We’ve gotten some feedback from readers, friends, and co-workers, and have updated our map featuring places of interest when you visit 92Y. Whether you’ve come to see a concert, lecture, dance, or more, we hope the map will serve your interests while you are in the neighborhood. Click through the image to see the establishments listed so far. It now includes hotels for those who want to stay overnight in the area, and a few more eating establishments; including our own Cafesol. Did you know you can get great gluten free pizza there, from New York City’s famous Still Riding Pizza? Because you can.
We are looking to fill out the map with more cafes, historic or architectural landmarks, and any other little neighborhood secrets you enjoy. If you have any places to share, let us know in the comments of this post, and we will update the map. And thanks for your help so far!
Thanksgiving in approaching (Black Friday too!), and 92YTribeca is bringing it down a notch next week. But we still have some great events scheduled, particularly on Black Friday. That evening you can catch a double feature of Mallrats and Clueless for $12, which includes one beer.
92YTribeca Video: The Art of Giving: The Future of Philanthropy
This Tuesday, 92YTribeca hosted philanthropists Charles Bronfman and Jeffrey R. Solomon, of The Andrea & Charles Bronfman Philanthropies Inc., for a conversation with The Economist’s Matthew Bishop on the future of philanthropy for donors. The event was part of Bishop’s Business of Giving series that has featured interviews with former President Bill Clinton, Eli Broad, Vartan Gregorian and others.
Bronfman began by responding candidly to a question from Matthew, listing three “major errors” the foundation made in the beginning:
We funded the foundation with too much money...We hired people without really thinking it all through, and number three, we entered into a couple of programs that were frankly, disastrous. Through those mistakes though, we learned a lot.”
Jeffrey furthered the candor by discussing their successes and mistakes with the Birthright Israel program.
Interestingly, the New York Times City Room blog also tackled the issue of philanthropy this week in a three part series: Answers About Community Philanthropy. (See part two and three.)
Upcoming events at 92YTribeca:
Shabbat dinner with Hazon, featuring From Farm to Table’s Zachary Adam Cohen: TONIGHT
Travel Gets Social: The New World of Travel Media with Bowen Payson, Matt Gross, Adam Wallace and Mark G. Johnson: Dec 3
A pattern seems to be developing here. Choire Sicha, previously editor of Gawker, and current Los Angeles Times columnist and proprietor of The Awl, wrote a blurb for Tina Brown‘s The Daily Beast: Smart People Recommend. The premise being having an insider in their field offer one recommendation. Spending his days online, Choire wrote:
When you find an entrancing Web site that offers something valuable, exciting, and nearly impossible to get—and for free!—it’s like finding a unicorn in a barn full of bleating goats. In the interest of sharing the magic, I give you: Awesome Tapes from Africa, an anonymous and irregularly updated blog which features fantastic, gorgeous music in mp3 form from Zambia, Kenya, Morocco, Angola, and Egypt.
We couldn’t agree more. Awesome Tapes from Africa is an incredible blog. That’s why this May, 92YTribeca hosted Brian Shimkovitz, the man behind ATfA, for a rocking night of music from his blog. WNYC arranged to record the full set of music, you can check that out here.
92YTribeca, incubating cool six months in advance. And you can be right there with us. Sign up for 92YTribeca eNews to be the first to learn about added events, late-breaking news and exclusive offers. As well, 92YTribeca has active and frequently updated Facebook pages to help you can stay abreast of what is going with 92YTribeca Film, 92YTribeca Music, and 92YTribeca Comedy.
Last night at Cipriani Wall Street, Colum McCann was awarded the National Book Award for fiction for his novel Let the Great World Spin. A novel, “featuring a sprawling cast of characters in 1970s New York City whose lives,” the New York Times wrote, “are ineluctably touched by the mysterious tightrope walker who traverses a wire suspended between the Twin Towers one morning.”
On stage accepting the award, McCann said: “As fiction writers and people who believe in the word, we have to enter the anonymous corners of human experience to make that little corner right.”
NPR’s All Things Considered did a segment on Johnny Mercer yesterday, and the piece led off with mention of his appearance here in 1971:
In May 1971, songwriter Johnny Mercer appeared at New York’s 92nd Street Y to sing and talk about his remarkable career. He told the audience what he tried to listen for when a composer first played the music for a new song.
“You get a little glimmer and you say, ‘Ahhh!’ “ he told the crowd. “You don’t even know if it’s a word. And then it begins to ... you know, it’s like you’re tuning in to a musical instrument that’s miles away. And you say, ‘Oh, yeah, there’s something there. If I just dig hard enough, I know it’ll come.’ ”
You can listen to the segment in full. As well, NPR is offering four audio tracks from Mercer you can stream here, including this incredible audio from his appearance here in 1971. NPR offers the following description:
This is an extraordinary recording: He sings a medley of his hits at the end of the evening that goes on and on and on. But he also performed the very first professional song he ever wrote, which gives you a sense of how accomplished he was as a lyricist, even at 21.
92Y Podcast: From the Poetry Center Archive: Philip Levine: The Language of the Place
Tonight the Poetry Center is pleased to welcome back Philip Levine, whose new collection is News of the World. He’ll be reading with Rita Dove. In an interview with The Atlantic, Mr. Levine once remarked on the difference between performing poetry and writing it:
“The process of writing poetry depends on being alone in a room, and being comfortable being alone for long periods of time—almost reveling in solitude and slow time. I’ve had friends tell me, younger poets, that when they came back from their early reading tours they’d get very depressed. I guess they were waiting for applause as they picked up pen and pencil. But there is no applause.”
There was plenty of applause at Mr. Levine’s last appearance at the Poetry Center in November of 2001. Today’s featured recording is the entirety of that reading, which included “On the Meeting of Garcia Lorca and Hart Crane,” “My Father With Cigarette Twelve Years Before the Nazis Could Break His Heart” and “Two Voices.”
In an ongoing effort to share with our readers some of the great literary moments which the Poetry Center has presented across the decades, this blog has begun to feature regular postings of archival recordings by some of the best writers of our time—many of whom, like Philip Levine, are returning this season. To purchase tickets to tonight’s readings by Mr. Levine and Ms. Dove, please click here. For more information about the rest of the upcoming season, please click here. And for access to other recordings from the Poetry Center archive, please click here.
Unterberg Poetry Center webcasts and access to our archive are made possible in part by the generous support of the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.
You can also download the MP3. [15 MB]
[Right-click and select "Save Target As:" or equivalent to download.]
Subscribe with iTunes or add our podcast feed to your RSS news reader and have future 92nd Street Y podcasts delivered automatically.
During chamber music concerts, even if the whole performance is first-rate, there is sometimes one riveting moment in which the ensemble seems particularly cohesive. When the excellent Keller Quartet made its debut at the 92nd Street Y on Sunday afternoon, that moment came in the slow movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in F (Op. 135).
Ms. DeYoung is a powerful singer with a warm, seductive tone that she used to consistently fine effect. Her rendering of Brahms’s “Geistliches Wiegenlied” had a meltingly gentle core, and she brought subtle changes in coloration to the seven songs in Dvorak’s “Zigeunermelodien.” But she was at her most highly charged in the closing Strauss group, which included a steamy performance of “Heimliche Aufforderung” and an impassioned account of “Cäcilie.”
Chamber Music, Nov-Dec 2009, A Labor of Love; Ellen Taaffe Zwilich discusses her new Septet: (PDF)
Sharon Robinson and artist manager Frank Salomon assembled a consortium of 12 presenters to share costs and stage performances over two seasons, starting with the work’s April 28, 2009 premiere at New York City’s 92nd Street Y. The repeated performances not only give the work a wider airing than it would get from a single commissioner; they allow the interpretation itself to mature and deepen.
Keep abreast of 92Y Concert events and happenings by becoming a fan of 92Y Concerts on Facebook, and sign up for their eNews alerts to be first to learn about added events, late-breaking news and exclusive offers. For those aged 35 and under, we have a selection of concerts with special discounted pricing, see all of those here.
Cathy Erway’s blog, Not Eating Out In New York, started in July of 2006, has developed a following befitting its own book.
A recent post last week was titled: Reason For Not Eating Out #37: Going Back to School. She wrote about the plethora of cooking classes, tutorials, workshops, and more that have been springing up all over the five boroughs. “For the more studious pupils,” she noted, “the 92nd Street Y hosts great food talks and tastings.She continued: “And compared to courses at “real” culinary institutes like the FCI or ICE, they cost a heck of a lot less; under $100 for a one-night class is to be expected.”
Panelists include Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO, Ruder Finn, Mark J. Penn, Worldwide CEO, Burson-Marsteller and Steven Rubenstein, President, Rubenstein Communications. The discussion was be moderated by Matthew Bishop, US Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief for The Economist.
The highlights above feature the panelists talking about the changing world in PR, and much discussion about the recent Rolling Stone article on Goldman Sachs that made quite a splash.
At one point, (seen at the 7min. mark) Bishop asserted that the rules of engagement are being disturbed, particularly online with Twitter and the proliferation of blogging, and asked the panel how they are figuring out what the new rules of engagement are. Kathy noted her firms segments bloggers into four different areas. One group include the most trustworthy bloggers, people they really feel they can engage with, who will stay on message. The second group includes bloggers they want to inform, who are trustworthy, but who might not be following the industry as intently as the first. A third group contains blogger they are “monitoring,” and the fourth group are filed under “ignore.”
This is the vendetta types, who are out to kill. And they’re very happy to spread all kinds of rumors of one sort or another. And misinformation that gets out into the blogosphere is absolutely impossible to shut down...There’s some group you just don’t want to give any information to. You just want to keep them, you know, you’re not going to engage at all with them. There’s nothing you can do to some bloggers that is actually going to have a positive interaction.”
Watch the whole clip above. Though not shown in the clip, the other panelists on stage were not so sure, and argued that ignoring people was not a good course of action. For our readers in the business of PR or media, what are your thoughts?
Coming up Dec 3 at 92YTribeca: Travel Gets Social: The New World of Travel Media with Bowen Payson, Matt Gross, Adam Wallace and Mark G. Johnson.
How many of you will be lining up at stores for Black Friday next week? If you are, you surely know there are a number of sites online dedicated to tracking the deals to be had. Here, here, and here are three of many.
Whether or not you will be shopping on Black Friday, we have an idea for what you might want to do that evening, after you’re done eating leftovers. Next Friday at 7pm, 92YTribeca is hosting a double feature, showing Mallrats and Clueless. And they are offering a special price not yet displayed online. Use code TDAY at checkout to purchase tickets at $12.00 which includes both movies and one free beer (must be 21+). Before the screenings, there will 80’s music and half off all beers in the café from 6-7pm!
That sounds like the perfect segue into the weekend after all that eating and shopping.
92Y Podcast: From the Poetry Center Archive: Rita Dove: Living History
In May of 1999, the 92Y Poetry Center celebrated its 60th anniversary with a gala reading. Appearing that night were Stanley Kunitz, Grace Paley, Edward Albee, Reynolds Price, Tony Kushner and Rita Dove, who read poems from her latest collection, On the Bus with Rosa Parks. In a note at the back of the book, Ms. Dove shared the origin of its title:
“In 1995, during a convention in Williamsburg, Virginia, as the conferees were boarding buses to be driven to another site, my daughter leaned over and whispered, ‘Hey, we’re on the bus with Rosa Parks!’ Although the precipitating incident did not make it into a poem, the phrase haunted me—and so this meditation on history and the individual, image and essence was born. (By the way, Mrs. Parks took a seat in the front of the bus.)”
Today’s featured recording is Rita Dove’s reading from the Poetry Center’s 60th anniversary celebration in 1999.
In an ongoing effort to share with our readers some of the great literary moments which the Poetry Center has presented across the decades, this blog has begun to feature regular postings of archival recordings by some of the best writers of our time—many of whom, like Rita Dove, are returning this season. To purchase tickets to this Thursday’s readings by Ms. Dove and Mr. Levine, please click here. For more information about the rest of the upcoming season, please click here. And for access to other recordings from the Poetry Center archive, please click here.
Unterberg Poetry Center webcasts and access to our archive are made possible in part by the generous support of the Sidney E. Frank Foundation.
You can also download the MP3. [8 MB]
[Right-click and select "Save Target As:" or equivalent to download.]
Subscribe with iTunes or add our podcast feed to your RSS news reader and have future 92nd Street Y podcasts delivered automatically.
Who would you like to see at the 92nd Street Y? Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah as others have suggested? Join the discussion on our Facebook page and let us know: Who would you like to see at 92Y?
Because Every Joke is a Tiny Revolution: Hammer & Tickle
Trailer for Ben Lewis’ Hammer & Tickle
Director Ben Lewis’ Hammer & Tickle is a documentary feature demonstrating how in the former Soviet bloc, jokes enabled people to dissent during a time when overt opposition to the state was forbidden. Ben displays how jokes were the people’s means of dissent in the absence of free speech, affirming what George Orwell wrote in his 1945 essay, Funny but not Vulgar: “A thing is funny when it upsets the established order. Every joke is a tiny revolution.”
“...no one knows the story of the German cabaret troupe who were imprisoned by the Stasi in 1961 for telling bad jokes (bad in both senses). No one knows about the Romanian public transport worker who collected overheard jokes and then analysed his material statistically so he could calculate the speed of the average Romanian communist joke.”
And don’t miss our series on Jewish Comedians with Columbia Professor Jeremy Dauber, as he examines Jewish comedy’s classic voices. Next up on Thu Nov 19: Jewish Comedians: On Woody Allen. Following that is Jewish Comedians: On Mel Brooks, Feb 16.
Attaining and maintaining beauty is an increasingly challenging task, particularly as our changing environment wreaks havoc on our skin. “This is not your ancestors’ environment,” says Dr. Dennis Gross,
board-certified dermatologist and author of Your Future Face. “In today’s world, the reality is that our skin is bombarded daily with external environmental pollutants and impurities. We must combat these aggressors to achieve our healthiest, most vibrant skin.”
Dr. Gross cites tap water as a leading environmental aggressor. Impurities such as iron, calcium and heavy metals are not filtered out of our bathing water, leaving collagen-destroying, cancer-causing free radicals on our skin after we shower. High levels of chlorine, used as a germicide, are also harmful. In addition to heavy metals, we inadvertently come into contact with a wide range of airborne and water pollutants, often made more damaging when they interact with the sun. According to Dr. Gross, carbon monoxide can cause skin redness and rashes, ozone in the air from pollutants depletes antioxidants in our bodies and causes free radicals, and nitrous oxide depletes sebum, the naturally occurring layer that protects our skin.
So, besides wading through the myriad of skin care products available everywhere from drugstores to dermatologists’ offices, what can people do to maintain healthy skin? Not surprisingly, exercise and good nutrition play a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin. “There is no better combination than that of a healthy diet and exercise,” says Dr. Gross. “The combination of the two can help reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone.” He recommends reducing high-impact exercise or alternating routines to incorporate both high- and low-impact exercise in order to reduce the amount of pounding that can cause collagen breakdown. Also, simple yoga moves increase circulation and get blood to the head and face.
As for nutrition, Dr. Gross says, “What’s good for the heart is good for the skin.” Foods high in fatty acids, such as avocado, salmon, eggs, cheese and other dairy products can be beneficial. The astaxanthin in salmon improves skin elasticity and reduces the propensity for wrinkles. Protein helps repair cells that have suffered free radical damage. Eggs, a complete source of protein, also contain biotin, an essential vitamin that protects against dry skin. “Eat vegetables that have a lot of color, like red cabbage, green lettuce, and carrots,” says Dr. Gross. “Nature colorcodes vegetables for us. The more colors you eat, the better.”
When it comes to supplements, Dr. Gross believes that applying vitaminstopically is the most effective means of preventing aging and treating existing skin conditions. “Applying ingredients to our skin early on can make a significant difference in preventing premature aging,” he says. Sleep is also a powerful skincare remedy. “The most important thing we can do to change our skin for the better is to get more sleep,” says Dr. Gross. “This is number one. Sleep helps our skin with immunity and regeneration.” And, he adds, use a satin pillowcase to reduce friction on the face while sleeping.
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in 1970s New York City whose lives,” the 
She wrote about the plethora of cooking classes, tutorials, workshops, and more that have been springing up all over the five boroughs. “For the more studious pupils,” she noted, “the 92nd Street Y hosts great 
Dr. Gross cites tap water as a leading environmental aggressor. Impurities such as iron, calcium and heavy metals are not filtered out of our bathing water, leaving collagen-destroying, cancer-causing free radicals on our skin after we shower. High levels of chlorine, used as a germicide, are also harmful. In addition to heavy metals, we inadvertently come into contact with a wide range of airborne and water pollutants, often made more damaging when they interact with the sun. According to Dr. Gross, carbon monoxide can cause skin redness and rashes, ozone in the air from pollutants depletes antioxidants in our bodies and causes free radicals, and nitrous oxide depletes sebum, the naturally occurring layer that protects our skin.
