Stuff to Do

There’s Plenty of Cultural Activities Happening in the Hamptons

There’s still lots to feed the cultural beast in you if you’re visiting the Hamptons this month. Here are some of the best for a range of interests from art to theater to music.

Bay Street Theater – A Musical under the Stars: Camelot

Courtesy Bay Street Theater

Bay Street Theater moves from its Sag Harbor location to an expansive open-air setting in Bridgehampton. The theater’s outdoor version of Camelot has been such a hit that it’s been extended through September 5. Broadway stars grace the performance which is set on an elevated stage in a socially distanced, Covid-aware setting. Masks are required and there is ample parking in the lot behind Carvel. Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot is a star among Broadway musicals with music that transcends generations. With memories of Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet in mind, the cast shines with outstanding performances by Britney Coleman (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Sunset Boulevard) as Guinevere and Jeremy Kushner (Rent, Jersey Boys) as King Arthur. Allan Dalla Villa’s Mordred, an evil troll like character, is a showstopper.

Calissa Restaurant – Calissa Sounds

Courtesy Calissa Restaurant

Calissa Restaurant in Water Mill adds a musical note to their shimmering Greek dining with performances on their outdoor stage. Set adjacent to the restaurant’s expansive, light-rimmed terrace, the very international experience concludes on September 3 with a collaborate DJ set by St. Lucia and RAC. Calissa Sounds bring live DJ entertainment under one open-air “roof” to create the ultimate Mykonos meets the Hamptons mashup music-driven experience. Reservations with table minimums can be made by visiting https://www.calissahamptons.com/calissasounds/. Have a meal with the likes of grilled branzino, horiatiki and lobster pasta or enjoy late-night bottle service in this magical setting.

Calissa  Restaurant – Broadway Out East

Joshua Henry at Broadway Out East, Calissa Restaurant © Meryl Pearlstein

The hugely popular Broadway Out East weekly program at Calissa has one more concert to go, with timing TBD, featuring Broadway star Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Annie Live!). Check out the restaurant’s website for updates. The good news is that the new program was such a success that it will become a permanent series next summer. The recent show by Joshua Henry (Hamilton, Carousel) was a wonderful mix of familiar show tunes and songs from his upcoming album GROW. Other performers this summer included husband-and-wife superstar team, Andy Karl (Pretty Woman, Groundhog Day, Rocky) and Orfeh (Pretty Woman, Legally Blonde).

Southampton Arts Center — Hamptons Fine Art Fair

Hamptons Fine Art Fair courtesy Hamptons Fine Art Fair

Southampton Village has evolved to become a thriving arts district on the East End. 70 galleries from around the globe will gather at the Southampton Arts Center for the Hamptons Fine Art Fair as a celebration and tribute to the region’s rich history as a haven for the creation and patronage of art. The SAC galleries and grounds will be transformed from Thursday, September 2 through Sunday, September 5 for the international art fair which also benefits the Southampton Arts Center.

The Parrish Art Museum

© Carl Timpani

There’s always something exciting happening at Water Mill’s Parrish Art Museum.

In addition to the Parrish Collection of more than 3,000 paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and mixed media, visitors can learn more about the artists and individual art works featured in Artist Stories. The series explores the dynamic history of artists of the region from the 1820s to the present through historic photographs, biographical information, a timeline and interactive map.

Music will ring out on the museum’s outdoor terrace on September 3 with The HooDoo Loungers who take their inspiration from the Gri Gri of Dr. John to the swingin’ rock n’ roll of Fats Domino. Blending it all together with a bit of classic soul and New Orleans Swing, the band brings it together for an inspired and original musical gumbo. This outdoor event requires all attendees to show proof of their vaccination status or recent negative COVID test (within 72 hours).

Stephen Talkhouse

Courtesy Stephen Talkhouse

If a rock or folk concert is more your thing, the intimate Stephen Talkhouse concert hall in Amagansett has a schedule of performances lined up for the coming weeks. Book online for The Wailers on September 3, female rockers Lez Zeppelin on September 4 and local favorite The Nancy Atlas Project on September 5. Each date also features a late-night addition of other rock ‘n roll bands. Check the website for the full concert program for upcoming weeks.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Where to Enjoy a Great Picnic in New York City

It’s picnic time! The weather is hot and outdoor dining is the favorite pastime. Here are some ideas for where to hold a picnic to remember.

Central Park

Courtesy centralpark.com

A picnic in the park is a natural and Central Park has a wide variety of locations that you’ll enjoy, many not far from the East Side’s Museum Mile or the Upper West Side’s American Museum of Natural History. Favorites are the Great Lawn which sits in the middle of the park between 79th street and 85th street, Turtle Pond at the southern tip of the Great Lawn near Belvedere Castle, and Sheep Meadow a bit further South. Depending on whether you’re arriving from the East Side or the West Side, there are delis, specialty food shops and a picnic specialist to help you construct your outdoor feast.

Courtesy Butterfield Market

On the East Side, Butterfield Market is a popular gourmet shop with a variety of food departments. You can choose from prepared foods at the gourmet counter including crab cakes, chicken wings and more elaborate dishes like poached salmon or skirt steak, or stay small with pre-made sandwiches, sushi or salads. The talented baristas at the coffee bar will customize your beverage – try an iced dirty chai or an iced matcha latte for a break from a traditional coffee — or choose from many of the gourmet sodas and waters. Add one of their gorgeous cupcakes and you’re good to go. From the West Side, deli fave Barney Greengrass will pack up a super-portable bagel, cream cheese and nova sandwich along with Boylan’s cream soda and a black and white cookie for a very New York-y nosh.

Perfect Picnic NYC © Wendy Weston

Celebrating ten years of feeding hungry New Yorkers, Perfect Picnic NYC puts together picnic assortments from simple to elaborate. Start with a base and add on beverages, a blanket and a basket, if you wish, or just pick up a grab ‘n go meal to add to your own set-up.  You can even arrange a “picnic experience” that is full-service including delivery and clean-up. Owner Wendy Weston creates a menu that changes based on “her cravings” and ingredients of the season. Located near the Northern tip of Central Park at 100th Street and Central Park West, Perfect Picnics can be ordered in advance or onsite.

Bryant Park

Courtesy Picnic Performances

Running through September 20, a variety of New York City performance companies will showcase their talent at Manhattan’s Bryant Park. Dubbed “Picnic Performances,” the shows take advantage of the city’s burgeoning outdoor culture and, hopefully, good weather. If you missed experiencing live music, concerts and opera over the past year, this is a wonderful chance to grab a lawn spot or chair, spread out your picnic with a chilled rosé and enjoy an evening of some of the best talent around.  The scheduled is filled with opera, jazz from Jazz at Lincoln Center, dance performances by Paul Taylor and Elisa Monta Dance, the New York City Opera’s Rigoletto, theater from the Classical Theater of Harlem and a centennial celebration of The Town Hall.

Courtesy Grand Central Terminal Market

What to bring: Park Avenue Liquor Shop near the Morgan Library is the go-to for a choice of chilled wines. Visit Grand Central Terminal’s market by 7pm to put together a picnic from Eli Zabar’s Farm to Table, Murray’s Cheese or Pescatore Sushi & Noodles. Don’t forget your blanket and some reusable wine glasses.

Governor’s Island

Courtesy Pinknic Festival LLC

For the ultimate picnic experience, Governor’s Island is the place to be for the Pinknic Festival, a combination all-day picnic and music festival. Scheduled this year on September 4 and 5, Pinknic celebrates its five-year anniversary with a pink-and-white assemblage of picnickers on the lawns. Your ticket includes a Pinknic tote for your goodies, a wine cup, blanket and more. A variety of NYC restaurants at the food garden add the main ingredient, also offering pink. beverages including rosé and frosé. Then sit back and indulge while you listen to live bands and DJ sets, all with fabulous views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Wear something pink and something white and you’ll sure to be instagrammed as part of the end-of-summer party

Brooklyn

Courtesy Dinner Party

To tempt you with her upcoming salon dinner series in Fort Greene, Cami Jetta has put together a preview  Dinner Party picnic basket for takeaway dining in the park. Plan your food menu for a day in Fort Greene Park or Prospect Park with the likes of sourdough pita, Ellie’s salad shirazi, beet hummus, roast eggplant and baklava shortbread. The menu is available online and changes frequently. Select from the “Picnic of the Week,” cookie box or sandwich. A tote bag is also available for purchase.

Kokomo © Katrine Moite

Williamsburg’s popular Black-owned and operated Kokomo offers a kicky picnic package complete with a blanket, canned signature cocktails and an array of Caribbean cuisine. For some true island flavor, sample Kokomo’s signature Yardie shrimp pizza with callaloo and grilled pineapple, braised oxtail with rice & peas, a guava BBQ-sauced Calypso burger or jackfruit tacos. Add a Coconut Negroni or a Pain Killer cocktail and you’ll have a picnic to remember. The restaurant sits in a convenient location for picking up your picnic goodies for a day in Brooklyn’s McCarren Park, Domino Park, 5th Pier Park or by the waterfront on Bushwick Inlet.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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TD Five Boro Bike Tour Returns to NYC on Sunday, August 22

It’s back! America’s “biggest bike ride” is being held in New York City on August 22. The annual charity cycling event was cancelled in 2020 to the dismay of thousands of riders who look forward to this event. Sponsored by Bike New York and its city government partners, the bike tour covers all of New York City in one glorious ride, through each of the city’s five boroughs.

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© Bike New York

The event, which typically draws up to 32,000 riders annually and opens 40 miles of NYC’s busiest roadways exclusively to cyclists for the day, returns during the city’s announced NYC Homecoming Week, (August 14-22) and the day after the We Love New York mega Homecoming Concert in Central Park. This year’s participant number has been scaled down to 20,000 to allow for greater safety and social distancing.

The tour is viewed as an exciting part of New York City’s economic revitalization. The landmark event typically attracts riders from all over the world. While this year is different from past rides with reduced numbers of riders, one can expect the same sense of excitement, or perhaps even more as part of Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s I Love New York Homecoming effort.

© Bike New York

The 40-mile route. Begins in Manhattan in TriBeCa and culminates in Staten Island after a ride over the Verrazano Narrow Bridge. For a map of the entire route, click here. To pick up your rider packet, adults must show proof of vaccination.

The TD Five Boro Bike Tour is a fundraising event for Bike New York, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to provide free bike education opportunities to New Yorkers. Proceeds from the ride fund public classes that reach over 25,000 children and adults each year, with special focus given to improving cycling access and resources to residents of neighborhoods historically overlooked in infrastructure improvements. In addition to free classes held at Community Bike Education Centers located in all five boroughs, Bike New York has introduced bike safety education programs into area middle schools, co-developed a job training and placement program for bike mechanics with Brooklyn’s One Community, and helped pilot a free bike rental system in Shirley Chisholm State Park.

© Bike New York

The ride caps off a year of virtual programming brought to cyclists through Bike New York. The 2021 TD Five Boro Bike Tour will support the return of Bike New York’s in-person classes while sustaining their online offerings, which reached more than 30,000 viewers worldwide in 2020.

To register, visit https://www.bike.nyc/events/td-five-boro-bike-tour/registration-options/ and sign up by August 13.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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Get Vaccinated, Enjoy the Benefits of Free Stuff and Privileged Entry

New York City has gone through lots of turmoil this year. Being among the first cities to experience the shock of shutdown, the extreme loss of life and livelihood and the incredible loneliness that ensued, New York City deserves the perks that come with surviving the pandemic and getting vaccinated. New York City is a city that has made Dr. Fauci proud with a resilience that defines the character of its residents.

Let’s continue being smart and safe, for everyone’s sake. The incentives for being vaccinated against COVID-19 keep growing from getting free tickets to special seating at venues to unlimited entry into certain prime gatherings. If you haven’t gotten your shot yet, these should motivate you to roll up your sleeves.

Courtesy New York Yankees

Yankee Stadium

Get a shot – get a pair of tickets. That’s the gist of the program here. Yankee Stadium has been a Covid vaccination site for quite a while. Now that the baseball season is in full swing (no pun intended), here’s another reason to get your shot: a pair of prime Yankees tickets.

Courtesy Yankee Stadium

For everyone who gets a shot, you’ll receive seats at a game to see the Bronx Bombers hopefully demolish their rivals. That certainly makes the trip to the Bronx a worthwhile endeavor. It’s a one shot, one and done situation.

Broadway and The Performing Arts

“Springsteen on Broadway” © Meryl Pearlstein

More and more, venues are requiring proof of vaccination for entry. While Broadway hasn’t set their regulations for the full opening in September, many pop-ups, concert houses and smaller theaters that are currently in operation are offering tickets only to those who have been vaccinated. Some of the favorites this summer include Bruce Springsteen’s reprise of his sold-out one-man show.

Immersive Van Gogh © Meryl Pearlstein

Small museums and event spaces are similarly requiring you to be vaccinated in order to attend. Don’t limit yourself – you won’t want to miss these extraordinary events, and you won’t have to wear a mask. Watch for mobile vaccination trucks at venues such as these, too – Immersive Van Gogh at Pier 36, The Museum of the City of New York and others offer this benefit from time to time. You’ll be doing yourself and your neighbors a good deed and the reward is entry into the sometimes sold-out experiences.

Special Seating and Showing Proof of Vaccination

© Meryl Pearstein

The Mets and the Yankees were two early adopters of venues having separate seating for vaccinated and non-vaccinated people. Preferred seating goes to those who have been vaccinated and you’ll sit only among people who have also gotten the protection against the virus. Masks are not required in these areas. You’ll need to check MLB.com for specific regulations for any of the American League and National League teams.

Courtesy Madison Square Garden - www.msg.com

At Madison Square Garden, some shows require full vaccination to attend like the upcoming Eagles shows in August. The tickets specify “vaccinated-only seating.” City Winery, in its new home on the Hudson River, requires proof of vaccination to enter as well – be prepared for long lines to enter.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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How to Celebrate Father’s Day with a New York Flair

Dad’s Day is right around the corner. Here are some cool New York-style ways to celebrate.

Take Dad to Dinner

It’s time to get out of the house or apartment. Dining at home has been fun and the breadth of shows on Netflix is enticing, but now that indoor dining has resumed and outdoor dining is a real thing in New York, Dad can enjoy a foodie night on the town for Father’s Day.

Courtesy Brooklyn Chop House

Always lively Brooklyn Chop House in FiDi is offering a special prix fixe menu for Father’s Day. The Asian-inflected menu features a range of small dishes that Dad will love like rock shrimp tempura, chicken lettuce wraps, chicken satays with peanut sauce and Pac Man seafood dumplings. (Make sure you take a photo of dad with that one!)  Entrees are a man-sized 24-ounce bone-in, dry-aged ribeye steak; ginger scallion lobster; sweet black bean Beijing chicken; and spicy Kung Pao chicken.

Courtesy LoLo’s Seafood Shack

Harlem’s original Cape Cod and Caribbean mashup LoLo’s Seafood Shack will feature a spread of seafood baskets and boils, juicy jerk ribs, and more from Chef Raymond Mohan. You can pretend that you’re taking Dad to an island as you sit outdoors in the restaurant’s surprising Harlem backyard.

Courtesy Bar Marseille

Combine a day at the beach with dinner at Bar Marseille in the Rockaways. Presenting an eclectic collection of flavors found along the French Riviera including influences from North Africa, Italy, Greece and Spain, the Father’s Day menu offers dishes like a brisket and grilled asparagus special along with grilled oysters, beef tartare and chicken Provençale.

If Your Dad Is More of A Drinking Guy

Courtesy Fiddlesticks Pub

Join Fiddlesticks and Teeling Whiskey for Father’s Day, celebrating the family legacy of Dublin’s most-awarded Irish Whiskey. From June 17-20, bring your father to Fiddlesticks Pub in the West Village for a bespoke experience sipping experience. Dad will enjoy specialty cocktails with personalized leather coasters to complete the very individual experience. Seating is at the outdoor Phoenix Parlor, inspired by the Teeling Whiskey distillery in Dublin.

Buy Dad a Book about His Favorite Restaurants and Drinking Spots

Nom Wah Tea Parlor © John Donohue

Artist John Donohue has spent the past umpteen years drawing sketches of all the restaurants in New York City and now Paris. With so many restaurants shuttered due to Covid, the “All the Restaurants in New York” book is especially relevant and poignant. Undoubtedly, many of Dad’s favorites are included. And since he still can’t really safely travel to Paris yet, Donohue’s new “All the Tables in Paris” illustrations will have him dreaming of his next vacation with the whole family. Better still, buy Dad both books and a print of his favorite restaurant that you can easily frame. You’ll be helping the restaurant industry, too: 10% of all print sale profits go to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Buy Dad a Ticket to the Hottest Shows in Manhattan

“Springsteen on Broadway” © Meryl Pearlstein

Make sure Dad has copies of his vaccine card so he can enjoy Bruce Springsteen’s return to Broadway. Starting this month, the Boss will re-mount his sold-out “Springsteen on Broadway” smash at the St. James Theater. Only fully vaccinated patrons can attend so add the New York Excelsior Card to your phone wallet for easy display. (Note: A negative Covid test is not enough to secure entry). Even if you saw it on television, there’s nothing like hearing Bruce tell the story of his life in words and music, in person. Seating is not socially distant, so keep that in mind if you decide to purchase tickets.

Immersive Van Gogh © Meryl Pearlstein

Immersive Van Gogh has just opened in a purpose-built space on Pier 36 in Lower Manhattan. The huge 500,000 cubic foot structure is easy to spot – it’s covered with Van Gogh’s famous sunflowers. The product of video artist Massimiliano Siccardi with direction by Broadway set designer David Korins (Hamilton) and music by Luca Longobardi, three massive rooms of differing configurations and a balcony await Dad on his special day. Not to be confused with a similarly named Van Gogh immersion (Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience) happening on Vesey Street, this sound, color and light experience is a fully immersive sensory sojourn into the mind of the great artist. The visuals are on a loop that lasts for 35 minutes but you can stay as long as you want and enjoy the changing tableaux.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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It’s Time to Play Baseball in New York City

It’s an unusual baseball season already. Showing proof of vaccination or testing, sitting apart from your neighbors, and not dancing to YMCA is a very weird start. But, let’s cheer for the Bronx Bombers and the Amazins and say good riddance to cutout fans. It’s time to play baseball.

Increasing numbers of vaccinated sports fans and a bit of hindsight about how the virus spreads have helped us get to where we are with limited capacity seating. And within a few months, we should be in a much better position.

Here’s what you need to know if you plan to go the stadiums.

New Attendance Protocols

Courtesy New York Yankees

Going to a Yankees or Mets game will be like traveling to another state or even another country. You must be fully vaccinated or have a Covid test with a negative result no less than three days prior to the first pitch. You’ll need to show your proof of either if you plan to enter the stadium, whether you have a ticket or not. Temperature checks will also be required.

CDC guidelines are being followed by both the Yankees and the Mets. Masks must be worn at all times except when eating or drinking at your assigned “seat pod,” and it is suggested that you bring hand sanitizer and wipes with you as well as wash your hands frequently. You can expect to see signs and a small legion of people reminding you of this around the restrooms, too.

© Meryl Pearlstein

Social distancing will be required. Seating between pods will ensure that rules are followed in the stands but you will be expected to monitor your behavior when you walk through the stadiums. Detailed “Know Before You Go” safety information for the Mets and the Yankees is available on their websites and will be updated as available.

How ‘Bout Them Tickets?

© Meryl Pearlstein

Like the Red Sox and the Yankees playing a game without any excitement, getting a ticket will be another challenge.

Tickets are harder to score than ever. With initial games reduced to 20 percent attendance, and tickets on sale in “waves,” you can expect higher-than-normal prices particularly for popular series like Red Sox vs Mets or Red Sox vs. Yankees. Tickets are being sold in “pods,” meaning that you can only purchase them in pre-defined groups and seating will be strategically scattered throughout the stadiums.  For the initial “limited capacity” games, only 8492 tickets will be sold for the Mets and 10,850 for the Yankees. Tickets for other games will be released at a later date with the hope that capacity restrictions will be relaxed. Stay up to date by checking the websites for the Mets and the Yankees.

For safety’s sake, all ticket purchases will be contactless. None will be sold at the stadiums. Everything needs to be taken care of online and your phone is your entry ticket. Be sure to keep your battery charged or bring a spare as you’ll need to show your phone to return to seat if you go for a bathroom or refreshment break.

Batter Up

Courtesy New York Yankees

Concessions are still being worked out, but as a rule, all purchases will be cashless this year. If you have cash, you can convert it to a pre-paid debit card at a “reverse” ATM, or use your mobile phone or credit card instead. In-seat delivery has been suspended but you can pre-order and pre-pay your food selection on the MLB Ballpark App for express pick-up at designated locations, or just purchase at the stands.

Some of the classic vendors like NY Pinstripe Pilsner at Yankee Stadium have announced their presence at the stadium. Other concessioners will sell familiar local choices like Jersey Mike’s, Nathan’s, Lobel’s and Haru Sushi. There will also be Grab n Go options in two locations. The Mets have confirmed the return of favorites like fuku, Shake Shack, DO Cookie Dough and Pizza Cupcake. It will be interesting to see how Citi Field manages their outdoor craft beer garden space and food stands where people usually crowd and queue en masse.

Check the websites to confirm openings and rules for the various sit-down restaurants or the private clubs like the buffet-heavy Legends Suite Club at Yankee Stadium or the Delta Sky360° Club at Citi Field. Rules change all the time, it seems.

Can We Still Have a Seventh Inning Stretch?

Remember when a seventh inning stretch meant actually stretching your legs and taking a quick walk to grab a beer or hit the loo?  Be smart and try to schedule your break when the crowds are thinnest. Your safety is everyone’s safety.

Posted by Meryl Pearlstein
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