Autumn in the city means it’s time to get busy! Check out new exhibits, concerts, festivals and great places to brunch.
Starting on Sept. 21 at The Guggenheim presents Rineke Dijkstra: A Retrospective. This is a short program of film and video works carefully assembled by the artist that includes Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore (1999), Mark Leckey's acclaimed short film portraying British nightlife from fragments of found video footage; Pierre Huyghe's Blanche-Neige Lucie (1997), a short film capturing the struggle of Lucie Dolene, who sued Disney to regain possession of the copyright to her own voice in the French dubbed version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; as well as Blind Kind (1964), Johan van der Keuken's documentary about a school for blind children in Amsterdam.
Also starting on Sept. 21 at The China Institute Gallery is New “China”: Porcelain Art From Jingdezhen, 1912-1912. The new exhibition of modern and contemporary porcelain art from Jingdezhen, the renowned porcelain capital of China, will be on view through December 9. The exhibit will offer more than 45 works spanning over a century, including sculpture, paintings on porcelain, as well as vases and other objects.
Two time Tony winner Patti LuPone performs Friday and Saturday (9/22) at 54 Below. Backed by a five piece orchestra, LuPone’s performance will incorporate a mix of pop and Broadway tunes, as well as a selection of Paris and Berlin cabaret songs from the 30s and 40s.
On Saturday, Sept. 22, a gay/lesbian art gallery tour will be offered by New York Gallery Tours in Chelsea at 1pm. Featuring exhibits by LGBT artists, and others of interest to a queer sensibility, it’s a great way to meet gay men & lesbians who share your interest in art! Tickets are $20. Call to reserve. Meet at 526 W. 26th St. (10th & 11th Aves.).
Enjoy a Saturday brunch at noon with Strawberry Fields at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. Strawberry Fields is a look-alike, sound alike Beatles tribute band, covering material from 1964 to 1967. Tickets to the all-you can eat brunch are $40, $42.50 day of the show.
Enjoy murder mysteries? Watson Adventures is hosting a “Da Vinci Code” style scavenger hunt throughout the Metropolitan Museum of Art Sat. night at 5pm. A murdered curator has left behind a cryptic trail of clues connected with secrets in works of art. Tickets range between $34.50-$44.50. Advance purchase is required. Prices include museum admission. Questions? 877-9GO-HUNT, but please do not contact the museum directly.
On Sept. 22&23, bring the kids out to The Queens County Farm Museum for the 30th Annual Queens County Fair. There will be blue ribbon competitions in produce, livestock, arts and crafts, and more. Wander through the Amazing Maize Maze, enjoy pie-eating and corn-husking contests, pig-racing, hayrides, carnival rides, and a midway. Visit craft vendors, food vendors, and the Bavarian Garden, where an Irish band will play on Saturday and a German band will perform on Sunday. Fair hours are 11am-6pm. Call for competition information and Maize Maze admission fees.
Also on Saturday and Sunday is the FDR POW WOW at FDR State Park in Westchester. The event attracts over 500 Native American artists, educators, singers, dancers, and performing groups from across the Americas. More than 40 artist booths will be selling crafts, jewelry, food, and more. There will also be a live bird of prey exhibit, pony rides and tipi raising. From 11am-7pm.
Then on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 3pm, take in a show and early dinner, as Tony and Golden Globe winner Linda Lavin performs with Billy Stritch at 54 Below. She’ll perform cabaret tunes as well as songs from her newly released CD, Possibilities.
Canadian indie rock band Metric performs at Radio City Music Hall on Sun., Sept. 23.
Or, enjoy the soulful sounds of Groove Buffet at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. Paying homage to soul legends, Groove Buffet has an extensive song library from which it crafts each show's set list, providing an entire night of material featuring the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Al Green, Gladys Knight, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, and many more.
