LOWER EAST SIDE — After a summer spent gallivanting in the Rockaways or gorging on cronuts, New Yorkers can enjoy the rituals of the unofficial start of fall this coming week.
Rosh Hashana begins the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 4 and the runways of Fashion Week get moving the very next day. Despite whatever you’ve already got logged into your calendar for the week, prepare to make room for these great must-see events.
Tuesday, Sept. 3
Unless you managed to avoid the Internet entirely in the last week, you may be aware that Lady Gaga re-emerged at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the MTV Video Music Awards. The “Applause” singer's long history with New York is already legendary, but there is more to know.
Author Brendan Jay Sullivan was a close friend of Lady Gaga back in 2006, when she was a go-go dancer and he was known as DJ VH1. In honor of his new memoir “Rivington Was Ours: Lady Gaga, The Lower East Side and The Prime of Our Lives,” Sullivan will be joining other local writers Will Hermes, Dave Hill and Elna Baker for a conversation moderated by Alan Light about the ever-changing nature of the Lower East Side. Head to the Housing Works Bookstore Café at 7 p.m. for this free event.
Wednesday, Sept. 4
Celebrate the Jewish New Year at restaurants that are honoring the holiday with a special menu. From Sept. 4 through Sept. 6, Paname Restaurant in Midtown East will be offering a three-course prix fixe menu for $50. The meal includes challah, pomegranate slices, peeled and sliced apples, honey and sesame seeds. Sushi tuna, Atlantic salmon and sorbets are among the selections to choose from.
If you're downtown, you can check out Kutsher’s Tribeca, where the $85 prixe fixe Rosh Hashana menu includes crispy potato latkes, apple carpaccio salad and kreplach. Other restaurants serving up special items for the holiday include the Russian Tea Room, Tocqueville and Jack’s Wife Freda.
Thursday, Sept. 5
Fashion Week begins today. For those attendees who are still celebrating Rosh Hashana, there will be services near the tents at Lincoln Center. Check out DNAinfo's daily coverage here.
Brooklynites can avoid that hubbub entirely and find some zen in the inaugural Resonant Bodies Festival, which begins today. The three-day event, dedicated to contemporary vocal music, features a curated selection of singers performing both modern and classical compositions. All performances will take place at the ShapeShifter Lab in Gowanus. A one-day pass is $20 and the three-day pass is $50.
Friday, Sept. 6
Artist Doug Aitken’s Station to Station — an art exhibit that's traveling through nine cities via train — begins on Friday. It features sculptures by luminaries Urs Fisher, Carsten Holler and Kenneth Anger. A companion event on Friday night at Riverfront Studios in Williamsburg will feature performances from No Age, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and Suicide. This event is $25 and one night only. The train exhibition will be taking off for eight more stops across the country, before completing its journey in California.
Saturday, Sept. 7
Even for the most ardent vegetarians, bacon has an irresistible lure. One can eat pork in so many delicious forms, it’s not surprising that there’s a festival devoted entirely to this enticing meat.
The Fourth Annual Pig Island Pig Roast in Red Hook hosts more than 25 local chefs serving up artisanal dishes derived from New York state hogs. Vegetarian sides are also available, as are local craft beers and wine. Enjoy live music and cooking demonstrations for a $75 ticket. Entry is free for children under 12 years old who are with a paying adult. The event takes place at the Ikea Waterfront from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Another not-to-miss Brooklyn foodie festival happening this weekend is the legendary Vendy Awards. The competition between local food trucks will take place in Sunset Park, with the finalists pulling up to the curb to serve up their savory and sweet bites alongside an open bar. Judges will evaluate the offerings and crown the winners at the end of the event. Purchase tickets in advance for $95. Tickets for kids between ages 8 and 12 are $60.
Sunday, Sept. 8
After so much eating, drinking and revelry, Sunday is the perfect time to mellow out with a peaceful garden tour. Between 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust will be conducting its annual garden tours. You can walk or bike through the free tour, which begins at Clifton Place Block Association Garden. On the journey, meet local gardeners who keep the greenery alive, then stay for a community barbecue that begins at 4 p.m.
