Welcome to A Nite Out NYC ... your source for the real New York!

Vampin' Lady: The Music of Milton Ager Is The Show To See!

Our latest find is "Vampin' Lady" with vocalist Joyce Moody and musical director Earl Wentz on the piano at Don't Tell Mama on Restaurant Row in Manhattan.  "Vampin' Lady" is a 60-minute-long lalapalooza of a tribute to American composer Milton Ager, whose songs include "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)," "Ain't She Sweet," "I'm Nobody's Baby," and more standards than you'd think would be possible to come from the pen of one man. 

Vocalist Joyce Moody packs quite a wallop, knocking you out with her powerful belt, then breaking your heart with soft mellow stylings on the ballads.  That's a classically-trained, legit mezzo-soprano you hear suddenly soaring through the haunting, "I Wonder What's Become of Sally" by the way.  Just as suddenly she'll switch to a down and blue version of the overlooked "I Hate Myself (For Saying the Things I Said)" and pep it up again in a rhythmic Charleston like "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune."  You're in for a treat!

Noted pianist and arranger, Earl Wentz, who created the American Composer Series whose banner "Vampin' Lady" is playing under, supports Moody with finesse all the way and steps out for a piano riff or two of his own for lucky lovers of virtuosic piano playing.

But don't just take our word for it...read some of the fantastic reviews here, here, and here.

"Vampin' Lady" is presented by Wenhelm Productions' American Composer Series and Sixpence, Inc. (who produced the accompanying "Vampin' Lady" cd ).  Catch it at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th Street, while the fun lasts!

If you're in the fashionable Chelsea area, be sure to check out La Belle Vie on 8th Avenue (184 Eighth Ave. between 19th & 20th Streets.) You'll find friendly, efficient service, and a menu of French bistro food that's reasonably priced located in a charming setting that actually looks like the kind of warm neighborhood spot you'd find in France without being over the top or "trying to hard." 

The menu is extensive.  We love the incredible steak au poivre, flambeed with cognac and peppercorns and served with a generous portion of pommes frites. At $20.95, it's the most expensive item on the menu but cetainly worth it. You won't go wrong with the classic Coq au Vin, tender chicken cooked in red wine, at just $16.95 or the Cassoulet Toulousaine -- a hearty stew chock full of beans, duck, lamb, pork and garlic sausage. It's a generous portion of homey French deliciousness for $19.95.

If you're heading to the theatre or just in the mood for an early supper, La Belle Vie also offers a prix fixe menu for $21.95, served Monday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  We wish this otherwise excellent place would spruce up their dessert menu a bit with a few more creative items, although we recommend without hesitation the fabulous souffles. The chocolate one is completely decadent. Should you decide to indulge, you'll need to place your order at the same time you order your meal due to the long preparation time.

La Belle Vie offers a full bar at pretty much the standard NYC prices for cocktails (starting at around $9.00 depending on what you order and whether you specify brands) and a fairly extensive wine list with prices running from the reasonable to the expensive. Our wait staff has always been knowledgeable and made excellent recommendations whenever we've asked.

In fair weather, sidewalk dining is an option, although we don't see the point in competing with the traffic noise and the crush of the boisterous throngs on the sidewalks, especially when inside is so roomy.  The front section of the restaurant, near the bar, can be a bit on the noisy side.  Quiet conversation is a bit easier towards the back.  We found the piped-in music a little too loud on one occasion and asked nicely that it be adjusted.  They did, without question, and we've been going back ever since.

Did you know that the Metropolitan Museum of Art is open late (until 9:00 p.m.) on Fridays and Saturdays?  It's a great time to beat the crowds and stroll through the sumptuous galleries at a more leisurely pace.  Many a romance has begun over a conversation casually struck up while viewing one of the many treasures in this truly world-class museum.  It's just different at night somehow.

Visit the museum at 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street.  To find out about special exhibits or for other information, phone (212) 535-7710 or visit the museum's web site by clicking here.

To get there, take the subway (for just $2.00) or take the bus  (just $2.00 -- remember that exact change is required! -- or use your MetroCard).

From the East Side of Manhattan:

• Subway: Take the 4, 5, or 6 train to 86th Street and walk three blocks west to Fifth Avenue. 
• Bus:  M1, M2, M3, or M4 bus along Fifth Avenue (from uptown locations) to 82nd Street or along Madison Avenue (from downtown locations) to 83rd Street.

From the West Side of Manhattan (you'll need both the subway and the bus unless you're already at either 81st or 86th Streets):

• Take the 1 train to 86th Street, then the M86 crosstown bus across Central Park to Fifth Avenue (transfer for free with your MetroCard).
• OR take the C train to 81st Street, then the M79 bus across Central Park to Fifth Avenue (transfer for free with your MetroCard).

From Penn Station:

• Take the M4 bus to 83rd Street and Madison Avenue.
• OR take the C local train to 81st Street and transfer to the M79 crosstown bus across Central Park to Fifth Avenue (transfer for free with your MetroCard). 

After your visit...why not hop aboard the M1, M2, M3, or M4 bus and head south along Fifth Avenue towards Rockefeller Center or the Empire State Building, or wherever you're heading.  It's just $2.00 (exact change required or use your MetroCard) and a fun way to see the sights, especially at Christmas.  Click here to go to the MTA's website for subway and bus maps.

What we offer is a decidedly select list of exciting things to do in New York: some old, some new, some off the beaten path.

We present some tips and tidbits on making the most of your evening in New York and answer some questions that will make your experience more enjoyable, reminding you of one or two options you might not have considered.

We cut through the overwhelming and decidedly-unhelpful hype about the "latest," "hippest," "coolest," "trendiest" things to do in New York.

If you're not interested in overcrowded, overpriced, overhyped places full of that "thump-thump-thump" that leaves your ears ringing and has you shouting "WHAT?" the whole night, then check us out!

Keep visiting us...we're expanding!

<a href="http://www.aniteoutnyc.com">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.sixpenceinc.com/VampinShow.html">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.cabaretscenes.org/cab_revs/2007/Dec%2007/moody-joyce12-07.html">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.sixpenceinc.com/CabaretScenesPrint.html">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.aniteoutnyc.com">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.sixpenceinc.com/VampinShow.html">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.cabaretscenes.org/cab_revs/2007/Dec%2007/moody-joyce12-07.html">Joyce Moody</a>

<a href="http://www.americomps.com">Joyce Moody</a>