Chelsea & Downtown Manhattan Events: Nov. 27-Dec. 3
Thursday, Nov. 27
Chelsea
Ice Skating at Bryant Park: Join The Rink this season at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park. New York City’s largest free-admission ice skating rink is open daily through March 1. 8 a.m. Bryant Park, 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue, New York, NY
Downtown
A Closer Look: Guided Close-Looking Through Dialogue: Slow down and discover how much there is to see when you take the time to look closely at highlights from “Untitled” (America). Guided by a Museum docent, participants are encouraged to think through and discuss works together. Each 45-minute session focuses on a single work of art or explores a connection between two works. 12 p.m. Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St., New York, NY (212) 570-3600.
Friday, Nov. 28
Downtown
A Christmas Carol: Two visionary Tony Award winners—playwright Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and director Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical)—offer a magical interpretation of Charles Dickens’s timeless classic. 7:30 p.m. Perelman Performing Arts Center, 251 Fulton St., New York, NY (212) 266-3000.
Chelsea
Experience History in Virtual Reality: Step into immersive 3D re-creations of USS Intrepid’s engineering spaces and learn firsthand how to run the engines, fuel the boilers, steer the ship, and more. 12 p.m. Intrepid Museum, Pier 86, West 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, New York, NY (212) 245-0072.
Saturday, Nov. 29
Chelsea
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano Quartet – “So Nice To Come Home To”: The duo bring their showmanship home to Birdland in this show, with jazz and pop classics by Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, and Cole Porter, as well as singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Carole King, and Bruce Springsteen, plus surprising gems. They released an acclaimed CD, Painting the Town, and toured the country, drawing from the ever-evolving American Songbook. 5:30 p.m. Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W. 44th St., New York, NY (212) 581-3080.
Downtown
Walking Tour: The Jewish Gangsters of Lower Manhattan: Pickpockets, extortionists, armed robbers, bootleggers, gamblers, and hitmen cropped up not only in the Five Points neighborhood but also in the growing Jewish Lower East Side. Join the Museum of Eldridge Street to take to the streets and learn the story of organized crime in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in New York City, from robbed and torched pushcarts to illegal whiskey and drugs. 11:30 a.m. Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St., New York, NY (212) 219-0302.
Sunday, Nov. 30
Downtown
Jason Moran & The Bandwagon: Visit the Village Vanguard to see pianist and bandleader Jason Moran’s exceptional trio, the Bandwagon. Shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Village Vanguard, 178 Seventh Avenue South, New York, NY (212) 255-4037.
Chelsea
The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo Christmas Show: Come to City Winery for this holiday variety show from the indie rock duo The Both, which mixes Christmas classics with original songs. A seasonal tradition for Mann since 2006, the concert includes sketches and guests from both musical and comedic realms. 4 p.m. City Winery, 25 Eleventh Ave., New York, NY (646) 751-6033.
Monday, Dec. 1
Chelsea
Hirschfeld’s Sondheim: Al Hirschfeld drew his first Stephen Sondheim show in 1957 when Sondheim wrote the lyrics to West Side Story. David Leopold, archivist of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, has compiled the best of Hirschfeld in a new book of detachable posters, Hirschfeld’s Sondheim, that includes an introduction by Broadway star Bernadette Peters. Come hear Leopold, in conversation with book critic Bill Goldstein, as he talks about Hirschfeld’s passion and process for drawing scenes and characters from Sondheim’s many works. The event also includes a performance of Sondheim songs by the cabaret couple Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, who will pair Sondheim’s Broadway compositions with Hirschfeld’s illustrations. 6:30 p.m. National Arts Club, 5 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY (212) 475-3424.
Downtown
Senior Group Exercise: Strengthen the whole body from warm-up to cooldown with various fun exercises. The instructor will lead you in rhythmic movement and aerobics, balance and coordination exercises, as well as strength training. 10:30 a.m. Battery Park City Authority, 6 River Terrace, New York, NY (212) 417-2000.
Tuesday, Dec. 2
Chelsea
Teacher Trivia Night: Teachers, it’s time to put your trivia skills to the test. Whether you’re a walking encyclopedia or just really good at guessing, join the New York Public Library’s Center for Educators and Schools for another edition of Teacher Trivia Night. Enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks to keep you fueled for all five rounds—with questions covering every school subject. 5 p.m. The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 42nd Street & Fifth Avenue, New York, NY (917) 275-6975.
Downtown
Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge: Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: As devotees of pop music and as fans of Brian Wilson, Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge are honored to present the songs of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys for a very special Loser’s Lounge series this holiday season. Shows at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Joe’s Pub, 425 Lafayette St., New York, NY (212) 539-8500.
Wednesday, Dec. 3
Chelsea
Rizzoli Bookstore Holiday Fair: Meet a set of artists, designers, and writers, take home signed editions, and enjoy Prosecco and Italian sweets at this quintessential New York bookstore. Discover its Christmas window, designed by artist Reena Wu in collaboration with the School of Visual Arts, and receive an exclusive Rizzoli Bookstore tote bag with purchases of $75 or more. 6 p.m. Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, NY (212) 759-2424.
Downtown
The Drift presents . . . Barbieland: Come to McNally Jackson for this book event with Tarpley Hitt, editor and contributor at The Drift magazine and author of Barbieland, the explosive true story of Barbie and what Mattel has done to keep her on top. 7 p.m. McNally Jackson Books Seaport, 4 Fulton St., New York, NY (646) 964-4232.