CELEBRATING LATKES: A LATKE COOKBOOK

By Great Performances

The Latke Festival has always been one of our favorite events of the year. Held at the beginning of Chanukah, it’s an annual celebration of the latke; but more than that, it’s a celebration of family, friends, togetherness, and Chanukah around food. Dozens of chefs, restaurants and food enthusiasts prepare their take on a latke for the hundreds of participants and handful of official latke judges to taste, savor, and ultimately vote on the winner in a variety of categories.

The latkes run the gamut from traditional to modern, using potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and parsnips. They are shredded, mashed, or chopped. And the toppings – there’s no limit to the imagination of these chefs, and each one is more delicious than the last.

We’ve collected some of our favorite latke recipes and share them with you. Check out our cookbook below and let us know if you try some of the recipes

TOP TIPS FOR PLANNING A HOLIDAY PARTY

By Shaun Roberts

For many people, it’s been a long time since they’ve attended an event. Shaun Roberts, CRO (Chief Revelry Officer) and master party planner shares some of his top tips to help you plan the perfect holiday party. Whether you’re planning a company party or a social gathering for the holiday season, the same tips will apply. And don’t forget, you don’t need to plan a holiday party in November or December! January is also a great month to throw a holiday party, and our team at Great Performances can create some incredible moments to help keep your holiday party fresh and exciting.

  • Get ahead of the game. It is never too early to start planning your holiday party! At the very least, get a date on the calendar so that you can secure a venue, even if it is your own space. It’ll also give you and your team a bit more time to enjoy the planning process (yes, it is possible!)
  • Location, location, location. Whether you’re hosting it in-house or are looking for an event space, we can help you find a location that works for your party vibe and number of guests. From historic mansions and ultramodern urban spaces to lofty libraries and intimate museums, we’ve got a venue to suit every style. We can even find event venues for intrepid explorers, adventurous athletes
  • Plan something fun. We’re not suggesting charades, but planning a special theme, activity, food, or moment to engage your guests and add an extra spark to your event can help make your holiday party even more memorable. Our planners have dozens of ideas up their sleeves from fun food stations to creative cocktails to entertainers and performers.
  • Make it delicious. Now that you’ve given yourself plenty of time to plan the party, you can really put together a delicious and thoughtful menu with your Great Performances Event Director. Specialty items like sushi stations, beignet carts, and vegan ice cream trucks can be sourced. Interactive and globally inspired stations like our Pan-African, NY Street Food, and Cannoli stations are sure to be a hit. And we can help ensure that a wide variety of dietary preferences are accommodated.
  • Keep the party flowing. We love welcoming guests with a drink and a nibble to help everyone feel at ease as soon as they arrive. Stations and passed hors d’oeuvres help keep people mingling and moving around the space. If you prefer a seated dinner, we recommend mixing things up with a dessert and coffee bar to encourage more post-dinner merriment.

Check out some of our resources for planning a holiday party:

IMMIGRANTS' PERSPECTIVES: CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is a time that we celebrate with loved ones and share our food with our gratitude. This uniquely North American holiday has come to mean a lot to newcomers to America. What is beautiful about the holiday meal today is the influence of global flavors and cuisines via new citizens as well as refugees from all over the world.

Georgette Farkas interviewed some of the chefs we’ve worked with for People’s Kitchen and at our Latke Festival. Each of these incredible women share their Thanksgiving stories and how they’ve made it their own, bringing in their cultures, traditions, and flavors, but always sharing a meal while sharing their gratitude.

Yen Vo, Co-Owner and Co-Founder, MADAME VO

Yen Vo’s hands down favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.  The Vietnamese born fashionista’s penchant for the American harvest celebration reflects how families from around the world embrace the holiday as as they settle into American life on their own terms.

Yen and her husband, Chef Jimmy Ly, opened their chic East Village Vietnamese restaurant Madam Vo in 2017. Their second restaurant, Madame Vo BBQ, followed soon after. Jimmy had grown up working in his family’s restaurants and easily won Yen over with his cooking. But when it comes to Thanksgiving, Jimmy takes the day off, and Yen takes over in the kitchen. It’s also the only time her mother and grandmother give her free reign behind the stove, even if they still can’t keep their hands off the seasoning.  

Yen’s earliest Thanksgiving memories date back to age seven, and a feast hosted by the aunt who had sponsored her family to come to the US. Yen’s aunt wanted them to have a truly American style holiday meal, with an emphasis on the side dishes. Yen’s favorite, and one she still makes, is a classic green bean casserole. Her cornbread and andouille sausage stuffing has a Southern accent, thanks to the time her family spent in Mississippi. This year she’ll also be serving roasted garlic mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts and maple glazed carrots.

Yet the menu would not be complete without cha gio, traditional Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls with their nuoc cham dipping sauce that are a must at all Yen’s family gatherings. Roast pork lettuce wraps with vermicelli and cucumber are another must, before the turkey comes to the table. So while the Vo and Ly families don’t fuse the flavors of East and West, they serve them side by side, combining their Vietnamese and American culinary cultures right up through dessert. They’ll have traditional American pumpkin and pecan pies and then give out moon cakes as gifts. As with Thanksgiving, the moon festival celebrates the harvest, with both traditions celebrating family gathered around the table.

Learn more about MADAME VO here.

Aarthi Sampath

Aarthi spent her first American Thanksgiving as the guest of a school friend’s Nicaraguan grandmother in the Bronx. She had no idea what the holiday stood for or what to expect on the table. To this day she recalls an incredible spread of pork stew, rice and beans, potato and egg salad, a giant pineapple glazed ham, and an even bigger bird that she did not know was a turkey, all followed by American pies and tres leches for dessert. She is still struck by the generosity and warmth shared by people she was meeting for the very first time.

Chef Aarthi Sampath first arrived in the US 2013 when she transferred from a food service management program in her native India to major in baking and pastry at Johnson and Wales. Her subsequent years in restaurant kitchens produced a wealth of turkey making experience. At the Breslin she learned from the highly technical and carefully tested sous vide approach. She was proud to put her own side dish on the menu and still remembers hand scrubbing mountains of rainbow carrots. She roasted them in her own blend of cumin, turmeric, honey, raisins and walnuts and finished the dish with a carrot top and cilantro pesto seasoned with ginger, garlic and lemon, clearly an East meets West inspiration.

At Junoon, Aarthi’s Thanksgiving turkey was the center of a staff family meal. She marinated the bird Indian style, rubbed with turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander and garlic. “It was the first time I had ever brined anything, an entirely new technique for me learn, and it took the biggest pot we had in the kitchen,” explains Aarthi. On the side she served black lentils and a rice salad.

For a Thanksgiving dinner in Seattle, where Aarthi was making her mark with her gourmet food truck, she took the night off to host a group of healthy eating athletic friends. She wanted them to be able to indulge with abandon on her menu of quinoa salad, roast vegetables and whole roasted tandoori chicken marinated in yogurt, lime, chili, coriander and cumin. The chef still remembers, “I didn’t have enough plates in my own tiny kitchen and used every possible implement and container on hand to serve the dinner.”

During the 2020 shutdown, Aarthi prepared Thanksgiving dinner as a private chef for a family with Italian and South American roots. “They wanted their many cultures reflected in the menu and especially asked me to add some Indian spices of my own,” recalls the chef. “It was the most customized Thanksgiving dinner I have ever created.” In addition to a rosemary and sage brined turkey, Aarthi made whole roasted plantains topped with spicey beef stew; Bengali style potato and egg salad with mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. For dessert, Aarthi served pumpkin and sweet potato trifle. “At home we had my grandmother trifle for every family gathering, so I served my own version of this childhood memory,” say Aarthi. “The Thanksgiving meal is about family memories and traditions, no matter where they may originate.”

Follow Chef Aarthi Sampath on social: @arthi_sampath

Hong Thaimee, Chef-Owner, Thaimee Love

Today Hong Thaimee considers herself a New Yorker, yet she experienced her first Thanksgiving in her native Thailand as the guest of an expat American family. “I am open to new experiences, never judgmental, so I was happy to embrace this very foreign meal. I loved the stuffing and its aroma pervading the house. It must have been the celery,” remembers Hong. “They served classic roast turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce. To this day, I can’t imagine where they got that turkey.”

Hong enjoyed her first Thanksgiving dinner here in the US in 1995, as an exchange student living in Portland, Oregon. Her host family were great cooks, but she still remembers the jazz soundtrack that accompanied dinner, more than the food itself. 

By 2006, Hong had moved to the US full time and took on a Thanksgiving dinner of her own for a group of friends from around the world. Learning to brine the turkey was the greatest challenge at the time. Ever since, she’s been seasoning her bird with a Thai curry spiced butter under the skin. As a side dish, Hong makes fried rice with green curry paste, coconut milk, eggplant and Thai basil, which she explains can double as a stuffing. Yet the holiday recipe she remains most proud of is her now famous red curry paste pumpkin pie. It was published in Rachel Ray magazine and still appears on her restaurant menu.

Learn more about Thaimee Love here.

Lebjulet Braganti, Chef, Eat Off Beat

Lebjulet Braganti has two passions: the first, numbers and the second, cooking and making desserts. Prior to moving to the US in 2016, she taught university-level mathematics. But now, she shares her passion for cooking and making desserts at Eat Off Beat, a New York based company offering ready-made meals made by refugees to explore the world from your home.

Lebjulet remembers the first time she celebrated Thanksgiving: her mother-in-law prepared different dishes and a lot of food. Lebjulet cooked three desserts—a lemon curd fruit pie in strawberry, kiwi, and peach. As she sat to eat the feast, she felt nostalgic, remembering her childhood. Every Sunday, she and her parents, brother, and some friends would eat together, giving thanks to God for the family and everything they had. Thanksgiving brought back those cherished memories through the shared experience.

Every year, her family celebrates with five families at her friend Ana Maria’s house. Each family brings Venezuelan dishes, and Lebjulet typically prepares meat and dessert. She’ll traditionally prepare two or three desserts, typically desserts her friends request. One dessert she always makes is her famous tres leches cake, which as been described as “one of the best desserts I’ve had’ by most. This past year, she prepared guanabana (soursop) cake filled with pastelera of guanabana and decorated with suspiro.

She and her family and friends like to celebrate Thanksgiving as a moment to share, talk, and most importantly, giving thanks for the opportunity to be together, to feel freedom, and to grow their children together without being afraid and sad.

“Every day we live in constant fear [of leaving] America. For asylum seekers, it’s not easy to live here. Some people celebrate, but others, like parents, think about leaving everything again. I like Thanksgiving Day. It is the marvelous celebration when we can remember where we come from and where we are going. The decorations, the happiness, the food… this day is part of me now.”

Learn more about Eat Off Beat here.

LOVE NOTES FROM OUR CLIENTS

By Liz Neumark

We have a passion for serving others. There is nothing predictable (think weather), simple (think complex pre-event emotions) or easy (have you driven a truck in NYC?) for our sales and planning teams. But every day, they get it right! 

With thanksgiving in mind, we want to share some of the wonderful notes we receive from our clients. It is a tribute to our GP family but also a reminder of how powerful the written note of thanks can be.

Wedding, Wave Hill, The Bronx, NY

About the Event

  • Event: Wedding
  • Location: Wave Hill
  • GP Planners: Amanda DiUglio, Emily Schreiber

From the Client

Amanda!!! We can’t thank you enough for everything you and the GP team did to make our wedding so perfect on Saturday. 

Like…REALLY can’t thank you enough.

At our brunch yesterday morning, the GP food and service was the talk of the town! Everyone was raving about everything they ate (cookie pizza obviously included!!!) and made special note of how amazing the service was and how wonderful the staff was. One of our friends said it was the safest and most “back to normal” she’s felt in 2 years. She said they’d turned down numerous events over the last few months but felt confident we’d have a plan in place for making everyone feel good. She said your team went above and beyond her expectations. 

Did I mention people loved the food???? 😂😍 Literally everyone was raving about everything from the fritters and the taco station to the pretzel bread/baguette (um yes! I love pretzels and didn’t know this was gonna be a thing!) to the steak to the incredible perfectly melted-ness but not too melted of the ice cream. (This is an excellent thing, I say that as an ice cream connoisseur.) People were like, “Wait isn’t wedding food supposed to be like..not good??” At our wedding, it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We really just are amazed at how incredible everything was. The room was electric and people were so happy and we know it’s because they felt SAFE and happy and fittingly full! 

We really are just wowed. I want to also give a HUGE shoutout to Tasha who was cool as a cucumber and a wonderful human being. I didn’t realize the GP bridal attendant would be so key to our day (I mean, delivering Diet Cokes is obviously key to the day…but I didn’t realize she would be with me the whole night!!), and I believe it’s a HUGELY marketable part of the GP package. Grateful to Tasha for carrying my chapstick (critical!), helping me with my Saks-disaster of a bustle and sourcing granulated sugar when I got the hiccups! (It DID work, for what it’s worth!) 

If I can be a reference for you guys or a website testimony or anything moving forward, I would be ecstatic to be. I’m on a list of 500 women in media/tech/entertainment and plan to send around your email and the GP info when I do a write up of how amazing my wedding vendors were. 

Wedding, Glenmere Mansion, Hudson Valley, New York

About the Event

  • Event: Wedding
  • Location: Glenmere Mansion
  • GP Planners: Amanda DiUglio, Emily Schreiber

From the Client

You beat me to it! 

Our experience with Great Performances under your leadership was impeccably professional and delightful from start to finish. 

GP was the shining light among vendors amidst the roller coaster trajectory of the pandemic. 

The quality of your food, service and presentation, second to none. 

[We] are grateful to you for helping to make our daughter and son-in-law’s celebration at Glenmere so delicious, beautiful and memorable. 

You haven’t seen the last of us!

Conference, The Glasshouse, Manhattan, New York

About the Event

  • Event: Technology Conference
  • Location: The Glasshouse
  • GP Planners: Jill Cole, Sara VanWeichen

From the Client

Thank you to you, Forrest, Ken and the rest of the GP staff for all of your help and support leading up to and during the event.

I’m not sure how the event would have turned out if you weren’t one of our partners as we took on the Glasshouse as a venue. You helped us navigate so much from what you shared and who knows how much more was done behind the scenes. It’s so comforting to know that catering is something you never have to worry about when we do our events with you. 

The food and service was top notch as always. Gotta love it when your CEO tells you he gets so many compliments on the food and how we always have the best food at our events. 

Again, thank you. I absolutely love working with you all and I hope you pass this along to your bosses! Or if I should share it directly, let me know. I know the past 1.75 years haven’t been the easiest in your industry, but I’m so glad you are all still here. 

Good luck with your upcoming weddings!

From the Planner

It has been an absolute pleasure to work together on the [event] this week and throughout the planning process. Your immaculate attention to detail, your poise under pressure, and your creative collaboration are qualities we respect and appreciate so much. Thank you for your time, your heart, and for the laughs along the way (we had to laugh sometimes, didn’t we??).

[…]

Again, from the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU! Best of luck with your busy wedding weekend (and to your GP team catering another [one of our events] this evening!). We can’t wait to see more of you and your work very soon.

Nonprofit Gala, Brooklyn, New York

About the Event

  • Event: Nonprofit Gala
  • Location: Brooklyn, NY
  • GP Planners: Jill Cole, Sara VanWeichen

From the Client

Thank you so much for following up – I am still pretty comatose right now, but there is pretty much one thing that I’m happy to reflect on, and that is the greatness of Great Performances.

Everything last week was perfect. We got SO many comments from guests about how good the food was, and how much of it there was… we were never ever concerned about the transition from seated dinner to cocktail and whether people would be full… it was obvious that they were! I also must commend you on the incredible work ethic of your team. Your staff is really astonishing, from the top on down. I remarked to Forrest at some point (and then later Susan) that what your staff really embodies is “hustle” – that’s what you want to see of every single person at an event, and there is not one person on your team who is without purpose, focus, and speed. It’s something that other vendors and event managers should envy. And you know, truly, that I adore Mack and was ecstatic to have him there. He is such a special, hard working person, and I feel lucky to get to work with him, Forrest, and you two.

So long short, everyone was very happy. Thank you so much again for everything!!!

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: NOVEMBER 2021

By Great Performances

Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!

Photo: ©BAM

AI WEIWEI

November 10

Location:

 

TALKS | LITERARY
 

IN CONVERSATION WITH DEBBIE MILLMAN
CO-PRESENTED BY BAM, GREENLIGHT BOOKSTORE, AND PEN AMERICA

 
Part of Fall 2021
“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTISTS WORKING IN THE WORLD TODAY”
—FINANCIAL TIMES
 

Join world-renowned artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei on the release date of his highly anticipated memoir, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows. While being held by Chinese authorities in 2011, Ai Weiwei decided to write a memoir about his extraordinary life and the legacy of his father Ai Qing, the nation’s most celebrated poet who was banished from society. At once ambitious and intimate, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need to protect freedom of expression.

Please note: This event was originally scheduled for Tue, Nov 2 at 7:30pm

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

REDECODE X CONTAINERS

September 15 – December 15, 2021

Location: Sharp Lower Lobby in the BAM Fisher

 

Joiri Minaya
Redecode x Containers
Inkjet on vinyl
2021

Redecode x Containers by Joiri Minaya, a New York-based Black Latinx artist, presents portraits from her Containers series (2015–2020) and landscape images from her Redecode wallpaper series. Containers is an ongoing project highlighting female subjects in seemingly natural environments wearing bodysuits Minaya makes using fabric with tropical designs. By abstracting tropical images via pixelation in Redecode, Minaya introduces an unexpected and layered take on cultural tropes historically projected onto Caribbean culture, women, and the region’s natural and commercialized elements. Combining these two series in one pictorial plane, Minaya provides space for the viewer to question imposed histories and ideas, encouraging new and culturally inclusive narratives.

Redecode x Containers is curated by BAM’s Curator-At-Large, Larry Ossei-Mensah.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

September 15 – December 15, 2021

Location:

 
Part of Film
 
Directed by Edgar Wright | 2021
With Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, Diana Rigg, Matt Smith
 
In this psychological thriller from director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the DeadHot Fuzz), Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie. But the glamour is not all it appears to be, and dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker. Screening on 35mm.
 

Click here to learn more

Composit Scan: Katerina Jebb; Courtesy Brooklyn Museum

CHRISTIAN DIOR: DESIGNER OF DREAMS

September 10, 2021 – February 20, 2022

Location: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor

Tickets: $25

The New York premiere of the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams traces the groundbreaking history and legacy of the House of Dior. The exhibition brings to life Dior’s many sources of inspiration—from the splendor of flowers and other natural forms to classical and contemporary art.

With objects drawn primarily from the Dior archives, the exhibition includes a vast array of over two hundred haute couture garments as well as photographs, archival videos, sketches, vintage perfume elements, accessories, and works from the Museum’s collection. The haute couture on view exemplifies many of the French couturier’s fabled silhouettes, including the “New Look,” which debuted in 1947.

Presented are galleries devoted to Dior and the artistic directors who succeeded him—Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri. A toile room, a tribute to the Ateliers, and adjacent galleries of couture garments showcase the excellence of Dior’s petites mains. The central atrium of our Beaux-Arts Court has been redesigned as an enchanted garden, and a concluding gallery celebrates dresses worn by stars from Grace Kelly to Jennifer Lawrence.

The Brooklyn Museum presentation of Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is curated by Florence Müller, Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion, Denver Art Museum, in collaboration with Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, Brooklyn Museum.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

CALLISTO QUARTET

2021–22 Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence

Sunday, November 7 at 3:00 pm

Location: Music Room

Ticket Information: Start at $30

Praised for their “intensity and bravado” (Third Coast Review), the Callisto Quartet’s Ernst Stiefel residency continues this year with two appearances that spotlight emerging composers and the classic works that influenced them. In this performance, you’ll hear a world premiere by Nathaniel Heyder, who was inspired by Brahms’ Third String Quartet, which was itself modeled after the Mozart Quartet also on the program. Above all else, the three works share an unmistakable joy of life and nature.   

Artists

Callisto Quartet
Paul Aguilar, violin
Rachel Aguilar, violin
Eva Kennedy, viola
Hannah Moses, cello

Program

Mozart: String Quartet in B-flat Major, K. 458, “Hunt”  
Nathaniel HeyderVistas (World Premiere)  
Brahms: String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major, Op. 67  

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

STEPHEN HOUGH, PIANO

Sunday, November 13, 3:00 pm

Location: Caramoor Grounds

Ticket Information: Starts at $30

World-renowned pianist and composer Stephen Hough brings his exceptional artistry to Caramoor for a program that includes the music of Schumann, Chopin, 20th-century British composer Alan Rawsthorne, and Hough himself. Widely regarded as one of the most important and distinctive pianists of his generation, Hough has earned a multitude of prestigious awards and a long-standing international following.    

Join us after the concert for a conversation with the artist.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Dizzy’s Club

THANKSGIVING WITH WYCLIFFE GORDON

Thursday, November 25, Doors Open 5:30

Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Ticket Information: $178 (Includes cover, food, and gratuity per person. Alcohol not included.)

Universally beloved trombone master Wycliffe Gordon—a former star of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet—continues a Jazz at Lincoln Center holiday tradition. He kicks off the holiday season with this special performance on Thanksgiving, which includes a festive three-course prix fixe feast. With a career spanning decades, Wycliffe Gordon is the definition of a good time; as Wynton Marsalis says, “Just his presence is a creative experience.”
 
PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Wycliffe Gordon, trombone/vocals
Adrian Cunningham, reeds
Ehud Asherie, piano
Yasushi Nakamura, bass
Alvin Atkinson, drums

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Signature Theater

TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992

October 12 – November 14

Location: Irene Diamond Stage

One verdict can change the course of history. The news of the police officers’ acquittal in Rodney King’s police brutality case reverberated throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Variously called a “riot, a revolution, or a social explosion,” the events that followed the verdict drew worldwide attention. Playwright, actor and scholar Anna Deavere Smith responded artistically by dissecting the anatomy of the unrest. She interviewed over 350 Los Angelinos in preparation for the performance. Declared a “rich, panoramic canvas of a national trauma” by The New York Times, Smith’s transformative study of the 1992 L.A. riots reveals the fault lines that set the city ablaze. Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is equal parts meticulously researched reportage and stirring cry for reform. 

Signature is excited to work with Anna Deavere Smith and director Taibi Magar to reimagine this play for new performers and collaborators.

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy Wave Hill

ECO-URGENCY: NOW OR NEVER

Now through December 5

Location: Glyndor Gallery

Co-organized by Wave Hill and Lehman College Art Gallery, Eco-Urgency: Now or Never is a two-part exhibition showing the varied responses to our current ecological crisis by artists working across wide-ranging practices. Now, the first part of the exhibition, on view at Wave Hill, brings together artists looking at the urgency of the present moment, raising awareness through a holistic approach to understanding social, political and environmental concerns. Or Never, the second part of the project, to be presented at Lehman College Art Gallery starting December 4, is both speculative and reflective, examining the echoing cycles of history that have shaped and led us to our current moment, alongside possible and causal futures.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Joshua Bright

EARTH IN PERIL: DAVID BENJAMIN PERRY

Now through December 5, 2021

Location: Wave Hill House

With an unrelenting reverence for the natural world, David Benjamin Sherry photographs epic scenes of the American landscape with a particular focus on the West, highlighting its beauty while hinting at its precarious future. Showcasing a selection of color, monochromatic and black-and-white photographs made over the past 12 years, Earth in Peril highlights Sherry’s technical skills, sensitive eye and queer perspective that set his landscape photography apart from his predecessors and contemporaries.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Joshua Bright

PRISCILLA ALEMAN

Now through December 5, 2021

Location: Glyndor Gallery

Priscilla Aleman’s installation Origins of Devotion transforms the Sunroom into an overgrown, devotional environment that uses the body as an innate symbol in ceremony to convey the sacred, the afterlife and the deities of our time. Referencing traditional sculptures and ancient symbolism, Aleman examines archaeological materials and ecological transformations in the Americas, including the Caribbean, to create sites for ceremony and ritualized performances. Aleman’s sculptural installation will comprise an oceanic exchange of materials collected from the Global South. These will include belongings from family members, replicas of pre-Columbian artifacts and tropical flora from horticultural facilities.

Click here to learn more

NOVEMBER FOOD FESTIVAL: LEEKS

About the Artist: Erin Robinson is one of our GP Artists. Click here to see more of her art.

EMBRACE TIP:

Leeks contain soluble fiber, which may help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, in addition to supporting better gut health.

Looking for more health supportive and wellness content? Check out GP Embrace

Each month, our Great Performances menus feature seasonal ingredients. It’s our way of celebrating the earth and bringing our special touch to every menu.

Below we share Georgette Farkas’ recipe for leeks – delicious Leeks Vinaigrette. This delightful preparation of leeks really allows the grassy, sweet, onion flavors of leeks to shine through. The leeks are gently poached, then dressed with a red wine vinegar and whole grain mustard vinaigrette before being garnished with crispy bacon, hard boiled eggs, and parsley. Making sure to toss the leeks with the vinaigrette while the leeks are still warm allows the flavors to penetrate and really enhances the dish.

LEEKS VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

  • 8 whole leeks, dark green tops and root end removed
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbs grain mustard
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley coarsely chopped
  • 1 hard boiled egg, shelled, finely chopped
  • 1 slice bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, finely chopped

Procedure

  1. Split leeks along their length and rinse well under running water to remove dirt and sand. Tie leeks in a bundle and poach in well salted water until tender when pierced with point of a knife. Cooking time will vary according to leek’s thickness. Drain well, pressing as needed to remove excess water. Cut leeks into approximately three-inch lengths.
  2. Prepare vinaigrette while leeks are poaching. Place vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and whisk together until salt is dissolved. Whisk in olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. While still warm toss drained leeks in just enough vinaigrette to coat. This enables them to absorb vinaigrette more thoroughly.
  3. Combine hard boiled egg, bacon and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange leeks on a serving platter and spoon egg garnish over. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY is dear to our hearts, not only because that is our local, organic farm; but because it allows us to educate children on food and where it comes from via the Sylvia Center. Katchkie Farm has recently become one of our wedding venues. 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH FARROTTO

By Georgette Farkas

Although you can get butternut squash throughout the year, I especially enjoy it in the fall. Creamy and sweet, it’s the perfect addition to any meal either simply roasted, added to a salad, or, as I’ve done here, in a hearty-but-light take on a risotto. Instead of rice, I use farro, an ancient grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture that lends itself well to this preparation. Some of the butternut squash is cooked into the farro, adding to its creaminess; and the sweetness is balanced by the herbs and spices I’ve added. Finally, a bit of radicchio added towards the end adds a complimentary bitter note to the dish.

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 small butternut squash (slice 12 ¼”-disks, then peel and cube the remainder to make 2 cups)
  • 1 cup farro
  • 1 cup onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs sage
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 3 cups vegetable stock, warmed to a simmer
  • ¼ tsp saffron (optional)
  • 1 cup radicchio, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
  2. Line sheet tray with parchment or aluminum foil. Place sliced squash on sheet tray and toss in just enough olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper, sprigs of fresh thyme and sage. Bake until squash is cooked through and slightly caramelized around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. Line a separate sheet tray with parchment or aluminum foil. Place pumpkin seeds on tray and toss in 1 tbs. olive oil, allspice and salt and pepper to taste. Bake approximately 10 minutes, or until crisp and very lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
  4. Add 3 tbs. olive oil to a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cubed squash and garlic and cook stirring until onion is translucent and squash is quite soft. Take your time with this step, as cooking the squash thoroughly will enable it to melt into the farroto. Add farro and cook stirring until farro is very lightly toasted. Add white wine and cook stirring until wine is mostly evaporated.
  5. Add 1 cup warm vegetable stock and cook stirring occasionally over low flame. If you choose to include saffron, incorporate it at this point. Continue to add vegetable stock, a little at a time, cooking the farro until al dente and the stock is absorbed. Amount of stock needed may vary with the pot you use and the strength of the flame. Once farro is cooked through, fold in finely sliced radicchio and cook just until wilted.
  6. Turn off flame and fold in grated parmesan. It is best not to cook farro further once parmesan has been added. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to warm serving plates or platter and garnish with slices of roasted butternut squash. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds over the top and serve.

More Recipes

Chefs’ Choir: Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel’s Russian Pelmeni

For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.

Read More »

OCTOBER FOOD FESTIVAL: MUSHROOMS

About the Artist: Erin Robinson is one of our GP Artists. Click here to see more of her art.

EMBRACE TIP:

Some mushrooms grown in ultraviolet light may be a source of vitamin D, an essential nutrient involved in bone health and the immune system.

Looking for more health supportive and wellness content? Check out GP Embrace

Each month, our Great Performances menus feature seasonal ingredients. It’s our way of celebrating the earth and bringing our special touch to every menu.

Although you can get mushrooms year round, we love them in the fall. They add a hearty, umami, meaty quality and can be eaten on their own as a side or a main, or incorporated in another dish.

Below we share Chef Darryl Goffreda’s recipe for mushrooms which are delicious served on toast (perhaps with a poached egg if you’re looking for something even more rich and decadent), as a side dish to any meal, or added to a salad for some delicious earthiness.

GARLIC MUSHROOMS

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb small cremini or button mushrooms, washed and dried
  • 2 tbsp white wine
  • 1 tsp chopped thyme
  • 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Heat sauté pan over medium heat, then add butter and olive oil.

Once butter is melted, add mushrooms and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy around edges.

Add white wine and cook until reduced.

Add garlic, thyme, and half the parsley and cook until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.

Plate mushrooms and garnish with remaining parsley.

Chef’s Note:

These make an excellent side dish or as a main served on toasted bread with a side salad.

Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY is dear to our hearts, not only because that is our local, organic farm; but because it allows us to educate children on food and where it comes from via the Sylvia Center. Katchkie Farm has recently become one of our wedding venues. 

By Great Performances

Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!

Photo: ©BAM

R&B FESTIVAL AT FORT GREENE PRAK

october 2 – 10

Location: Fort Greene Park

Produced by Danny Kapilian

BAM’s free annual R&B festival is at Fort Greene Park! Now in its 26th year, join us this fall for our beloved outdoor concert series, bringing together friends, families, and neighbors for great music under the trees. This year’s lineup features Memphis singer-songwriter Valerie June, singer-songwriter and playwright, Stew with his band The Negro Problem, jazz piano and Hammond B3 virtuoso Matthew Whitaker, and the Grammy Award-winning singer Mykal Rose, formerly of Black Uhuru.

The BAM R&B Festival has presented Wilson Pickett, Roy Hargrove, Andra Day, Ashford and Simpson, Snarky Puppy, George Clinton and P-Funk, Dr. John, Savion Glover, Angelique Kidjo, Marcus Miller, Richie Havens, and hundreds of other great performing artists since 1995.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Kehinde Wiley; courtesy of National Potrait Gallery

THE OBAMA PORTRAITS TOUR

August 27 – October 24

Location: Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing, 4th Floor

From the moment of their unveiling at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., in February 2018, the official portraits of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama have become iconic. Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of President Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of the former First Lady have inspired unprecedented responses from the public.

This five-city tour travels the United States from June 2021 through May 2022 and is expected to reach millions of people who might not otherwise have an opportunity to view these remarkable paintings. This special presentation enhances the conversations surrounding the power of portraiture and its potential to engage communities. The Obama Portraits Tour is accompanied by a richly illustrated book published by National Portrait Gallery and Princeton University Press.

Other tour locations include the Art Institute of Chicago (June 18–August 15, 2021), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (November 5, 2021–January 2, 2022), High Museum of Art, Atlanta (January 14–March 20, 2022), and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (April 2–May 30, 2022).

The Obama Portraits Tour has been organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Click here to learn more

Composit Scan: Katerina Jebb; Courtesy Brooklyn Museum

CHRISTIAN DIOR: DESIGNER OF DREAMS

September 10, 2021 – February 20, 2022

Location: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor

Tickets: $25

The New York premiere of the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams traces the groundbreaking history and legacy of the House of Dior. The exhibition brings to life Dior’s many sources of inspiration—from the splendor of flowers and other natural forms to classical and contemporary art.

With objects drawn primarily from the Dior archives, the exhibition includes a vast array of over two hundred haute couture garments as well as photographs, archival videos, sketches, vintage perfume elements, accessories, and works from the Museum’s collection. The haute couture on view exemplifies many of the French couturier’s fabled silhouettes, including the “New Look,” which debuted in 1947.

Presented are galleries devoted to Dior and the artistic directors who succeeded him—Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri. A toile room, a tribute to the Ateliers, and adjacent galleries of couture garments showcase the excellence of Dior’s petites mains. The central atrium of our Beaux-Arts Court has been redesigned as an enchanted garden, and a concluding gallery celebrates dresses worn by stars from Grace Kelly to Jennifer Lawrence.

The Brooklyn Museum presentation of Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is curated by Florence Müller, Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion, Denver Art Museum, in collaboration with Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, Brooklyn Museum.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

ISAIAH J. THOMPSON QUARTET

Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center

Friday, October 15 at 8:00 pm

Location: Music Room

Ticket Information: Start at $30

A frequent collaborator with contemporary jazz luminaries, Isaiah J. Thompson has emerged as a powerful pianist, bandleader, and composer. As a performer, he emits joy and conveys his personal experiences and everlasting love of jazz through the music itself. A recent graduate of The Juilliard School, he’s the recipient of the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award and won second place in the 2018 Thelonious Monk (now Herbie Hancock) Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition. 

Please note: All audience members for this concert must wear a mask and show proof of vaccination. To learn more about our Health & Safety policies, please click here

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

FAMILY EVENT: CELEBRATE DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

Sunday, October 24 at 2:00 pm

Location: Caramoor Grounds

Ticket Information: Free

Caramoor collaborates with Mexico Beyond Mariachi to bring a family-friendly afternoon of music and dance to celebrate the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Typically, the holiday involves the gathering of family and friends to pray for and to remember those who have passed, however instead of mourning, the day is filled with celebrations.  

The afternoon includes several traditional and regional dance performances around Caramoor’s grounds, leading to the main event on Friends Field. Appropriate for all ages, the event includes crafts and snacks.

Schedule

Stage 1 / Spanish Courtyard  
Tabasco & Guerrero / 2:00pm & 2:30pm 

Stage 2 / Sunken Garden  
Veracruz / 2:10pm & 2:40pm

Stage 3 / Friends Field Stage  
Mexica & Aztec / 2:20pm & 2:50pm  

All Artists / 3:30pm–4:15pm 

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

EVNIN RISING STARS

Sunday, October 31 at 3:00 pm

Location: Music Room

Ticket Information: Tickets start at $30

One of three mentoring programs at Caramoor, Evnin Rising Stars serves as an incubator for the next generation of classical musicians. Renowned cellist Marcy Rosen serves as this year’s Guest Artistic Director, working with violist Daniel Phillips to mentor five young instrumentalists. The week-long residency concludes with a concert in the Music Room, giving the public the opportunity to hear these exciting artists on their way to becoming leaders in the field. 

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Dizzy’s Club

MIKE LEDONNE TRIO WITH RON CARTER & JOE FARNSWORTH

Friday – Saturday, October 15-16, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm

Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Ticket Information: $45 plus f&b; Students $15

“Hearing Mike LeDonne was a startling revelation. I was knocked out.” —Milt Jackson 

“Mike LeDonne is one of the most talented pianists of this particular era. He’s incredible.” —Oscar Peterson

Pianist and organist Mike LeDonne is a modern master who in the past few decades has worked with Benny Goodman, Sonny Rollins, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, and more. LeDonne’s ace trio features Ron Carter on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums, so it’s guaranteed to be a virtuosic evening of swinging jazz.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Dizzy’s Club

JEREMY PELT

Thursday – Saturday, October 28-30, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm

Location: Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Ticket Information: $40 – $45 plus f&b; Students $15

Jeremy Pelt is one of this generation’s leading band leaders and trumpeters with the ability to execute intricate solos—whether open or muted—with ease, and deliver a ballad in a soulfully tasteful manner. On this special engagement, Pelt will perform music from Griot: This Is Important!, his newest release which is part jazz album, part oral history featuring spoken interludes from fellow artists he has interviewed in recent years. For Pelt, Griot: This Is Important! both honors his forebears and sheds light on the meaning of the music and the motivations of those who devote their lives to it. He brings to Dizzy’s the core powerhouse lineup featured on the album to perform these characteristically lyrical and flowing, and stylistically diverse compositions.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Signature Theater

INFINITE LIFE

Fall 2021

Location: The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre

A play about no end in sight. After the critically acclaimed premiere of John and sold-out run of The Antipodes, Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Baker returns with the final play of her Signature Residency, directing a new work that tackles persistent pain and desire.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Signature Theater

TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES, 1992

October 12 – November 14

Location: Irene Diamond Stage

One verdict can change the course of history. The news of the police officers’ acquittal in Rodney King’s police brutality case reverberated throughout the streets of Los Angeles. Variously called a “riot, a revolution, or a social explosion,” the events that followed the verdict drew worldwide attention. Playwright, actor and scholar Anna Deavere Smith responded artistically by dissecting the anatomy of the unrest. She interviewed over 350 Los Angelinos in preparation for the performance. Declared a “rich, panoramic canvas of a national trauma” by The New York Times, Smith’s transformative study of the 1992 L.A. riots reveals the fault lines that set the city ablaze. Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is equal parts meticulously researched reportage and stirring cry for reform. 

Signature is excited to work with Anna Deavere Smith and director Taibi Magar to reimagine this play for new performers and collaborators.

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy Wave Hill

THE OVERLOOK QUARTET PERFORMS “IF THE STARS ALIGN”

Thursday, October 7, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Location: On the grounds

The Overlook is a quartet of accomplished string players dedicated to amplifying the music of Black composers, by looking to voices both celebrated and underperformed and seeking out living composers to perform and commission. Through this work, The Overlook upholds a commitment to a more representative canon. The quartet will perform “If the Stars Align,” a program dedicated to the music of living Black female composers Leila Adu, Shelley Washington and Eleanor Alberga

Violinists Monica Davis and Ravenna Lipchik have held chairs in Broadway orchestras and toured internationally with renowned chamber ensembles; violist Angela Pickett and cellist Laura Metcalf are members of award-winning string quintet Sybarite5. The four friends and colleagues formed the quartet in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a time when creative work had all but disappeared from the artistic landscape of New York. The quartet has performed dozens of in-person and online concerts presented by the Kaufman Music Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Strathmore Arts and many others.

Registration strongly recommended, online or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. In case of rain, the event will move to Kate French Terrace. Because space is limited, registered guests will receive priority. If you have any questions about this program or have registration questions, please contact us at information@wavehill.org or by calling the number and extension provided above.

The Overlook Quartet’s performance of “If the Stars Align”, part of a two-day festival of community performance activities in the Bronx, is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Bronx Council on the Arts.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Joshua Bright

SKY-HUNTERS IN FLIGHT

Monday, October 11, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Location: Shade Border Lawn

Welcome back master falconer Brian Bradley and his beautiful and beloved raptors, here for a live bird presentation! Watch trained birds of prey sharpen their hunting skills during an exciting outdoor flight demonstration. Hear about the ancient sport of falconry and see live raptors from around the world. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. Space is limited. Rain location: Armor Hall in Wave Hill House. Wings over Wave Hill: Birds of Prey Day event.

Registration required, online or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. If you have any questions about this program or have registration questions, please contact us information@wavehill.org or by calling the number and extension provided above.

Click here to learn more

WOLLMAN RINK IS BACK FOR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS!

Liz Neumark shares some childhood memories and what it means to be part of the reopening of Wollman Rink in Central Park.

By Tomás Fano - originally posted to Flickr as New York. Central Park. Wollman Rink, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4802893

Wollman Rink holds many special memories for me. Growing up on Manhattan’s West Side, Sunday mornings began with a walk through the park with my sisters, to skate in the first session.  I loved it.  Now I get to go back!

Next month, Wollman will reopen to a new chapter in its storied history…..and Great Performances along with our partner in deliciousness, Melba Wilson, will be managing all the food and beverage hospitality!  Under the management of Wollman Park Partners, a group dedicated to operating the rink on behalf of NY’ers, giving back to local community groups, and maintaining the highest standard of ice quality and safety, Wollman is perfect for gatherings and celebrations of all kinds.

What an ideal moment for us, as this is the year for outdoor activities and gatherings.  In addition to tasty and healthy menus at the café, Wollman is the perfect destination for:

  • Team building events and Holiday gatherings
  • Weddings & Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
  • Non-Profit fundraising and School parties
  • And…..Corporate events of all kinds!

Exclusive booking of the rink happens on Mondays and Tuesdays – all other dates are open for groups from 2 to 250, with a range of spaces.

Please contact our GP team at celebratefood@greatperformances.com or via the form below for more information and to book a date now. 

The rink, big sky, city view….the magic!  We cannot wait to share it with you.  

And I will be that ‘kid’ on the ice, dreaming, skating, and forever in love with New York. 

Interested in an event at Wollman Rink?

Complete the form below and one of our expert event planners will follow up!