UWS Weekend: Great Things To Do in (and Near) the Neighborhood

By Tracy Zwick

The Olympics are over, so let’s take it easy this weekend with coffee, donuts, and pastries, some local shopping, and a romantic sunset concert. But don’t get too comfy! We’ve got the US Open’s Fan Week and Qualifying Tournament, which are free and open to the public starting Monday. Let’s get ready by lining up a free pass and mapping out the best three weeks of the tennis season. I’m also throwing in a tip for touring the town by water with visiting friends and family.

Let’s Weekend! 

August 16 – 18, 2024

Donuts, Pastries and Coffee at Super Nice Coffee & Bakery: 196 West 108th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues; Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

You could easily miss Super Nice’s humble walk-up window, but don’t. Go for the seasonal donut specials like pineapple + coconut and sugar + lime, or the regular lineup, which includes fruity pebbles, chocolate and vanilla glazed (with or without sprinkles), passion fruit, loganberry, strawberry, and mango chili glazed. Guava cheese danish, and plain, almond, and chocolate croissants fill out the pastry side of the menu. I brought a mixed box to my building’s community flower planting a while ago and it was a hit. My 12-year-old nephew digs the blood orange glazed donut, saying it makes his lips pucker, “in a good way.”  The pressed-egg sandwiches, served on rosemary ciabatta with a square egg-custard middle flecked with bacon pieces, are less kid-friendly. But the cinnamon roll does not disappoint. Super Nice has no seating aside from a simple bench, and there can be a bit of a line, so plan on a short wait and taking your treats home or to Central or Riverside Park, which are each a couple of blocks away. My sister likes Super Nice’s strong drip coffee and my daughter’s partial to the chicory-syrupy New Orleans-style iced coffee. 

Visit the Largest Curated Weekly Bazaar in NYC: Grand Bazaar NYC; Columbus Avenue between 76th and 77th Streets; Every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Indoors & Outdoors

My thrift-loving 21-year-old reminded me that we have the biggest bazaar in NYC right here on the UWS! Up to 200 artists, designers and vintage & antique dealers as well as food entrepreneurs set up their booths every Sunday year-round, rain or shine. This Sunday is a special “Brunch & Shop” experience, featuring international food like Filipino roasted pig sandwiches, Taiwanese popcorn chicken, Japanese rice bowls, Latin empanadas, Brazilian acai bowls, and cool ice pops, among other options. Come hungry and bring your own shopping tote. What’s your favorite table or booth at Grand Bazaar? Drop it in the comments, please! 

Celebrate Tu B’Av, the Jewish Holiday of Love: Sunset Concert on the roof of the Marlene Meyerson JCC, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th Street, Sunday August 18th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

Tickets are $25 for this sunset concert in celebration of Tu B’Av, the Jewish holiday of love (and matchmaking). If the weather’s inclement the concert will be moved inside. Hear romantic Broadway tunes by notable Jewish creators, from the Gershwins to Rogers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe to Leonard Bernstein. Take someone you love or go alone and fall in love with classic songs from “West Side Story,” “My Fair Lady,” “The Sound of Music,” “Porgy and Bess,” and more, all played by MusicTalks string ensemble.

Ride The Beast, Pier 83 at West 42nd Street & 12th Ave., Tickets $30, Multiple departures every day

If you have family or friends visiting, as I have this summer, this thrill ride’s a great option and a fun way to see the skyline, from the UWS to the Statue of Liberty. The Beast is a lime-green XL speedboat with snarling teeth painted on its sides that’s operated by Circle Line. I boarded with a 12-year-old who insisted we sit in the front two seats for maximum spray. We had our hands in the air as the Beast ripped its way toward Lady Liberty. During our half-hour ride, captained by “Big Diesel,” the soundtrack included Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Tutone and Bon Jovi (appropriate as we whipped by New Jersey). We adults got just wet enough to cool off on a gorgeous August afternoon, and the kids loved getting extra soaked by Diesel, who went up and down the deck with a water gun. There’s no guided-tour-type spiel, but the boat does stop in front of the Statue of Liberty for photos, which the crew is happy to help take. As you pull back into the Circle Line dock, you get a lovely view of our verdant Riverside Park and the elegant UWS. Note that there’s some bouncing around, so if you have a back injury or a heart condition this may not be for you.  

Prepare for the US Open, by getting a free Fan Access Pass!

We’ll cover the ins and outs of NYC’s home slam next week, but do yourself a favor in the meantime and get a free fan access pass online so you can be ready for the world’s best tennis at the US Open! The main draw is still a week away, but Fan Week starts Monday and this free pass will make it easy for you to elevate your experience. There’s a ticketed Dierks Bentley concert this Sunday, followed by the Qualifying Tournament, which is free and open to the public all week, some star-studded mixed doubles, Marvel comic book giveaways, and much more. We’ll also highlight some UWS newsmakers at the Open next week. See ya then! 

Please send your ideas for future UWS Weekend columns to info@westsiderag.com

Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.