Trip by Skyscanner is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip by Skyscanner’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.
Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip by Skyscanner. Visit the Trip by Skyscanner website or download the app for more upcoming events.
You’ll want to sport your tackiest and gaudiest Christmas sweater on this holiday yacht party. Get in the spirit of things with Christmas tunes, games and prizes, winter-inspired appetizers and cocktails and spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline! Tickets start at $37.92
To celebrate National Sangria Day, Mad Dog & Beans is slashing sangria prices in half with any order of an entree. You’ll also want to stick around for the complimentary tequila tasting by Astral Tequila from 6-8pm.
Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina (FiDi) Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 12pm-11pm
Make Music Winter is an outdoor concert that turns audiences into band members. From African drums to handbells, each event has its own unique sound. Come spread holiday cheer at one of over a dozen participatory musical parades across New York! FREE
Check website for complete list of locations Thursday, Dec. 21 (check website for times)
The biggest holiday treat does not come in a box, but in the form of a key. Though you won’t actually get the key to the uber-exclusive Gramercy Park (Manhattan’s only private park), trustees of this two-acre paradise will open its gates to the general public for some holiday caroling. Bring a flashlight. FREE
Gramercy Park (Flatiron) Sunday, Dec. 24 from 6-7pm
The biggest Jewish singles ball, Matzoball organizers have been throwing this annual party for over 30 years now! Mazel tov and happy hunting, ladies and gents! Tickets start at $53.74
Trip.com is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your great experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.”
Trip.com’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.
Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York, courtesy of Trip.com. Visit the Trip.com site or download the app for more upcoming events.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
1. Holiday Opera Mouse
Soho Playhouse (South Village)
Through Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11:00 AM
This lovely holiday play is about a puppet mouse who saves the day while belting out arias by Mozart and Puccini, proving once again that great things come in small packages. “Holiday Opera Mouse” is a great way to introduce kids (and adults) to the wonders of classical music. Tickets start at $25.
The National Museum of Mathematics and Flatiron Partnership are celebrating winter solstice with a giant math problem. Be one of the the first 300 people to show up on the plaza to help put together a huge mathematical puzzle that contains secret (and possibly life changing) messages. After this brainy activity, participants are invited to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. FREE.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
3. Winter Music Fest
Check site for complete list of locations
Wednesday, Dec. 21 (check site for times)
Make Music Winter is an outdoor concert that turns audiences into band members. From African drums to hand bells, each event has its own unique sound. Come spread holiday cheer at one of 13 participatory musical parades across New York! FREE.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
4. Christmas for Expats
Jimmy’s No. 43 (East Village)
Friday, Dec. 25 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Jimmy’s No. 43 invites expats, orphans and those who could care less about Christmas to gather around the taps for a holiday pint, or two. The expats X-mas Day Brewer’s Brunch is an all-you-can-eat walk-around meal that serves as a reminder that Christmas, like all good things, is best when shared. $25 (with drinks available for purchase).
Photo courtesy of Pexels
5. Matzo Ball
Capitale (Bowery)
Thursday, Dec. 24 from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM
The biggest Jewish singles ball, Matzoball has been throwing this annual party for 30 years now! To celebrate three decades of “jewcy adventure” the organizers promise a bigger, better and outrageously more fun party! Mazel tov and happy hunting, ladies and gents! Tickets start at $50.
The biggest holiday treat does not come in a box, but in the form of a key. Though you won’t actually get the key to the uber exclusive Gramercy Park (Manhattan’s only private park), trustees of this two-acre paradise will open its gates to the general public for some holiday caroling. Bring a flashlight. FREE.
Courtesy of Pexels
7. Colonial Christmas
Fraunces Tavern Museum (Financial District)
Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 6:30pm
Did you know that Christmas was once banned in America? Not that that stopped settlers from merry making on the down low. The Fraunces Tavern Museum takes a step back in time to explore early American holiday traditions through poetry, “English carols, American folk hymns, dance tunes and drinking songs.” $15 tickets includes one wassail drink.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
8. Winter Wonderland Rooftop Bar
Arlo Hotel (Hudson Square)
Sunday through Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM; Thursday from 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM; Friday-Saturday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM (through New Year’s Day)
Head up to the rooftop bar at Arlo Hotel for spectacular views and an array of spiked holiday drinks. The seasonal pop-up, Winter Land, has turned the space into a Christmasy ski-lodge that serves gingerbread-man jello shots, mulled wine, candy cane shooters and hot chocolate martinis.
Photo courtesy of Pexels
9. Black Fashion Designers
The Museum at FIT (Chelsea)
Tuesday through Friday 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM; Saturday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The Fashion Institute of Technology honors the contribution of black designers in a new show called “Black Fashion Designers.” Covering over 60 years of history, the shows features original creations from Zelda Wynn Valdes, Ann Lowe, Arthur McGee, Wesley Tann, Jon Weston, Willi Smith, Patrick Kelly, Nkhensani Nkosi and others. FREE.
It was a day of mourning when Union Square Cafe closed its doors in 2015. But when one door closes, another one opens. In this case, Union Square Cafe’s new digs are double the size of its original home. It still looks and feels like Union Square, but better. On the menu, you’ll find staples like the tuna burger, calamari fried in graham cracker crumbs and banana tart alongside plenty of new items to fall in love with. Welcome back!
Join your fellow navel gazers who will be welcoming 2017 in quiet contemplation at Jivamukti Yoga Relaxation Studio. Chant, reflect in silence and hear inspiring messages from Sharon Gannon and David Life. FREE and open to the public with registration. (If you want to take part in a Master Yoga Class with Gannon and Life and the vegan dinner that follows, the cost is $108.)
Photo: Blowfish Soup/Flickr
12. Poetry Marathon
St. Mark’s Church (East Village)
Sunday, Jan. 1 from 2:00 PM to 2:00 AM
For a more inspirational New Year’s Day, one dedicated to the arts, observations and self expression, why not spend the day and night listening to 150 poets (among them Tracie Morris, Eileen Myles, Edgar Oliver, Tommy Pico and Hannif Willis-Abdurraqib) read their work at the annual New Year’s Day Marathon Benefit Reading. $25.
Photo: Kaique Rocha/Pexels
13. Bike or Skate into 2017
Washington Square Park (Greenwich Village)
Saturday, Dec. 31 at 10:00 PM
Why stand around waiting for New Year’s when you can get on your bike or skates, grab some food and drinks and take a late night ride to Central Park’s Belvedere Castle for a fireworks display and a festive outdoor dance party. Throw on some fancy pants (it’s a party after all), bring noise makers and meet us under the arch at Washington Square Park. FREE.
Contrary to popular belief, the average New Yorker can be an art collector. Thanks to Maria van Vlodrop and the Accessible Art Fair New York presented by MvVO ART, New Yorkers have an opportunity to not only meet top modern artists but purchase some of their work. Taking place at The National Arts Club at 15 Gramercy Park South through Nov. 25, the Accessible Art Fair launched on Nov. 1 with an event sponsored by Stoli Elit Vodka, Brussels Airlines, Neuhaus Belgian Chocolates and artnet, and in collaboration with partners Tumblr, One Art Nation, The Clarion List, BelCham, Christie’s Collectrium and The Lowell Hotel. Tickets sales for the event — which is affiliated with Stephanie Manasseh’s Brussels Fair, as founded in 2007 — give back to the art world as they benefit the non-profit organization Materials for the Arts.
Downtown caught up with Maria for some Q&A about the Accessible Art Fair New York, MvVO and more. More info on this inaugural event can be found at www.accessibleartfairnewyork.com. The Accessible Art Fair can also be followed vua Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
How would you describe Accessible Art Fair New York to someone that hasn’t yet attended it?
Maria van Vlodrop: The Accessible Art Fair New York presented by MvVO ART is a unique experience. You get to meet the artists and learn what inspires them. A jury of famous art experts has handpicked these artists and their work is worth seeing. They are rising stars ready for discovery! I think this is an incredible opportunity for everyone at the fair. The artists can jumpstart their careers and the art lovers can be in on the beginning of their stories.
You can also meet art influencers, mingle with other art lovers, and have fun. It’s not an intimidating atmosphere. It’s friendly and you can buy art that you love. With a little luck, the value might appreciate because you caught the artist before they were famous. The Fair is being held in the iconic National Arts Club on Gramercy Park. It’s a gorgeous, Gothic Revival, Victorian Mansion. I think everyone is going to love seeing contemporary art in that beautiful, historic space.
What prompted it to come to New York this year? Did specific people help make this happen?
MVV: The Accessible Art Fair has been a very successful annual event for 10 years in Brussels. After attending it for five years, I moved to New York and was amazed to find that there was nothing like it in New York. So I decided to bring the Fair here. The New York edition is presented by MvVO Art — a new art venture that I founded last year for creating opportunities for artists, collectors and corporate sponsors to discover one another and form powerful partnerships. I have partnered with Stephanie Manasseh, the founder of the Brussels Fair. I’m co-founding and directing the New York edition, with Stephanie serving as our Chief Curator.
Who are some of the exhibitors or vendors that you are most excited about?
MVV: I’m most excited about our artists! We have 60 artists — from New York and all over the world. They’ve been vetted by a jury of prominent art experts from Sotheby’s, Gagosian Gallery, artnet, Christie’s, Collectrium, etc. All the artists are committed to their careers and our Fair is providing them with the perfect platform to progress. I’m also looking forward to the Brussels Airlines “Likes Art Award.” The public will vote for their favorite artist and the winner will be announced by the Belgian Consul General at a special reception at his residence.
Maria van Vlodro / Photo: Teresa Pyskaty
What is coming up for Accessible Art Fair New York after this festival wraps?
MVV: We’ve partnered with Invaluable — the premium auction site — and will be moving the Fair online! The work of a select group of our artists will be available to purchase online from Dec. 1 to 20. So if you missed the Fair, or if you want to buy something you saw and didn’t buy during your visit you may have a second opportunity. We’re also busy planning our 2017 edition of the Accessible Art Fair New York presented by MvVO Art. We have an amazing venue in mind! For now, we are focusing on making this inaugural event a success. We want everyone to enjoy the exhibition!
For an artist to get involved with Accessible Art Fair New York, what should they do? Is there criteria to working with the organization?
MVV: In early 2017, MvVO Art will organize a call for artists for the Accessible Art Fair New York 2017 edition. Artists looking for recognition and additional exposure are encouraged to apply. We do not require that the artists have gallery representation, as we represent independent artists. I suggest that artists interested in participating get to know our team, by subscribing to our newsletter and connecting with us on social media. Our goal is to create the platforms artists need in order to gain recognition for their work. What matters most to us, is that they be talented and committed to pursuing their art careers. We love artists and we know that it takes hard work to succeed!
Alan Cumming at MvVO / Photo: Teresa Pyskaty
When not busy with MvVO and the fair, how do you like to spend your free time?
MVV: I’m a soccer mom! So I’m often at matches cheering on my 11-year-old son. I also love traveling, spending time with friends, skiing, speed cycling, enjoying good food, trying new things, and — most of all — discovering new talented artists!
Do you have a favorite restaurant in New York?
MVV: I don’t have a special favorite restaurant in New York, but I love the process of discovering one! As I’m originally Armenian, I love Almayass. I’m also looking forward to the opening of Majorelle at the Lowell Hotel by Charles Masson.
Finally, Maria, any last words for the kids?
MVV: Yes, kids are welcome at the Accessible Art Fair New York! I remember my son being impressed and inspired, by meeting artists. Kids will enjoy meeting artists and talking to them about their work. Art is important because it makes life more colorful and it is a wonderful way to express oneself. People also say that Art is a healer. Buy art with your pocket money, start collecting early, ask your parents to buy art for you, choose an artwork you like to hang in your room and enjoy it!
Emily Gershon, Robin McFadden, Anne Vincent at MvVO / Photo – Sean Zanni/PMC
