By Tracy Zwick
Happy Valentine’s Day! Let’s talk about some last-minute options for romantics who aren’t strong on advance planning, an expansive documentary film fest at Lincoln Center, and a new exhibition remembering Flaco, the beloved owl who, having found freedom in middle-age, wisely chose to spend most of it on the UWS.
Let’s Weekend!
February 14th to 16th, 2025
Valentines Day; Friday, February 14th
I received beautiful Valentine’s Day flowers from the UWS’s own Plant Shed, a great local option if you’re looking for a last-minute gift. My favorites are their camellia-like ranunculus and extravagant triple-stem orchids. I’ve always liked Posies on Amsterdam between West 77th and 78th streets for walk-away bouquets, and I’ve never been disappointed by Valentine’s Day chocolates from neighborhood jewel Mondel Chocolates on Broadway and West 114th. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a box of budget-friendly cookies from Hungarian Pastry Shop on Amsterdam and West 111th Street or Janie’s Life-Changing Baked Goods on West 80th between Broadway and Amsterdam. It’s late to be booking a romantic Valentine’s dinner, but I had a great one earlier this week at the unfussy, uber-chic Marea on Central Park South at the corner of Columbus Circle. If you’re prepared to spend $325 (drinks and tip not included) on a 4-course prix fixe menu, see if they can accommodate you!
The Year of Flaco; at New York Historical, 170 Central Park West at West 77th Street; tickets $24 with discounts available for students, children, seniors, and others; pay-what-you-wish from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays; open 11 to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday with special late hours on Friday (closed Mondays)
In a small show that occupies a passageway on New York Historical’s second floor, “The Year of Flaco” celebrates the beloved Eurasian eagle-owl that famously escaped from the Central Park Zoo and lived free for a year, mostly on the UWS. Flaco captured the attention and hearts of New Yorkers, and this show tracks his journey and the emotional arc of his ardent fan base. Flaco died a year ago, in February 2024, after crashing into an apartment building with toxic levels of rat poison and pigeon virus in his system. The show features photos and video, letters, drawings, and objects left at a memorial beneath Flaco’s favorite oak tree. It includes related Audubon drawings and looks at the dangers faced by birds in urban environments. It’s a reminder that we can do more to be better neighbors to the animals in our midst.
Frederick Wiseman: An American Institution Film Festival at Film at Lincoln Center; 165 West 65th Street, through March 5th, showtimes and tickets here
I want to see just about everything screening at this retrospective of the iconic non-fiction filmmaker’s work. Wiseman began his career in 1967 and he’s made 46 documentaries so far. Forty of them, almost all newly restored, will be shown as part of the festival. With few exceptions Wiseman’s work focuses on institutions (“Hospital,” “High School,” “Public Housing,” “The New York Public Library,” et al.), and it’s overwhelmingly about power and violence in everyday life. Wiseman will be on hand this Saturday for a Q&A in conjunction with a screening of his 1991 film “Aspen.”
Poor Flaco—in captivity and on display for 13 years then abandoned to a hostile urban environment until his inevitable death—then his story is anthropomorphized, romanticized and monetized by a cottage industry of books and merch—would be nice if ppl had cared more for this magnificent bird’s actual welfare and less about how he made everyone feel—yes the bird you raised in captivity got out and we could all watch his desperate struggle to survive for a year and make up stories about him—how wonderful!—of course he caught prey—what choice did he have? He really deserved better from the humans that were supposed to be responsible for him—maybe this narrative of inspirational freedom was built up around him to cover for the fact of his callous treatment—RIP Flaco you deserved better than being a lifelong object of amusement
Well said. Why do we need to incarcerate birds and animals ? Leave them alone . If people want to check them out, do so but don’t lock them up!