Out & About features events that bring together prominent figures of power and influence. Even more costumes. This week it’s a gathering of “The Sopranos” cast reunion and podcast “Nota Bene.”
Family dinner on Mulberry Street
On Wednesday night in Little Italy, the cast and crew of “The Sopranos,” which premiered 25 years ago this week, gathered for dinner at Da Nico, the old red sauce restaurant on Mulberry Street. The gala was held in parallel with the show’s anniversary nostalgia tour, which included fan events and special screenings.
“It’s like heaven. It’s extraordinary being with these guys,” said series creator and executive producer David Chase as patrons surrounded him at the bar. ,Told. He added that he hadn’t seen many of them in years.
Da Nico, a family-run restaurant that opened in 1993, draws about 75 people, with beloved regulars including “The Sopranos” stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa.
The bartender poured a Chianti labeled “The Sopranos” and the waiter served Baby Capri appetizers, along with Steven Van Zandt, who played Silvio Dante, and Steve Buscemi, who worked as an actor and director on the series. A figure ran through the crowd. (Some of the show’s most famous faces did not appear.)
“I wanted to make sure I was here because I don’t know if this will be our last reunion,” said Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccieri in the series.
He said the night also felt bittersweet following the recent deaths of fellow cast members, including Frank Vincent and Tony Sirico.
Lorraine Bracco, who played Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi, said she looked back fondly on the years she spent with the crowd in this room. “We have shared so much of our lives together. They have watched my children grow up, graduate, have children, and get married, and we will continue to be a very large family. ”
Matthew Weiner, the creator of “Mad Men” who worked on “The Sopranos” for several years, said he still sees Mr. Chase in Los Angeles.
Chase’s writing advice stuck with me. If we understand, they will understand. we are the audience. ”
After cocktail hour, the group moved to a private room on the second floor to enjoy dishes such as Carmela’s Baked Ziti and Satriale’s signature Calabrese. In the coming weeks, these menus and others inspired by the series will be available at Dan Nico, as well as a special Sopranos-themed red dinner. booth.
James Gandolfini, who starred as Tony Soprano in the series, passed away in 2013. But at the rally, Mr. Gandolfini’s son Michael, who played a young Tony in “The Saints of Newark,” hung out by the stacked wall. I carried a bottle of wine and enthusiastically introduced people to my girlfriends. One of his father’s old cast mates came up to him and asked, “How’s mom doing?”
Gandolfini became reflective as he watched former crew members hugging and kissing each other on the cheek.
“I’m not just a fan of the show,” Gandolfini said. “But I salute all the cast members and what they’ve done.”
Artworld Podcast Hosts Bash
Art dealers, painters and critics gathered Monday night for the opening of the group exhibition “Friends of the Pod” at Tribeca’s Broadway Gallery. The exhibition is named after the podcast that hosted the event. “Nota Bene” is a weekly talk show hosted by two art industry insiders, Nate Freeman and Benjamin Godsil, who discuss industry news and gossip in a breathtaking setting worthy of Siskel. And Evert — if they were playing downtown.
“Friends of the Pod,” which runs through Feb. 3, features the work of artists who have guested on “Nota Bene” or are regularly featured on the podcast, including Rashid Johnson and Sterling. Also includes works contributed by art stars. Ruby and Jonas Wood. Mr. Freeman is Vanity Fair’s cultural correspondent and Mr. Godsil is a prominent art advisor.
“We’re true insiders. Nate is a journalist and I’m an advisor,” Godsil said. “Our audience ranges from organizers of the largest art fairs to small gallery owners on the Lower East Side.”
“There’s a lot of obfuscation in the art world, and we’re trying to bring transparency to it,” Freeman said. “We’re here to tell you what’s really going on behind the scenes.”
Artist Andrew Kuo hung out near his painting and sipped on a Carlsberg Tall Boy. And critic Dean Kissick considered Hilary Pesis’ painting of an oyster and Tony Mattelli’s sculpture of a Roman-style bust covered with celery sticks and eggplant.
“The food in these pieces, in some ways, mirrors what Nota Bene is about, because a big part of the podcast is talking about going out to dinner,” Kissick said. “That’s because a big part of the art world is going out to dinner. The art world is made up of dinners.”
Bridget Finn, director of Art Basel Miami Beach, praised the work of painter and sculptor Sam Moyer. “I was just listening to the new ‘Nota Bene’ episode on my way here,” Finn said. “They always get inside information.”
Attendees soon trekked out into the cold to an afterparty at The River, a dimly lit bar in nearby Chinatown. Trays of pickled cauliflower, beets and green beans were served to guests including Washington Post fashion writer Rachel Tashjian and Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz. His Gutes Guterman, co-editor of web publication Byline and founder of The Drunken Canal, wore a sequined scarf while drinking old-fashioned wine.
Max Hollein, the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, dressed in a dark suit, weaves his way through the crowd to reach the bar. “I listen to that show from time to time,” he said. “Two friends are talking. I think it will be very fun and relaxing.”
As midnight approached, the scene embodied the theme of the podcast. Gallerists and artists sat in dark corners, drinking soothing martinis and chatting about business and gossiping. Mr. Freeman and Mr. Godsil were busy chatting with fans, but they were also listening to the whispers around them, 24 hours a day.