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May has bloomed and so has Norma Knows NYC!
I'm making your weekend planning in NYC easy by providing top picks in these weekly features:
My weekly snapshot of personal recommendations for the savvy New Yorker and hip visitor will get you through a New York minute, day, night, or weekend, to take you from this Friday to the next.
Enjoy! Sincerely, Norma Knows New York City
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Month long pop-up of 30 vendors at Worth Square.
May 10 Bryant Park Grounds Open There's always so much to do in the summer at Bryant Park - check out the website for the calendar... outdoor yoga, music, movies, and more. An event for art lovers. Explore exhibit spaces throughout Greenpoint, Brooklyn; over 15 spaces participate, many hosting opening receptions.
May 10 Opening Night of Rooftop Films Lower East Side rooftop films start this weekend. Stay tuned this summer, I'll be highlighting all the spots to see outdoor movies in the city.
May 11 The New York Junior League 2013 Spring House TourThis event showcases prestigious homes in some of the city's most sought-after neighborhoods. The event includes a silent auction benefiting the Junior League.  May 11 Bike the Branches A one-day bike ride visiting up to 60 branches to benefit the Brooklyn Public Library. End the day at Grand Army Plaza.
May 11 Bushwick's All Night Art Fair
Nearly 50 galleries will stay open late, hosting parties along the Bushwick-Ridgewood border. May 11 & 12 Grand Centennial Parade of Trains At Grand Central Station, view historic train cars, a model train collectible show, and enjoy activities for kids. Also, make sure to take a trip on the Times Square Shuttle... 1940s and 1950s subway cars will be running on Track 4! Check out my Weekly Snapshot from a few weeks ago for Sunday brunch recommendations.
May 13 American Ballet Opens
Stay tuned; I'll be highlighting must-see performances throughout the season. Through July 14. May 14 Karen Jacobsen Hear the Australian voice of the GPS system (the GPS Girl®) sing her heart out. Celebrating the release of her 8th album, Take a Little Drive, she will navigate you through a concert of her piano pop songs. May 16 Gilded Lace Jewelry Event 100,000 cocktails, 100 events, over 5 days at various venues. Through May 21st.
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Cultural Pursuits... 
Randall's Island, Through May 13
Annual art fair featuring 180 works of leading contemporary art galleries.
186,281: Bentley MeekerGallery 151, Through June 15 Meeker's light art installation work confronts the fundamental quality of light and the powerful effect it has on viewers.
Museum of the City of New York
A favorite of mine since the museum is both an art gallery and historic museum. Besides viewing Timescapes, a multimedia portrait of NYC shown every half hour, make sure to visit the Stephen Burrows exhibit, When Fashion Dances. It is a vibrant exhibit of colors, metallic fabrics, and slinky silhouettes.
Pulse New York The Metropolitan Pavilion, Through May 12 The leading US art fair dedicated solely to contemporary art. PUNK: Chaos to Couture  Metropolitan Museum of Art, Through August 14
Organized by The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the exhibit examines punk's impact on high fashion from the movement's birth in the 1970s through its influence today.
Robin Rice Gallery, Through June 16
Rosanne Olson's third photography exhibition represents for Olson the world that lies just beyond consciousness, where time shifts. It is a beautiful depiction of dreams that Olson had since childhood of floating weightless in the sky.
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Curtain Up... 
Broadway and Off Broadway, musicals and plays that have piqued my interest; here are four picks:
The Big Knife
Roundabout Theatre Company, Through June 2
In the glitzy world of Hollywood's rumor mills, Bobby Cannavale portrays the main character created by Clifford Odets. It is a tale of the Golden Age of Hollywood in which Cannavale's movie studio is faced with the cover-up of a life-changing mistake.
Kinky Boots
The Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Through September 1
A show from Grammy Award winner Cyndi Lauper and Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, this show has knockout dancing, while delivering an uplifting story. Forced to save his father's shoe factory in Northern England, character Charlie Prince finds inspiration in Lola, an entertainer in need of a pair of stilettos.
Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike
John Golden Theatre, Through June 30 Borrowing from the plotline of Chekov, this light-hearted play is a delightful family comedy starring David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 
Ars Nova, Through September 1 A second run and a new venue. Based on the scandalous story of War and Peace, the show blends romance, cabaret, and comedy... and a splash of vodka.
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For the Foodie... 
Whether I stroll uptown or downtown, I enjoy meeting with the chefs and sampling the food of these new additions to their neighborhoods. Don't forget to visit Open Table to make reservations. Some may not be available on the website, so you'll need to call directly. ABC Cocina 38 East 19th Street (Broadway & Park Ave) When you hit a home run in the dining world, why not open another spot! ABC Cocina is just that... a smaller version of Jean Georges' next door success in the Flatiron district. Menus are inspired by Spanish and Latin cuisine, offering an amazing assortment of tapas. Casimir & Co1022A Lexington Avenue (at 73rd St) Owner Mario Carta has ventured to the Upper East Side. He's brought a downtown menu and prices to the UES... a steak for $22 that is superb. The restaurant has a wine bar on the ground floor and a dining room upstairs.  Little Prince 199 Prince Street (Sullivan & Charleton St) Owners of Le Rivage recently opened a quaint French bistro in the heart of SoHo. Ambiance and food are superb. I recommend the Beef Tartare and Pan Roasted Chicken. For dessert, you'll be tempted to try one of Jacques Torres' creations! Ristorante Morini1167 Madison Avenue (85th & 86th St) I normally don't write up a restaurant until I've tasted the cuisine and experienced the service, but wanted to give you a heads up. Since downtown's Osteria Morini is one of my favorites, I've been sleuthing on the UES for Michael White's soon-to-open restaurant. It should be open by next week and it looks divine!
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Special Features... NYC Helpful Tips!
Here are some hints... some for visitors, but I use some of these frequently as a resident. NYC grid a puzzle to you? Subway daunting? Visit HopStop for step by step directions on getting anywhere in the city. Whether you want to walk, take the subway or bus, or a combination. As a New Yorker, this site is a staple for me when I want to get somewhere quickly and easily. Driving in? Street parking can be a nightmare. Find the closest and cheapest parking gargages at BestParking.com. And make sure you dial 511 while in NYC for traffic information.  Not sure how to find a cab in NYC? Look for the numbers on the top to be lit up. Beware of the "Off Duty" lights; when those are on, no luck! Check out a new way to find transportation in the city: Uber is a downloadable smartphone application that allows you to find a nearby car service, schedule your pickup and pay for it immediately. It's baseball season! For NY Yankees fans around the world, you can always go to Gate 6 at Yankees Stadium to experience the ball field even when a game is not being played.
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Send to other savvy New Yorkers and visitors, so they can
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