EVENTS

This Gatsby-themed forum focuses on the American Dream as it appeared in the classic novel as opposed to its modern incarnation. Obviously Fitzgerald won’t be in attendance, so go to the roundtable discussion with literary greats Arianna Huffington and Suzan-Lori Parks (Monday, 8 p.m., 425 Lafayette St.).

Meet Student Ambassadors at the Chelsea Read More

Events

October is haunted house season–time to step into your very own horror flick at the Vortex Haunted House (115 W. 27th St.) Buyer beware: This is only for the hard-core–you  have to walk through alone, wear a protective mask and, yes, they are allowed to touch you. All together now: shriiiiiiek (Oct. 12-15, 7 Read More

Billy Elliot, the much-lauded musical that swept the 2009 Tony Awards, is back (at the Imperial Theater 249 West 45th St.) with the same director and scriptwriter (Stephen Daldry and Lee Hall, respectively) and three teens that play the title role on alternate nights (Sunday, 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, 7 p.m., Wednesday, 2 p.m., Read More

Music

See Steve Maglio’s long-running tribute to Frank Sinatra (Saturdays, 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., the Carnegie Club, 156 W. 56th St., $35 plus two-drink minimum.) Maglio started headlining the act in 2004-formerly, he was a karaoke connoisseur. That alone is enough to make us go see what all the fuss is about. 

Go Brazillian with Read More

Theater

Celebrate (un)official Alfred Hitchcock month by catching the long-standing and much-lauded The 39 Steps (New World Stages, Monday, Wednesday through Sunday) now Off Broadway and with a new cast. Another bonus: During September, anyone who is 39 years old and presents a valid ID will get a free ticket to the show. Now that’s Read More

Even if you didn’t score Fashion Week tickets, you can still mingle with the beautiful ones at the second annual Fashion’s Night Out on Friday, Sept. 10. Barneys packs the most bang for your buck (especially since it’s free!): the Olsen and Mulleavy sisters, Proenza Schouler, the Rag & Bone boys, Daphne Guinness and many Read More

Readings

The city has an embarrassment of literary riches to offer on Wednesday, Aug. 25: three readings, all by drastically different authors. First, catch Rick Moody on your lunch break. It’s been five years since his last, acclaimed novel, The Diviners, and this afternoon he’ll be reading from his newest, The Four Fingers of Death: Read More

Readings

Not to be confused with the Simpsons character of the same name, the novelist Mona Simpson (Anywhere but Here) reads from her latest, My Hollywood, at Bryant Park Reading Room on Wednesday (12:30 p.m., free). The book, about two women navigating L.A., has drawn superlative blurbs from the likes of Joseph O’Neill and Michael Read More