The Master Builder opens this Sunday at BAM

Rebecca Minkoff Bi-Annual Sample Sale
May 10-11, 10 a.m.
Take mom on a pre-Mother's Day shopping spree at Rebecca Minkoff's anticipated sample sale, which comes but twice a year. Whether you fancy accessories, footwear, or clothing, prices are slashed up to 75 percent. 260 Fifth Avenue Showroom, 260 Fifth Ave.

"Endless Bummer II / Still Bummin’" and "Drew Heitzler: Comic Books, Inverted Stamps, Paranoid Literature" Open at Marlborough Chelsea
May 11, 6 p.m.
Two simultaneous group exhibitions open this weekend at Marlborough Chelsea Gallery. Curated by Drew Heitzler and Jan Tumlir, Endless Bummer II / Still Bummin' is a group exhibition inspired by the Southern California surf lifestyle, its dark side as well as its light. Meanwhile, "Drew Heitzler: Comic Books, Inverted Stamps, Paranoid Literature" is comprised of 37 works on paper and a new film, and continues Heitzler’s figurative treasure hunt through the past, as the artist discovers the invisible threads that link seemingly disparate sources. Both shows continue through June 29. 545 West 25th St., 212-463-8634

The Master Builder at BAM
May 12 at 7 p.m.
John Turturro stars in Henrik Ibsen's The Master Builder, opening this Sunday at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Also starring Boardwalk Empire's Wrenn Schmidt, the psychological tale tells of a love triangle between the megalomaniacal Halvard Solness (Turturro), his wife Aline (Katherine Borowitz), and the young and beautiful Hilde (Schmidt). Andrei Belgrader directs. Tickets start at $25 and the show runs through June 9. BAM Harvey Theater, 651 Fulton St., Brooklyn, 718-636-4100

A scene from Nikolai and the Others

Picture it: Westport, Connecticut, 1948. A bunch of artistic Russian ex-pats—choreographer George Balanchine, composer Igor Stravinsky, conductor Serge Koussevitzky, painter Sergei Sudeikin, and composer Nikolai Nabokov—are hanging out together one fine (and fateful) spring weekend. This is the setting of American playwright Richard Nelson's new play, Nikolai and the Others, which world premiered this Monday at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater of Lincoln Center. 

Although the Russians-sequestered-in-the-country setup sounds quite Chekhovian (consider Uncle Vanya and The Seagull) Nelson puts his own unique stamp on a familiar story of human nature, as he did in his previous Lincoln Center Theater works like Some Americans Abroad and the Tony-nominated Two Shakespearean Actors.

Starring Stephen Kunken, Michael Cerveris, Kathryn Erbe, Alvin Epstein, John Glover, and Blair Brown, and directed by David Cromer, Nikolai and the Others, though imagined by the writer, takes us back to real life events, when Balanchine and Stravinsky famously collaborated on the ballet Orpheus—which went on to become the New York City Ballet's inaugural production.

While the play explores themes of controversial American post-Cold War art funding, it's really about the relationships between all of the aforementioned artists, their friends, lovers, and of course, their dancers. (In fact, in a lovely twist of art and life, Balanchine, who passed away in 1983, is credited as choreographer of Nikolai and the Others, as the play features scenes of his original Orpheus choreography.) 

And Cromer's direction is always worth watching, as seen in his award-winning Off Broadway production of Thornton Wilder's classic Our Town, and more recently, Nina Raine's Tribes. Among his Broadway directing credits are The House of Blue Leaves (starring Ben Stiller and Edie Falco), and Brighton Beach Memoirs. [Tickets] 150 West 65th St., 212-239-6200

Jeff Koons for Bernardaud

Imagine serving your dinner guests a wonderful meal on a beautiful porcelain plate designed by filmmaker and musician David Lynch? Or, perhaps, by New York artists Julian Schnabel and Jeff Koons? As it opens the doors of its new Chelsea boutique, French Limoges tableware manufacturer Bernardaud (which turns 150 this year) has teamed up with 12 acclaimed international artists to create a stunning new series of artist-designed tableware, including, depending on the artist, plates, teacups, saucers, serving platters, and more. A nod to "les arts de la table," the collection fits perfectly into the new shop's gallery district-inspired aesthetic. 

Sold in a minimum set of six plates, prices in the collection begin at $460. Each unique piece is as different as the artist who created it. Lynch (in his typical form) referenced the idea of boundlessness in his creation. French artist and philosopher Sophie Calle, meanwhile, approached the project conceptually by visually interpreting a personal story about a dinner date with another artist, and exploring the themes of absence, play, and ritual.  

In his six-piece place setting featuring six different designs, Koons addressed the "democratization of porcelain," as he is intrigued by the luxurious matter's economic and sexual aspects. And leave it to Schnabel to delve into porcelain's dark side, as well as its humor. His work is called, "Ogni angelo ha il suo lato spaventoso." Translation: "Every Angel Has Its Terrifying Side." Says Schabel of the collection, "Some people can look down at this plate and a voyage can occur. You can go to a far away place. You can travel. You can dream. It also could make your food look better." 

Peruse this exciting collection, as well as other Bernardaud pieces, at the new shop located in the famous London Terrace building at 465 West 23rd Street. The artist-designed tableware will also be showcased at Bernardaud's other New York shop at 499 Park Avenue, from May 11 through 24.

Cherry executive chef Andy Choi will craft the menu for Wild Cherry, the restaurant's new Monday night pop-up

Last night, Franco-Japanese restaurant Cherry introduced Wild Cherry, a weekly Monday night restaurant-in-restaurant pop-up concept with a rotating menu by chef Andy Choi (formerly of Bouley and Le Cirque), to a small, invited group. The idea for the pop-up came while Choi was fooling around with new ingredients to whip up late-night plates and midnight snacks for industry friends. At last night’s preview feast, Choi cooked his version of take-out Chinese—with a dash of Japanese and French flavors, of course. The menu featured deconstructed shrimp spring rolls, decadent orbs of kung pao chicken, and even homemade fortune cookies.

Cherry, a joint venture by restaurateurs Jonathan Morr (BONDST) and Eugene Morimoto, will also serve its regular menu during the Monday night Wild Cherry pop-ups. As for booze, the dimly lit subterranean restaurant has its very own sake sommelier, Chris Johnson, who is one of only a few dozen here in the US. The theme for Wild Cherry's Monday, May 13 inaugural pop-up (6 p.m.—MIDNIGHT) will be Chinese Take-Out. 355 W. 16th St., 212-929-5800

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Michael Shannon and costar Winona Ryder celebrated the premiere of The Iceman last Monday. "He's a very complicated man," Shannon said of his character (Richard Kuklinski, aka "The Iceman"), based on a real life hit man.

Photo: Henry S. Dziekan III/wireimage.com

 

James Ferragamo celebrated the 35th year of Ferragamo's iconic Vara shoe at The McKittrick Hotel last Tuesday.

Photo: Sylvain Gaboury/patrickmcmullan.com

 

“You’re not going to find anyone on this carpet who isn’t a Fitzgerald fan,” called out Isla Fisher at the premiere of The Great Gatsby last Wednesday.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin/wireimage.com

 

Gatsby star Leonardo DiCaprio told Dispatches that he read The Great Gatsby "over 20 times" by the time the film wrapped.

Photo: Stephen Lovekin/wireimage.com

 

Thursday brought the Cinema Society premiere of What Maisie Knew, starring Julianne Moore, Onata Aprile, and Alexander Skarsgard.

Photo: Henry S. Dziekan III/wireimage.com

 

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The Iceman Premieres, Gatsby Exhibit Opens at Prada 
Michael Shannon plays real life hit man Richard Kuklinski in The Iceman, a sensational mob-related film that premiered last Monday. “He’s a very complicated man,” Shannon said of the character (aka "The Iceman"). “I watched 20 hours of [documentary] footage. He’s not like Frankenstein, just a complicated person. He displayed some humor.” Winona Ryder is also endearing in the role of Kuklinski’s wife. 

“I’ve played bad guys and bad cops, but this is only the second mobster,” Ray Liotta, also in the film, indicated to Dispatches. “And I’ve got to say, this is a really good movie.” Nightclub-owner-turned-actor Danny Abeckaser plays Kuklinski’s best friend in the picture. And he’s completely believable. Speaking of nightlife, at the Soho House afterfête, Grey Goose served drinks called Iceman and The Contract.

On Tuesday, as anticipation for The Great Gatsby premiere reached fever pitch, Dispatches was invited to the opening of an exhibit entitled “Catherine Martin and Miuccia Prada Dress Gatsby” at the Prada store in Soho, where costumes were set up like a museum exhibit. And yes, that was Katy Perry perusing the exhibit: “I love that she incorporated Miu Miu and Prada looks from the runway,” said Perry, adding that she felt like a geisha in her Prada dress, “and then she tailored them to the Gatsby era.”

Ferragamo Fêtes Iconic Shoe, The Great Gatsby Takes Lincoln Center 
Dispatches then cabbed it to The McKittrick Hotel on West 27th Street for the Salvatore Ferragamo celebration of its iconic Vara shoe’s 35th year. “The Vara was launched by my Aunt Fiama in 1978,” James Ferragamo, dressed dashingly in blazer with a shawl collar and white piping, told Dispatches. The evening also marked the premiere of a video, L’Icona, starring Camilla Belle, Lauren Santo Domingo, and Lake Bell wearing the Vara. 

But the starry Prada event and the hip McKittrick Hotel didn’t prepare Dispatches for the DeMille-scale premiere of The Great Gatsby at Avery Fisher Hall on Wednesday night. I noticed women in ball gowns lining up a block away. And thousands of Leonardo DiCaprio fans filled the area around Lincoln Center. “You’re not going to find anyone on this carpet who isn’t a Fitzgerald fan,” called out Isla Fisher, wearing Dolce & Gabbana.

“Wow!” said Tobey Maguire about the scene at Lincoln Center, to borrow a line from his Gatsby character, Nick Carraway. Maguire said he’d only read the book after he got the part, but DiCaprio told Dispatches, “By the end of the film, I think I probably read it over 20 times. It is one of the iconic novels of all time, incredibly current . . . predicted the stock market crash.”

Daniel Benedict and Margaret Russell Toast Moooi, Andrew Saffir Premieres What Maisie Knew
Meanwhile, Daniel Benedict and Cinema Society founder Andrew Saffir may be partners in life, but that didn’t stop them from hosting two different events at the same time on Thursday. Benedict and Margaret Russell, of Architectural Digest, hosted cocktails in honor of Moooi, purveyors of modernist lighting and furniture, at the Bleecker Street Arts Club, a spacious gallery that Benedict recently opened with Stephen Werther (of Wink Boutiques).

Dispatches then barely made the red carpet at What Maisie Knew, hosted by The Cinema Society, Tod’s, and GQ. Julianne Moore plays a rocker who unintentionally neglects her child. It is a heartbreaking story told from the child’s vantage, and it feels real. Moore told me she was wearing Valentino on the carpet. “She’s so adorable,” Moore said of Onata Aprile, who plays her daughter in the film. “I would say, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this scene and I’m going to yell, and I might cry on this line, but I’m not really crying.” Alexander Skarsgard also gives a terrific performance as Moore’s young husband.  

For more entertainment and society news, visit jeffreyslonim.com or follow @JeffreyJSlo on Twitter

The Standard Grill will host a pizza pop-up with ingredients sourced from Andre Balazs' Hudson Valley Farm

Pizza Pop-Up at The Standard: The High Line already attracts throngs of visitors, but another reason to head toward the Meatpacking District is the opening of The Standard Grill’s seasonal outdoor restaurant. Chef Dan Silverman is working with Frank Pinello, of Best Pizza in Williamsburg, to offer guests an array of pizza choices. A wood-burning oven will turn out pies topped with produce from hotelier André Balazs’ farm in the Hudson Valley. The menu also features antipasti, salads, and desserts. 848 Washington St., 212-645-4100 

Mondays with Jesse at Recette: Chef Jesse Schenker will host the May edition of his monthly 10-course tasting menu event on May 13. The one-night-only menu will usher in the arrival of spring at the West Village restaurant (favored by celebs like Sienna Miller). Among the dishes served will be a roasted turbot served atop a marrow-laden bone with morels and spring garlic purée. We’re told the menu will also include plenty of ramps, asparagus, and spring peas. 328 W. 12th St., 212-414-3000 

Scarpetta Fifth Anniversary Menu: Scarpetta fans know full well that chef Scott Conant’s perfectly al dente spaghetti with tomato and basil is not to miss. The popular dish is a signature of the restaurant that is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary. Through May 9, the restaurant will be offering a special four-course menu ($65) with a complimentary flight of wine pairings. Of course, Conant’s spaghetti is on the menu. 355 West 14th St., 212-691-0555 

Goals for Life Benefit Dinner: With chefs like Daniel Boulud (Daniel), Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park), and Alex Atala (D.O.M. in São Paulo, Brazil) co-chairing the annual Goals for Life fundraiser, the effort is bound to be a hit. Benefiting the Pelé Little Prince Research Institute in Brazil, the May 8 event will feature dishes from participating chefs and a cocktail hour beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $2,500 for two guests and can be reserved by calling 212-675-9474 ext. 28 or by e-mailing GoalsForLifeNYC@sualtd.com. Gotham Hall, 1356 Broadway 

Murray’s Cheese Bar Debuts Lunch: Murray’s Cheese Bar is rolling out lunch service every Thursday and Friday from noon to 3 p.m., starting this Thursday. On the menu is a three variety grilled cheese and tomato soup, a cheeseburger that comes with a rarebit cheddar poured tableside, and a lighter omelet using goat cheese and seasonal vegetables. 264 Bleecker St., 646-476-8882

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We Are All Part of This (2007), Martin Boyce, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery

Selected works from Frieze New York.  

 

Pretty Girls (detail) (1977), Linder, Stuart Shave/Modern Art

Selected works from Frieze New York.  

 

Animal Vegetable Pop Music (2012), Jeremy Deller, Gavin Brown’s enterprise

Selected works from Frieze New York.  

 

Ionesque (1965), Sam Gilliam, David Kordansky Gallery

Selected works from Frieze New York.  

 

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For the second year running, New York's leading international art fair takes over Randall Island's Park this weekend from May 10 to 13. With a sculpture park, education program, and the participation of more than 180 top galleries from countries as far off as Belgium, Brazil, Romania, The Netherlands, and UAE, Frieze New York aims to paint New York's dynamic art scene in an international light.

Located on the Randall's Island Waterfront, the sculpture park at Frieze New York presents to the public important international work. New work showing at the park this year (specially made for Frieze) includes the 80-foot high inflatable work “Balloon Dog” by Paul McCarthy.

The art fair also includes specially commissioned, site-specific projects by artists Liz Glynn, Maria Loboda, Mateo Tannatt, Andra Ursuta, and Marianne Vitale. Emerging and young galleries also play an important role at Frieze New York, as featured in the fair's Focus and Frame sections. Focus shines a spotlight on galleries less than ten years old who are debuting works never before seen at an art fair, while Frame (supported by Joe Fresh) features galleries less than six years old.

Visual arts aside, the fair's highlights are plenty: Frieze Story is a literary project by novelist Ben Marcus. Frieze Talks, meanwhile, presents a daily lineup of presentations, talks, and moderated conversations by leading artistic and cultural personalities. Frieze Sounds features commissioned audio works Charles Atlas and the New Humans, Trisha Baga, and Haroon Mirza. Presented with BMW, these “sound works” will premiere in the BMW 7 Series vehicles used for the fair's VIP shuttle service, and will also be available at an onsite listening station, and for download on the event's website as of Friday.

Finally, for those in need of a nosh, Frieze Projects has an onsite, artist-run restaurant simply called FOOD, as well as offerings from Frankies Spuntino, Prime Meats, Sant Ambroeus, The Fat Radish, Roberta’s, Mission Chinese, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Court Street Grocers. Tickets for the fair range from $26 to $75. 

Jerry Hall and Georgia May Jagger (Image via Into the Gloss)

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, Jerry Hall and daughter Georgia May Jagger talk beauty routines and favorite products for beauty blog Into the Gloss. Refreshingly, Hall has no use for “plastic surgery or chemical peels or things like that,” instead opting for a cocktail of luxury face creams. [Into the Gloss]

How does one become a hipster? To find the answer, “middle-aged avowed Manhattanite” Henry Alford checked into Williamsburg hotel the Whythe for an immersive hipster weekend. He shopped, he biked, he dined, and he even took a “knife skills” class at 3rd Ward. [The New York Times]

Before the movie, there was the book. In his blog, The New Yorker's Richard Brody contemplates the continued relevance of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. [The New Yorker]

In case you missed it, NBA center Jason Collins came out on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week in a truly amazing essay penned by the basketball player himself, who now happens to be “the first openly gay pro athlete in a major American team sport.” [Sports Illustrated]

Superstar New York chef Mario Batali spilled his success secrets to Fast Company editorial director Tyler Gray at a live event last week called “Innovation Uncensored.” Highlights of that conversation make up this inspiring article, with a link to the live recording on hand as well. [Fast Company] 

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Navy re-constructed safety pin double-breasted sportcoat with spikes, Thom Browne ($8,915). 100 Hudson St., 212-633-1197

 

Spiney necklace, Robert Lee Morris ($1,250). 400 W. Broadway, 212-431-9405

 

Turquoise dame corseted dress, Vivienne Westwood ($3,785). modaoperandi.com

 

Cropped lambskin and chain mesh gloves, Urstadt Swan ($450). modaoperandi.com

 

Union Jack safety pin tee, Any Old Iron ($100). modaoperandi.com

 

Leather vest, Givenchy ($12,900). modaoperandi.com

 

Studded tartan peeptoe bootie, Nicholas Kirkwood ($2,995). modaoperandi.com

 

Mrs. Thom one-of-a-kind spike studded handbag, Thom Browne ($9,950). modaoperandi.com

 

Dagger earrings plated in black, Robert Lee Morris ($175). 400 W. Broadway, 212-431-9405

 

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Zippers, buckles, bustiers, tartan, and lots of leather. It must be punk. As The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition “Punk: Chaos to Couture” kicks off May 9, the streets of New York (and the annual Met Gala) will surely be filled with remnants and reinventions of punk's stylistic legacy. Keeping this tribute contemporary, here are a few of our favorite new collections inspired by punk.

Moda Operandi Exclusive Punk Collection
Givenchy, Balmain, Prabal Gurung, Preen, Rodarte, Thom Browne, and Vivienne Westwood are just some of the designers contributing pieces to an exclusive new punk fashion collection available on curated runway retailer Moda Operandi. Priced from $100 to more than $13,000, pieces range from a stunning chiffon and leather cape by Givenchy to a shirttail bustier by Vivienne Westwood. Exclusive to this collection, Westwood also designed two corseted dresses featuring unique tartan prints. Equally provocative is Thom Browne's wool kilt, festooned with rows and rows of zippers. Balmain's spike heeled booties are pretty hot, too, featuring hardware like bondage-inspired buckle detailing.

Robert Lee Morris
Speaking of detailing, best known for his original African breastplates, “jewelry artist” Robert Lee Morris is a favorite designer of Rihanna and Fergie. Certainly, his knuckle rings and beaded body armor can transform even a New York pavement into a performance arena. Think tribal influence, lots of mixed metals, and earrings modeled after daggers.  

Thom Browne Punk Collection Re-Issue
Finally, with a re-issue of some favorite pieces from his 2012 fall/winter Punk Collection, award-winning designer Thom Browne brings to men's suiting bold punk influences like slim overcoats and jackets, as well as fitted sleeves, skinny legs (with trouser legs slashed), suspenders, and kilts. Available in short and long silhouettes, kilts feature functional zipper striping designed to adjust volume. As for the slasher detailing, it positively screams punk through the use of safety pins, spikes, and studs.