaurants is making a comeback with a major new address. Birdie G’s, the acclaimed concept from chef Jeremy Fox, is set to reopen in summer 2026 inside the landmark Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City. RECOMMENDED: One of L.A.’s best restaurants is closing at the end of the year The announcement marks a welcome return for the restaurant, which closed its original Santa Monica location at Bergamot Station at the end of 2025 after a six-year run that earned it a devoted following and frequent placement on the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants list. Now, it’s stepping into a much bigger spotlight, taking over the hotel’s current dining space and expanding into a full-scale, all-day brasserie. “Birdie G’s has always been about capturing the feeling of a classic American restaurant through the lens of memory and craft,” said Chef Jeremy Fox in a statement. “At Fairmont Century Plaza, we’re expanding that vision into a true all‑day experience—from early‑morning coffee to celebratory dinners—while staying rooted in the comfort and creativity that define the restaurant.” If the original Birdie G’s felt like a deeply personal project (Fox named it for his daughter and grandmother), this new iteration aims to scale that sentiment without losing its soul. Breakfast will lean into deli-inspired classics, house-made pastries and coffee service geared toward both hotel guests and early business meetings. Lunch splits the difference

After more than 20 years uptown, Philippe Chow has unveiled a glossy new flagship on Fifth Avenue, trading in its longtime East 60th Street perch for a two-story (soon to be three) showpiece in the heart of midtown. The new location officially opens on March 27. RECOMMENDED: The 45 best restaurants in NYC right now Chef Philippe Chow remains at the helm and regulars can expect the same hospitality and familiar menu of crowd-pleasers, from hand-pulled noodles and dumplings to the restaurant’s signature whole Peking duck, carved tableside with ceremonial flair. Stalwarts like chicken satay, green prawns, salt and pepper lobster and kung pao chicken anchor a menu that still leans into family-style and tasting options designed for groups. The experience, as ever, extends well beyond the plate. Start the evening with a lychee martini, then consider ending it with the cotton candy baked Alaska, flambéed tableside. A new prix fixe, Moët & Satay, pairs a four-course tasting with Moët & Chandon, underscoring the restaurant’s ongoing alignment with luxury indulgence. Photograph: Edward Menashy While the food sticks close to the original script, the setting turns up the volume. Designed by D.C.-based firm //3877, the new space is all shimmer and swagger, as befits “Luxury Row.” Velvet and sheer fabrics hang amidst polished black marble, glossy wood paneling and a sculptural brass staircase. Upstairs, expanded private dining spaces position the restaurant as a go-to for everything from

Orson Welles called her the most exciting woman in the world. The Johnson administration had her blacklisted for speaking out against the Vietnam War at the White House. Now, Eartha Kitt comes to purring to life once more when The Hanover Theatre Repertory brings Who Is Eartha Mae? to the BrickBox Theater on April 8–19. The intimate play-with-music puts the throaty sensation back centerstage (where she always belonged) 18 years after her death. RECOMMENDED: Commemorate Paul Revere’s Ride where it happened with costumes, cocktails and more Created by and starring Jade Wheeler, the production strips away the myths and the memes to reveal the woman beneath the icon. Forget "Santa Baby" and her turn as a campy, vampy Catwoman on the Batman TV show. Kitt grew up in poverty in South Carolina and went on to master four languages (she sang in 11), with a Tony-nominated Broadway career and international fame as a cabaret artist. Now, Wheeler will channel Kitt’s famously feline charisma while digging into the harder truths of finding success within a deeply unequal industry. Those truths could be very hard indeed, as when Kitt found herself quickly punished for speaking up about the Vietnam War during a 1968 ladies' tea at the White House, hosted by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. After her remarks, Kitt found herself branded a "sadistic nymphomaniac" by the CIA and turned to performing in Europe. THT Rep Artistic Director Livy Scanlon directs the show-with-songs, which will have music d

Uniqlo is returning to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and the first 500 people in line are getting rewarded. The Japanese retail giant is poised to reopen a flagship store at 600 N. Michigan Avenue this Friday, March 27, marking its return to the Mag Mile four years after it shuttered a nearby location. Opening weekend will see Uniqlo embracing the community with giveaways. The first 500 people in line each day March 27-29 will receive a free Garrett Popcorn tin, a tote bag with art by JC Rivera and a treat from Del Sur bakery. App members can redeem a free iced Strawberry Sakura Matcha Latte by Nekhama and Kurimu, and those attending the March 27 opening can enjoy a traditional Japanese taiko drum performance at 9:50am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. There will also be special discounts on some apparel through April 2. Additionally, shoppers will have early access to the Roger Federer collection and can find exclusive designs inspired and created by local artists, including JC Rivera, Louis De Guzman, Elena Fiorenza and aplasticplant, as well as products inspired by the Art Institute of Chicago's collection.    Photograph: Courtesy of Uniqlo The new flagship isn't just a recommittment to Chicago. The store is part of a broader expansion that Uniqlo announced at the start of the year, one that encompasses 11 new locations across major cities from New York to Seattle. But the Magnificent Mile store is one of just a handful of flagship stores outside New York City, representing a renewed bet

Surprise! Americans are stressed. And believe it or not, our phones are not necessarily the best tools for unwinding after work. (Especially when you use it for work.) Instead, more and more Americans are looking for other ways to shed the weight of the world on fire from their shoulders, from yoga to meditation to art classes. And according to a new study from Paint Me Like, San Francisco is leading the charge in staying relaxed despite everything. RECOMMENDED: This new report ranks the most stressed states in America The study looked at 50 U.S. cities and evaluated them based on access to creative and wellness activities, as well as search volume for them within the city. Paint Me Like also surveyed 1,000 Americans about stress. San Francisco landed at number one thanks to its bountiful yoga and art studios, as well as how often San Franciscans searched for them. Following close behind at number two is Seattle, with Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami rounding out the top five. For the record, Memphis comes in dead last. Of course, this is a very specific definition of "relaxed," but the results do point to larger trends. With gas prices rising and the cost of living creeping ever upward, more and more people are looking for activities that are both fulfilling and don't break the bank. And things like yoga classes or art lessons can be both a social activity and a way to escape from doomscrolling. But relaxing is a lot easier said than done for most Americans, with 44% of those

Off Broadway’s buzziest dance party just got a very recognizable new guest. Glee star (and former Beyonce backup dancer and Dancing With the Stars contestant) Heather Morris will join the cast of 11 to Midnight for a limited engagement from April 9 through May 11 at the Orpheum Theatre. The hit Off Broadway dance musical has been playing there since it opened on February 11, and recently extended its run through May 31. RECOMMENDED: The 35 best Off Broadway shows to see in Spring 2026 Co-created by and starring viral choreographers Austin and Marideth Telenko (aka Cost n’ Mayor on TikTok), 11 to Midnight is less a traditional musical and more a high-energy theatrical experience set during a New Year’s Eve apartment party. “It has been a bucket-list dream of mine to perform on a New York stage, and I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than becoming a part of the 11 to Midnight family," Morris said in a statement. "I’m thrilled to be working alongside Austin and Marideth. I’ve been a fan of their choreography from afar for a long time and I’m honored to be helping their work come to life onstage. Can’t wait to see you all at The Orpheum in April!” The show is stuffed with “theatrical street-style dance” paired with a genre-hopping soundtrack and original music from Jacob Aviner, Spencer Novich and Steve Toulmin. Directed by Lyndsay Magid Aviner, the production includes scenic design by Arnell Sancianco, costume design by Barbara Erin Delo, lighting design by Jeff Croiter

Get ready, lovers of the Brooklyn Museum: change is coming.  The institution announced plans for a sweeping renovation of its Arts of Africa galleries. The $13 million project will convert 6,400 square feet of previously underused space on the third floor into a permanent home for the renowned collection, one of the largest in the country. Expected to open in the fall of 2027, the new galleries will exhibit more than 300 works, spanning antiquity to the present. RECOMMENDED: The Brooklyn Museum guide But beyond the new space, the exhibit itself will be presented in a fresh way. Now, the installation is of a piece with the Egyptian art galleries, offering a more rounded, fuller look at what Africa’s rich artistic legacy encompasses.  “This is more than a new collection gallery—it’s a bold reframing of how African art is understood and celebrated in American museums,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum, in a statement. “At the same time, this renovation is a major step in our larger vision to revitalize the entire Museum, creating spaces that will allow us to continue to entice and engage a breadth of audiences with distinctive art experiences. Ultimately, this transformation strengthens our role as a civic and cultural anchor in Brooklyn—deepening our relationship with our community and expanding what a museum can be for the public we serve.”  The redesign is led by Brooklyn-based firm Peterson Rich Office, with preservation consultation

America’s national parks are still wildly popular, but a new report reveals where the crowds are thickest and where they’re thinning—and why your next trip might require a little more strategy. RECOMMENDED: Yosemite vs Yellowstone: Which national park is the best? According to newly released statistics from the National Park Service (and highlighted by USA Today), the Great Smoky Mountains National Park once again claimed the title of the most-visited national park in the country, drawing roughly 11.5 million visitors in 2025.  That’s not exactly a surprise—the park has held the top spot for decades—but the gap between it and the rest of the list is still striking. Coming in behind it are heavy hitters like Zion National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon National Park, all of which drew between roughly 4 and 5 million visitors last year.  In total, the U.S. park system logged about 323 million recreation visits in 2025, a slight dip from the year before but still an enormous number that underscores just how central these spaces have become to American travel. That number is especially notable during a turbulent year that included a lengthy federal shutdown and staffing shortages. That friction between sky-high demand and limited resources is starting to shape how people experience the parks. Some destinations are experimenting with timed-entry systems to control crowd flow, while others are quietly encouraging travelers to look beyond the usual bucket-list name

A glossy new Apple Maps guide is turning new drama Imperfect Women into a real-life L.A. itinerary, one that's practically a who’s-who of the city’s most cinematic backdrops. But no surprise there; the production manager was Stacey B. Brashear, who also served as location manager on The Studio. In other words, she really gets L.A. RECOMMENDED: 30 Los Angeles attractions for tourists and natives alike Timed to the show’s March 18 premiere, the curated map invites fans to trace the footsteps of Kate Mara, Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington across Los Angeles, where the entire psychological thriller was filmed.  Based on the novel by Araminta Hall, the series follows a decades-long friendship shattered by a shocking crime, unfolding across a sun-drenched but quietly sinister version of L.A. And that “sun-drenched noir” vibe is, happily, rooted in real locations you can actually visit. The guide highlights a mix of iconic landmarks and everyday locales. There are the restaurants and hotels that offer drama galore, like Hotel Figueroa and Proper Hotel's Cara Cara in DTLA, but the series also zeroes in on locally beloved spots like Cafe Gratitude and Botanica. (Mara became a regular at the latter during filming.) Elsewhere, the series leans into L.A.’s softer side. Echo Lake makes an appearance during an intimate heart-to-heart between characters, while the Long Beach Shoreline Marina and The Huntington add their considerable charms. For Moss, Huntington in particular became a fav