By Tracy Zwick
With seasonally-appropriate cold temperatures in the forecast, it’s a good weekend to stay mostly indoors. I’m excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the peerless The New Yorker magazine at the New York Public Library. Then, I’ll be rooting for the Fighting Illini in an uphill battle against #3 Duke at Madison Square Garden. You could also have a great Saturday night in the neighborhood listening to music at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. And, to get out of the house at some point, walk across Central Park or take the M86 to NYC treasure The Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue, for the opening weekend of their “New Objectivity” exhibition. While there, treat yourself to a bite at one of the most elegantly cozy spots in town without leaving the museum.
Let’s Weekend!
February 21st to 23rd, 2025
Celebrate The New Yorker’s 100th Anniversary: New York Public Library at East 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue; Opens to the public Saturday, February 22nd from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Open Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.; Free
In my opinion, if you don’t read The New Yorker you’re missing out. For 100 years now TNY has produced world-class reporting, fiction, art, and criticism with singular style and depth. And it’s been helmed since 1998 by UWSer David Remnick, with other top editors and members of staff among our neighbors over many years. TNY has a full year of events and special projects planned to celebrate the centenary, including the exhibition “A Century of The New Yorker” opening this weekend at the NYPL. It will draw from the library’s collections to trace the magazine’s history and explore how it has shaped American life. I’m eager to see original manuscripts, delightfully sharp correspondence, photographs, cover art, and more. There’ll be an audio guide and a video featuring TNY writers and editors.
“Reflections of Memory: An Immersive Concert of Strings” at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: Saturday, February 22nd at 7:30 p.m., 1047 Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street; Tickets start at $25
Featuring Strauss’s “Metamorphosen for 23 Solo Strings,” conductor James Blachly will lead soloists from the Grammy-winning Experiential Orchestra in an evening of immersive music at St. John the Divine this Saturday. The music Blachly chose is infused by and reflects memory and loss. Vaughn Williams’s “Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis,” a celebrated work for strings, is also on the program.
SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden, Duke v. Illinois; Saturday, February 22nd; Doors open at 7 p.m., Game at 8 p.m.; Between 7th and 8th Avenues from West 31st to 33rd streets above Penn Station; Tickets start at $280 from Ticketmaster with verified resale tickets selling for less
Hop on the 1/2/3 to MSG this Saturday night if you’re a college hoops fan! A Duke alum and unabashed booster invited me, so I’m sure to be seated amongst his fellow Blue Devils. But I’ll be rooting for the underdog, my alma mater, the Fighting Illini. Illinois is coming off a crushing loss to #11 Wisconsin earlier in the week. After surging in the national rankings, then fading out of the top 25, I’m hoping they’ll be hungry for a big win Saturday. Duke and Illinois are both led by huge freshman guards: Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who may be the number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and Illinois’ Kaspara Jaucionis, who’s also a leading candidate for the pro draft. One month till Selection Sunday!
Neue Galerie: Neue Sachlichkeit / New Objectivity: February 20th through May 26th; 1048 Fifth Avenue at 86th Street; Open Monday and Wednesday – Sunday (closed Tuesday) 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tickets start at $15; Free for members
Walk across the park or take the M86 to the former home of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, which is the current home of the magnificent Neue Galerie, a museum dedicated to 20th-century Austrian and German art. It’s often described as a jewel box, understandably. It’s small, exquisite, and neatly arranged to display precious objects that showcase their owner’s wealth and taste. Here, that owner is Ronald S. Lauder – the cosmetics heir, businessman, and philanthropist – but the museum has reached beyond its benefactor’s personal holdings to display works from the New Objectivity movement on loan from farther-flung holders. After viewing works from the movement’s leading proponents, including Otto Dix, Georg Scholz, and Christian Schad, relax in the elegant Cafe Sabarsky on the Neue’s first floor. Modeled on a fin-de-siècle Viennese Kaffeehaus, the Cafe is period perfect with wood-panelled walls, Josef Hoffman fixtures, Adolf Loos chairs, and Apfelstrudel (apple strudel) to die for.
As an Illini graduate, I feel compelled to root for the Oskiwawas…a hope and a prayer. Love the New Yorker and find going through it once is not enough. Stay warm and cozy up to a latte, a sure to be great game, and some fabulous articles.
Grad school at U of I – first time out of NYC back then. Hated the midwest – loved the Illini – great teams back in the late 70s…