Photo: Nicole Freezer Rubens

NYC Summer Restaurant Week 2025 returns with prix-fixe menus from top chefs through August 17. At the New-York Historical Society, Blacklisted: An American Story unpacks Hollywood’s Red Scare. Sober Songs, a new musical at Theatre Row, explores addiction with heart and humor. Carol Sue Gershman, who is one hot Tomato, turns 90 on October 14 with a cabaret show at Don’t Tell Mama. Out east, our roving photographer takes us inside the Pollock-Krasner House, while Long Island reporter has the scoop on the new hot trend, book clubs at wineries. And tickets for our annual wine trip go on sale next Saturday.

 Savor the City: NYC Summer Restaurant Week 2025

New York City’s beloved culinary celebration is back! Summer Restaurant Week 2025 runs from July 21 to August 17, inviting locals and visitors alike to indulge in the city’s vibrant dining scene—without breaking the bank.

What’s on the Menu? Over 600 restaurants across all five boroughs are offering prix-fixe meals at three price points:

• $30 for two-course lunches
• $45 or $60 for three-course dinners
  Note: Prices exclude beverages, gratuities, and taxes.

Participating restaurants range from Michelin-starred icons to neighborhood gems, with curated menus that spotlight seasonal ingredients, global flavors, and signature dishes. Some venues are also offering a $16.25 “Founded By NYC” special—a nod to the city’s 400th anniversary.

Dining Filters & Highlights Explore by:

• Cuisine type (Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, etc.)
• Neighborhood or borough
• Accessibility and meal type
• Special interest collections like “Date Night,” “Celebrity Chefs,” and “Hidden Gems”

🍷 Noteworthy Experiences

• Gramercy Tavern and Le Pavillon offer upscale American and French fare
• Mission Ceviche and Dhamaka bring bold Peruvian and Indian flavors
• Red Rooster Harlem and Naks serve soulful comfort and Filipino delights
• The Stand in Union Square pairs dinner with comedy shows

Plan Ahead

• Reservations opened on July 15 and are filling fast
• Deals are available Monday through Friday, with some restaurants extending to Sundays
• Saturdays are excluded from the promotion

Browse restaurants and book your table

Whether you’re craving a rooftop dinner, a cozy brunch, or a culinary adventure in a new borough, Summer Restaurant Week 2025 is your passport to NYC’s finest flavors—at unbeatable prices. Let the feasting begin!

 On View Now: “Blacklisted: An American Story” at The New-York Historical Society

Step into a riveting chapter of American history with Blacklisted: An American Story, a bold new exhibit uncovering the fallout of the Hollywood Red Scare. Featuring over 150 rare artifacts—from Oscar statuettes won under pseudonyms to FBI files and canceled broadcast scripts—the show traces the personal and political consequences of censorship, surveillance, and creative resistance. With striking nods to New York’s own theater legacy and the trailblazing Hazel Scott, this exhibit challenges us to reflect on free speech, democracy, and the forces that still threaten them today. On view through October 19. GET THE DETAILS.

Starts Aug. 20. A New Musical Explores Recovery

Previews Begin August 30 | Opening September 6 | Limited Run Through September 21

SOBER SONGS is about the humanity, heartbreak, humor, and hope inside recovery. It’s messy. It’s imperfect. It’s real. A daring new musical by Michael Levin (New York Times Best Selling author) is a darkly comedic musical that follows six young adults in recovery at a local AA meeting founded by the gruff but loving “Cap.” Blending biting humor, emotional ballads, and sharp dialogue, the show evolves from light and charming to deeply emotional, offering a raw, character-driven, and emotionally authentic look at addiction, love, identity, and the complicated, messy road to sobriety. With heart, heartbreak, and cathartic honesty, Sober Songs offers a deeply human—and at times hilarious—glimpse into recovery culture.

With music direction and arrangements by Brian Reynolds, choreography by Megan Roe, and directed by Chris Mackin, the show will begin previews at Theatre Row’s Theatre Three (410 West 42nd Street) on Saturday, August 30, with an official opening on Saturday, September 6. Performances run through Sunday, September 21. Special Pre-sale pricing $10 off every ticket until August 15. Tickets are $39-$89 + fees and are now available online at bfany.org/theatre-row/shows/sober-songs.

An Evening with an Icon

One of my very favorite Tomatoes is turning 90 (if you can believe it!!!) and she’s throwing a cabaret party that will be the talk of the town. Carol Sue Gershman is a serial entrepreneur, an adventurer who has traveled the world, an author, and when she was in her late seventies, she fell in love with cabaret and has been singing ever since. Make your reservations now because this will sell out quickly! October 14, 7 PM Don’t Tell Mama. RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW.

Sips and Stories — Book Clubs with a Buzz

Let’s be honest — there’s something magical about a glass of wine and a good story. Add a few fabulous women, a vineyard breeze, and a shared love of great characters (real or fictional), and you’ve got a book club worth RSVPing to early. Welcome to the latest Long Island trend that blends the joy of reading with the joy of relaxing: book clubs at wineries. READ MORE.

Roving in the Pollock-Krasner House

 Nicole Freezer Rubens writes:

The Pollock-Krasner House in the Springs section of East Hampton, has finally been crossed off my must-see list.  The married abstract artist expressionist couple Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner purchased this 1879 house in 1945 for $5,000, borrowing money from Peggy Guggenheim in exchange for some artwork. The sprawling property includes a small house and a separate barn which served as Pollock’s painting studio. It was there that he devised his groundbreaking method of splatter painting or drip painting, laying his raw canvas on the floor to literally pour his house paint on from as many angles as possible. This chaotic style represented the postwar state of existence in America.

On August 11th, 1956, at the age of 44 the acclaimed, alcoholic artist died in a drunk driving accident. After his death Krasner moved her studio from an upstairs bedroom into the barn. Pollock’s brother worked with Masonite baseball game boards and gave many to his brother who used them as scrap canvases often given away to friends. 18 of these small paintings remain today. Sadly, many more were thrown out by their recipients. Krasner used the games to tile the barn floor to protect the remnants of Pollock’s methods.

After her death in 1984 the property was donated to the Stony Brook Foundation and the Nature Conservancy. The house has been preserved as it was left in 1984 with Pollock’s working phonograph, jazz records and art books. The baseball games were lifted exposing the barn floor which is essentially a large Jackson Pollock painting! Schedule your visit, put on some slippers and stand in the barn to be part of Pollock’s genius.

~Nicole Freezer Rubens is the author of “The Long Pause and the Short Breath”