Despite the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City doesn’t quite own Thanksgiving the way it does Halloween and New Year’s Eve. Maybe that is because it is a different kind of holiday, one that is meant to be spent with family.

Woody Allen seems especially adept in showing what that can mean, whether the nightmare Thanksgiving in “Hannah and His Sisters” or the makeshift family created by the title character, who serves his vaudeville clients frozen turkey TV dinners, in “Broadway Danny Rose”
Other movies depicting Thanksgiving in a memorable way: Home For The Holidays; The House of Yes; The Ice Storm; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Pieces of April

Few of these are happy; family can be a drag. And not having a family to share a Thanksgiving with can be a drag too, though it’s not something people like to talk about.

So, let’s talk about what you can do on Thanksgiving in New York City. There’s actually a lot to do, like Black Friday shopping sales, Thanksgiving weekend club-hopping — and that parade.

83RD ANNUAL MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

You can watch it on television – in some ways that offers you a better view. Or you can go there with your camera and create your own images.
This year, after 82 years of marching and floating down Broadway, there is a new parade route! It will mostly go down Seventh Avenue this year. The best place to view it is Central Park West between 61st and 72nd Streets. The parade starts at 9 a.m. and 77th Street and Central Park West. Spectators start arriving as early as 6:30 a.m.
Parade Hotline – 212-494-4495

BROADWAY SHOWS ON THANKSGIVING

There are at least five Broadway shows giving performances on Thanksgiving Day:
Chicago
Hamlet (at 7:30)
The Phantom of the Opera
A Steady Rain
West Side Story
White Christmas
Check out all Broadway shows in Playbill’s Thanksgiving Week performance schedule
And check the individual shows to make sure they still have shows on Thanksgiving Day — and that there are tickets available.

EAT AT HOME — WITHOUT COOKING AT HOME
It might be too late by the time you’re reading this to order your turkey dinner from most of these places, but check them out:
Second Avenue Deli (no longer on Second Avenue but just as kosher), Fresh Direct, Balducci’s, Whole Foods, Ready to Eat

MUSEUMS, SPECTACLES, TOURISTY THINGS TO DO
Several museums are open on Thanksgiving Day, such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and more are open over the Thanksgiving weekend not including Thursday.
“Radio City Christmas Spectacular” —
“Top of the Rock” Observation Deck 70th Fl at Rockefeller Plaza
Big Apple Circus — 2 p.m. performance
New York City ” Holiday Lights” Tour
Ice-Skating at Rockefeller Center
Central Park Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride
Manhattan Island Cruise
New York City Hop-On Hop-Off” Double-Decker Bus Tour
Empire State Building Observatory
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum NY

PARTY HEARTY
Thanksgiving Eve Open Bar at BLVD
Party on the Bowery with DJ Enuff and enjoy two hours of open bar for your $25 admission fee.
BLVD, 199 Bowery between Rivington and Delancey Streets, 212-255-4233.

Thanksgiving Eve Open Bar at Duvet
Duvet in Chelsea between 9 pm and 11 pm for $25 per person.
Duvet, 45 West 21st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, 212-255-4233.

Louis CK at Caroline’s
Carolines Comedy Club on Broadway, 1626 Broadway at 50th Street

EATING OUT ON THANKSGIVING
Check out the list from OpenTable.com for Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day
He are 10 recommendations from About.com.

1. Thanksgiving at Rockefeller Center
Views of the iconic skating rink from your table at The Sea Grill. The $68 prix fixe menu is heavy on the seafood (including lobster, sashimi, and miso-glazed black cod), but you can get your Thanksgiving turkey if you want it (complete with stuffing and cranberry-kumquat relish).
The Sea Grill
19 West 49th Street at Rockefeller Center
Reservations: 212-332-7610

2. Thanksgiving At The Central Park Boathouse
Too cold for a spin on the lake, but a good view while dining on turkey — or foie gras and Moroccan spiced cod. Prix fixe dinner is $65 per person (half price for kids under 12).
The Central Park Boathouse
Central Park near Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street
Reservations: 212-517-2233

3. Fraunces Tavern
Established in 1785, Fraunces Tavern was a favorite of founding father George Washington. For Thanksgiving, Fraunces is serving a traditional dinner including your choice of turkey, salmon, or sweet potato ravioli for the main course for $80 prix fixe.
Fraunces Tavern
54 Pearl St. at Broad St.
Reservations: (212) 968-1776

4. An Italian Thanksgiving at Beppe
Beppe’s executive chef Marc Taxiera has created a menu inspired by the Italian Thanksgivings he experienced as a child — including house made gnocchi with Mama’s Sunday sauce, clams oreganato, and the requisite roasted turkey breast. Best of all, Beppe is offering a 50% discount on all wine served on Thanksgiving. Dinner will be served from noon until 10pm on Thanksgiving Day for $80 per person
Beppe
45 East 22nd Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South
Reservations: (212) 982-8422

5. The Water’s Edge
Spectacular view. Choice of turkey, lobster, osso buco, prime rib.

Water’s Edge
44th Dr. at the East river in Queens
Take the complementary ferry from 34th St. or the E,F,V to 23rd St./Ely Ave.
Reservations: 718-482-0033

6. Kosher Thanksgiving at Talia’s Steakhouse
Talia’s, a Glatt Kosher steakhouse on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, is serving a kosher Thanksgiving feast. Choose from six seatings during the day. Entree options include turkey, brisket of beef or bison, a seafood sampler, Chicken Marsala, and pasta. The four-course prix-fixe meal is $59.99 per person, $39.99 for kids under 11.
Talia’s Steakhouse & Bar
668 Amsterdam Avenue at 92nd St.
Reservations: (212) 580-3770

7. Soul Food Thanksgiving at Sylvia’s
Soul food roasted turkey, ham, stuffing, macaroni, collard greens, and candied yams. Dine family a la carte from 11AM until 8PM or select the prix-fixe menu option for $29.95 per person for groups of five or more.
Sylvia’s
328 Lenox Ave. between 126th and 127th Sts.
Reservations: 212-996-0660

8. Raw Vegan Thanksgiving at Pure
Eat light and healthy this Thanksgiving at Pure. The four-course Thanksgiving feast is all raw. Menu offerings include a squash bisque with candied pumpkin seeds and a merlot-soaked portabella mushroom with lemon “ricotta.” Dinner will be served from 3pm-9pm on Thanksgiving Day for $72 per person.
Pure Food and Wine
54 Irving Place near 17th Street
Reservations: (212) 477-1010

9. The Russian Tea Room
The turkey comes with blintzes, borscht, and Chicken Kiev. The special Thanksgiving menu is offered for $95/person ($50 per child). For an additional $45/person, you can add a Sommelier Wine Pairing to your holiday meal.
The Russian Tea Room
150 West 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues
Reservations: (212) 581-7100

10. No-Reservations Thanksgiving Comfort Food At Ted’s Montana Grill
Leave your Thanksgiving planning until the last minute? That’s okay. At Ted’s Montana Grill (that’s Ted as in Ted Turner), Thanksgiving walk-ins are welcome. The New York location of this upscale chain devoted to 21st century comfort food is offering a classic Thanksgiving menu with plenty of extra options for $45 per person from noon until 8PM on Thanksgiving.
Ted’s Montana Grill
110 West 51st Street at 6th Avenue
Reservations: 212-245-5220

The following theater pieces will be opening up within the next couple of weeks, in time for holiday theater-going. Broadway shows tend to be more spectacular and more expensive; Off-Broadway more intimate and less expensive.
I’ve organized this by the date at which the shows are opening, but most of them are currently available in previews, which sometimes means tickets are cheaper before they open.

Broadway:
For a complete list of shows that have opened this season, or are scheduled to open, see Broadway Theater Season, Fall 2009, Spring 2010

‘FELA!’ opens on Monday, November 23. Bill T. Jones stages this new musical about the Afrobeat legend (2:30). Eugene O’Neill Theater

‘RACE.” Opens on December 6. James Spader, Richard Thomas, David Alan Grier and Kerry Washington star in the new Mamet provocation, set in a law firm. Ethel Barrymore Theater, 243 West 47th Street.‘

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC’ opens on December 13. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury star in this London transfer of the Sondheim revival. Trevor Nunn directs. Walter Kerr Theater, 219 West 48th Street.

Off-Broadway:
‘THE AGE OF IRON’ opens on Sunday, November 22nd. Brian Kulick stages this retelling of the Trojan War using “Troilus and Cressida” and “Iron Age.” Classic Stage Company, 136 East 13th Street

‘ZERO HOUR’ opens on Sunday, November 22. Piper Laurie directs this new solo show about Zero Mostel. Theater at Saint Clement’s, 423 West 46th Street.

‘THE STARRY MESSENGER’ opens on Monday, November 23. Matthew Broderick plays an aspiring astronomer in Kenneth Lonergan’s new work. The New Group at Theater Row, 410 West 42nd Street.

‘THIS’ opens on December 2. Melissa James Gibson (“[sic]”) has written a play about the highs and lows of your 40s. Playwrights Horizon, 416 West 42nd Street

‘THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER’ opens on December 3. Doug Hughes (“Doubt”) directs Rebecca Gilman’s stage adaptation of the Carson McCullers novel. New York Theater Workshop, 79 East Fourth Street

‘SO HELP ME GOD!’ opens on December 7. Anna Chlumsky and Kristen Johnston star in the Mint Theater’s revival of this backstage farce. Lucille Lortel Theater, 121 Christopher Street‘

THE GREAT RECESSION’ opens on December 10. The Bats perform one-acts by six of the city’s leading young playwrights that explore the impact of the economy. Flea Theater, 41 White Street

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“Spazialismo” Exhibition
o at Bitforms Gallery
o in the Chelsea 20th area
o 529 W 20th St., 2 Fl., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Installation
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:30
o Starts Today, Closes in 41 days

Elisa d’Arrigo “Constructed, Folded, Sewn”
o at Elizabeth Harris Gallery
o in the Chelsea 20th area
o 529 W 20th St., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Other
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 33 days

Richard Mosse “The Fall”
o at Jack Shainman Gallery
o in the Chelsea 20th area
o 513 W 20th St., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Photography
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 34 days

Stephen Pentak “Vertical Landscapes”

o at Kathryn Markel Fine Arts
o in the Chelsea 20th area
o 529 W 20th St., Suite 6W, New York, NY 10011
o Media: Painting
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 34 days

Susan Leopold “Complex”

o at Elizabeth Harris Gallery
o in the Chelsea 20th area
o 529 W 20th St., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Sculpture
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 33 days

*
Jerry HIrshberg “Recent Paintings”

o at Danese
o in the Chelsea 24th area
o 535 W 24th St., 6 Fl., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Painting
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts tomorrow
*

William J. O’Brien Exhibition

o at Marianne Boesky Gallery
o in the Chelsea 24th area
o 509 W 24th St., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Painting – Drawing – Sculpture – Installation
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts tomorrow

Janet Glazer “New York Stories”

o at New Century Artists, Inc.
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 530 W 25th St., Suite 406, New York, NY 10001
o Media: Photography
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 17:00 to 20:00
o Closes in 9 days

Vishavjit Singh “When a Big Tree Falls”

o at New Century Artists, Inc.
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 530 W 25th St., Suite 406, New York, NY 10001
o Media: Drawing
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 17:00 to 20:00
o Closes in 9 days

Al Held and Philip Pearlstein “PEARLSTEIN/HELD: Five Decades”
o at Betty Cuningham Gallery
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 541 W 25th St., New York. NY 10001
o Media: Painting
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 86 days

Andy Leleisi’uao “Asefeka of the Unmalosa”
o at Kips Gallery
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 511 W 25th St., New York, NY 10001
o Media: Painting
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Closes in 19 days

Anna Joelsdottir “Priest Chews Velvet Haddock”
o at Stux Gallery
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 530 W 25th St., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Painting – Drawing – Installation
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 51 days

Laura Watt Exhibition
o at McKenzie Fine Art
o in the Chelsea 25th area
o 511 W 25th St., New York, NY 10001
o Media: Painting – Drawing
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 30 days

Emi Uchida “LINES”
o at Onishi Gallery
o in the Chelsea 26th area
o 515 W 26th St., New York, NY 10001
o Media: Drawing
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 13 days

Norbert Schwontkowski Exhibition

o at Mitchell-Innes & Nash (534 W 26th St.)
o in the Chelsea 26th area
o 534 W 26th St., New York, NY 10001
o Media: Painting
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 51 days

Shinya Yamamura “Infinity in the palm of your hand –URUSHI decorations”

o at Ippodo Gallery
o in the Chelsea 26th area
o 521 W 26th St., New York, NY 10001
o Media: Crafts
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 37 days

“Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion” Exhibition

o at Pratt Manhattan Gallery
o in the East Chelsea area
o 144 W 14th St., 2 Fl., New York, NY 10011
o Media: Product – Fashion
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:00
o Starts tomorrow

“One World. Many Voices” Exhibition

o at Elisa Tucci Contemporary Art
o in the Harlem, Bronx area
o 5622 Mosholu Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471
o Media: Painting – Drawing – Sculpture
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 17:00 to 20:00
o Starts Today, Closes in 52 days

Peter G. Ray “The Rising Tension of Inescapable Desire”

o at Bridge Gallery
o in the Lower East Side area
o 98 Orchard St., New York, NY 10002
o Media: Painting – Performance Art
o Opening Reception on 2009-11-19 from 18:00 to 20:30
o Today only!

The weirdly-named Loser’s Lounge has been doing tribute concerts to various artists “from ABBA to the Zombies, sometimes with the honorees present,” and sometimes with famous musicians dropping in.
Now housed at Joe’s Pub, which is part of the Public Theater, the Loser’s Lounge will be presenting a special year-end tribute to Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. Included in the show will be selections not just from Michael Jackson’s solo career but from the Jackson 5 as well as hits by Janet and Jermaine.

December 17, 18 and 19
at Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York, NY

Some have called Jamaica’s mightiest record producer, the one and only Lee “Scratch” Perry, a madman. He may be one reggae’s longest-lived patron saints, but he also managed to drive Bob Marley out of his stable of recording artists, clash with The Clash over the production values of “Police and Thieves” and, not least, burn his own recording studio down to rid it of “unclean spirits.” (They don’t call him “The Upsetter” for nothing.) This winter, a precious few US audiences will have the chance to witness Perry walk the border between madness and genius live on stage.

Ever the eccentric, Perry’s live show as every bit as surreal as the dozens of singles and albums released under his multitude of pseudonyms since the early 1960s. Expect sound system antics de rigueur, the most unintelligible stage banter this side of Shane MacGowan and, of course, and that drop…drop…drop dub beat.

Dude lives all the way over in Switzerland these days, so pocket tickets while they’re still $25 a pop. Check out Perry’s handful of U.S. dates below:

Sunday, December 13th: New York, NY @ HighLine Ballroom

Monday, December 14th: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Wednesday, December 16th: Park City, Utah @ Star Bar

Friday, December 18th: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

Saturday, December 19th: Oakland, CA @ Town Hall

Sunday, December 20th: Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst

To check out more groundbreaking goings-on in arts and culture, keep up with the CultureMob blog or follow us on Twitter.

Dirty Projectors at Bowery Ballroom with one-woman band tUnE-yArDs

Milton Nascimento at Carnegie Hall.

Big Star + Kurt Vile and the Violators at Brooklyn Masonic Temple

Savion Glover: Jammin’ with the Masters at Blue Note
Star tap dancer Savion Glover matches and jazz drummer Roy Haynes.

Our Hit Parade at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater

What are good shows to see on Broadway, especially during the holiday season? I suppose this is the obvious question to ask anybody who sees a lot of theater, even though the answer really depends on your taste.

Looking at the list of shows that have opened this season so far that I have seen, here are some recommendations

If you are looking for an old-fashioned tuneful musical: Finian’s Rainbow

If you like to see great choreography: Burn The Floor, Memphis

For a humorous musical, I liked bad-taste humor of “The Toxic Avenger” which announced that it is closing January 3rd to go on tour. (scroll down near the bottom of article linked to, which is my review of six different shows Off-Broadway)

If you are looking for a thought-provoking play, I suggest one that is Off-Broadway (though in the Theater District):
Anna Deavere Smith’s “Let Me Down Easy,” in which she re-creates her interviews with 20 people including feisty former Texas Governor Ann Richards and Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who talk about their bodies, their health. It is running through December 6th.

A lovely little play for anyone who has ever taken a theater class (but not just them) is
also Off-Broadway (and also in the Theater District) Circle Mirror Transformation It is supposed to run only through November 21st, but it has been extended several times already.

For those who are interested in discovering a fresh new voice in the theater, try Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays at the Public Theater.

Note 1: I am only talking about shows that opened up this season. There are several wonderful shows from past seasons that are still very much on the boards, including (but not by any means limited to) In The Heights and Next To Normal. (You don’t need me to recommend the hits that are impossible to get into, or at least impossibly expensive).

Note 2: There are five more shows opening up before Christmas, several of which look promising.

Take a look at my updated list of shows for the Broadway season 2009 – 2010

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The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Centeron Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets is finally opening — it was this dark and forbidding lobby before. It is now (according to Lincoln Center)
* A resource for day-of discount tickets for all 12 Lincoln Center organizations
* A venue for free performances as part of Target Free Thursdays
* The starting point for guided tours of the campus
* A gateway for information about Lincoln Center and its exciting redevelopment
* The home of Chef Tom Colicchio’s ’wichcraft café
* A destination for free Wi-Fi access
* A vibrant community gathering place to linger and enjoy

On Thursday, there will be opening day attractions:

12:00 Performance by Asphalt Orchestra, a new marching band conceived by Bang on a Can, commissioned by Lincoln Center.

Visit the Target Tent on 62nd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam, offering free refreshments and activities from midday until 10:00 pm.

1:00 Performance by the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble (presented in collaboration with The Juilliard School)

4:00 Performance by Kubiak-Pakhomov Duo, cello & piano (presented in collaboration with Bronx Council on the Arts)

8:30 Performance by Sexteto Rodriguez Cuban-Jewish All Stars (presented in collaboration with Target Free Thursdays). These Cuban and Israeli musicians play rousing dance music that synthesizes Cuban danzon and timba, Jewish klezmer, and modern jazz.

Target Free Thursdays provide free public performances every Thursday night of the year at 8:30, at the David Rubenstein Atrium. These concerts will span pop, Latin, rock, soul, country, spoken word, jazz, world music, classical music, and more.

The Broadway production of David Mamet’s Oleanna, starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, will end its run at the Golden Theatre on January 3, 2010. As of that time, it will have played 15 previews and 97 performances.

Bob Dylan will be playing the latest (and possibly last) leg of his current tour at the United Palace Theater in New York at 7:30 p.m. from Tuesday, November 17th to Thursday, November 19th. Prices are $59-$129.