Another great photo from our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens. One of her pandemic photos is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York. Valerie Smaldone reports that Birdland, “The Jazz Corner of the World” is in danger of closing its doors, but you can help. And Sandi Durell says The York Theatre Company, a mainstay of remarkable off-Broadway productions, also needs help after a devasting watermain break to save 50 years of archival history. On the good news front, Restaurant Week is back, but a little different. Penn Station has a makeover! And our Broadway Babe has selected 5 of her favorite streaming shows from the past few months.

Jan. 25-31. Restaurant Week to Go

We’re so excited that Restaurant Week will return, but on a to go basis. For $20.21 you will get an entrée and at least one side dish for either lunch or dinner.  Local restaurants are still signing up, but favs like Gramercy Tavern, RedFarm, and Bar Boulud have already been announced. Stay in the loop and sign up for the restaurant week newsletter. It’s so important to support our restaurants!!!

Penn Station Finally Gets a Makeover

Well some good things happened during the pandemic. The Moynihan Train Hall was completed and has officially opened, expanding the nation’s busiest train station, Penn Station into the historic James A. Farley Post Office Building, part of a mixed-use redevelopment of the entire block. The imposing century-old Post Office Building was designed by the same architecture firm, McKim, Mead, and White, as the original, iconic Pennsylvania Station. It will be exciting to see it! 

You’ll also find some amazing art thanks to the Public Arts Fund.

New York Responds: The First Six Months

This powerful exhibit looks at the still-unfolding events of 2020 through the eyes of over 100 New Yorkers. This crowd-sourced exhibition presents objects, photographs, videos, and other artworks that document and interpret the COVID pandemic, the racial justice uprisings, and the responses of New Yorkers as they fought to cope, survive, and forge a better future. 

A jury of a dozen New Yorkers representing many walks of life helped to make the selection from among tens of thousands of submissions received from individual artists and from partner institutions. We’re very excited to say that the exhibit features one of the photos of our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens, author of “The Long Pause and The Short Pause,” photos and poems written during the pandemic. Learn more about the exhibit here.

The Broadway Babe’s Favorite Picks of 2020 – Part I

When the shutdown started, our Broadway Babe started compiling some free theatrical entertainment that can be found online…And with a lot of investigating and unearthing, on YouTube, she became a theatrical “excavator”…and has found some of the most amazing shows. Here is part I of her favorite finds from 2020. Get the details and watch now.

Roving Photographer

Our roving photographer, Nicole Freezer Rubens shares some beautiful photos of NYC transformed with snow. Nicole is the author of the beautiful and poignant book of poems and photos, The Long Pause and the Short Breath (The Three Tomatoes Book Publishing.) Nicole’s favorite pastime is exploring New York City’s neighborhoods. Follow her on Instagram@nfrconsult.

Dusk on the half frozen Turtle Pond in front of Belvedere Castle in Central Park. 

The Metroploitan Museum of Art just after the famous fountains have gone off for the night.