frugle bugle

Busy business

2009-07-14T23:37:00.002-04:00

These busy bees are movin' this po-dunk operation, mostly, to Twitter. Follow us @NYCslice!

Free films @ Tribeca Drive-In

2009-04-22T23:42:00.003-04:00

Thursday: T-U-R-T-L-E POWER! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles starts at 8:15 p.m. at the World Financial Center Plaza, "doors" open at 6, though, followed by activities for the kiddies. This is pre-Vanilla Ice, but still.

Friday it's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (same deal in terms of time and place).

Saturday see P-Star Rising, a documentary about rapper Priscilla Star, daughter of Jesse Diaz (see 'em both in this video).

Details for all 3 free screenings here: http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/events/drive-in/.

Weekend: Crooked Disco, parks and sweata weatha

2009-04-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

So ya know Central Park offers free walks 5 days a week? It's a pretty standard rotation, but Saturday from 1-3 p.m. there's a bit something special: Scientist in the City (Get it? Like Sex in the City, "Chasing Biodiversity by Day and Night in the Urban Environment" is hot, hot, hot ;) Meet at Belvedere Castle. Walk from B, C at American Museum of Natural History/81st, 1 at 79th or 6 at 77th.

FreeNYC's Saturday offering is the Crooked Disco Play Date w/ Round Table Knights at Le Poisson Rouge (gallery bar) 9 p.m.-4 a.m. RTK has an '80s + electronic feel, while DJs of Crooked Disco seem to favor a fun hip-hop/house mix. Here's video of the latter:

Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker St.) is near Washington Square Park, so practically any train'll get you there: 1, B, D, F, V, C, E, R, W, 6. (By the way, check out the Washington Square Park Photo Project.)

Sunday it's supposed to be sunny sweata weatha. Get thee to a park! (And if you have any brunch recommendations, do share [jmnyc.yelp.com].)

Have an awesome weekend!

TGIF (almost)! Have an arty party (last chance/closings)!

2009-04-09T12:00:00.002-04:00

Friday take in these art exhibits before they're gone April 12:

Blane de St. Croix and Carlos Motta @ Smack Mellon Gallery, free. The former, a model of the U.S.-Mexican border, is recommended by New York magazine as "lovingly detailed" and "one of the more pointedly poetic and political sights in New York" (love that alliteration). Take the F to York St., A or C to High St. and hoof it to 92 Plymouth, Brooklyn.

David Malek's bright geometrics @ Smith-Stewart gallery. Take the F, V to 2nd Ave. or the J, M, Z to the Bowery. Get there by 6 p.m. Then walk the four blocks to the New Museum of Contemporary Art (235 Bowery, open 'til 9) for its new exhibit The Generational: Younger Than Jesus. (Not free, but $8 if you still have student ID, $12 otherwise.)

Long Island City: Vanessa Beecroft @ Deitch Projects: iiinteresting. 4-40 44th Dr. and Home Sweet Home (looks like quite the opposite, actually -- ah, irony) @ Dorsky gallery at 11-03 45th Ave. Take the V, E to 23rd; 7 to 45th/Court Sq.; G to Court Sq./LIC.

Seonna Hong, Caroline Hwang, Saelee Oh @ Sloan Fine Art (ends 4/11). I don't know much about art, but I dig this exhibition. Not pretentious. Take the F, J, M, Z to Essex/Delancey or V to 2nd Ave., walk to 128 Rivington (@ Norfolk). Closes at 6.

Susan Rothenberg @ Sperone Westwater. Works titled "Flesh" and "Three Parts" are a good hint. Take A, C, E, L, 1, 2 or 3 to 14th. Walk to 415 W. 13th. Other galleries in the same building and nearby, so make a night of it (Bumble and Bumble there, too, if you're in need of a haircut!). Ends 4/11.

Zoe Leonard @ The Hispanic Society of America. Derrotero means ship itinerary in Spanish. Take the 1 to 157th or C to 155th and walk to 613 W. 155th St.

Literary Thursday

2009-04-08T07:00:00.001-04:00

Erica Jong is reading at McNally Jackson at 7 p.m. Fear of Flying is still sitting on my bookshelf -- maybe if I had her autograph I'd finally get myself to read it! Her new collection of poems is Love Comes First.

Take the 6 to Spring St.; R, W to Prince St.; B, D, F, V to Broadway-Lafayette or J, M, Z to the Bowery. Walk to 52 Prince.

Afterward, go for fair-trade tea, beer, wine, dessert at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (walk 2 blocks to 126 Crosby St.). All profits go to Housing Works, which provides free housing, health care and legal services to New Yorkers with HIV or AIDS.

For Wednesday: Best of MeetUp

2009-04-07T08:00:00.004-04:00

Let's see what Meetup.org has for mid-week ... mostly "networking" events, but also ...

6 p.m. Join a pick-up game with East Village Coed Fun Basketball Meetup or do the Wednesday is Hump Day Fitness Walk with Brooklyn Friends Walking Group at the 69th St. Pier (Bayridge).

7 p.m. "Cheap drinks and all sorts of skydive chat" is promised by the New York Skydiving Meetup Group at One and One at 76 E. 1st. Take the F, V to 2nd Ave. Dig a British accent over the daredevil type? The New York City Expat Brit Meetup Group is celebrating its 100th meeting at Legends. Take the 6, N, Q, R, W, B, D, F, V to 33rd/34th and walk to 6 W. 33rd.

7:45 p.m. Wednesday Night Skate Weekly Skate from WNS New York City at Union Square (14th St.). Skating in the street! All you need is music, sweet music ... and a helmet. Drinking at Mumbles (17th and 3rd) afterward (10 p.m.). Take 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W.

For Tuesday: Cheese and beer! And in a much cooler setting than Wisconsin

2009-04-06T17:33:00.000-04:00

Cheese and wine is so passe ;). Actually, we can't be friends if you badmouth two of my favorite things. But beer is also my beloved. And now it's getting in on that cheesy action (wine's in the dark about the whole thing, so sad). What a triangle.

So every Tuesday between 6 and 8 p.m. Park Slope's Bierkraft offers free sips of beer, free nibbles of cheese and free bites of charcuterie. They also sell a beautiful array of chocolates (are you kidding me with this place? H-E-A-V-E-N) and growler fills for about $10.

191 5th Ave.
Brooklyn
Subway: M, R

Monday, Monday ...

2009-04-05T19:07:00.007-04:00

In the moood for music to ease you into the week?

Brooklyn's own Eleanor Whitmore's free at Pete's Candy Store, 9:30 p.m. Her mama sings opera and her daddy sings folk (there's a song title right there), but she seems to lean more toward her father's folk style, which is just fine by me. You can catch her at Pete's every Monday in April. Take the G or L and walk to 709 Lorimer St. Williamsburg.

If layoffs have got your working double -- or if you're one of the many laid off -- take a note from Abe Lincoln: "I laugh because I must not cry."

TONY recommends Upright Citizen Brigade's Whiplash (free, every Monday, 11:30 p.m.) -- this week featuring Wyatt Cenac (who, of course, is awesome on the Daily Show). Have an earlier bedtime? Spank's at 6:30, 8 and 9:30 for $5. Take the 1 to 28th or C, E to 23rd. Walk to 307 W. 26th (by the Gristedes at 8th).

City's got soul

2009-03-31T00:45:00.004-04:00

Saturday

A coupla tough guys shared ear buds on the subway
A fortune-telling drag queen offered me her cheek for a kiss

Sunday

The mist was so thick glasses fogged. From a ball field in Central Park the skyscrapers seemed to evaporate. A little more and they'd have been gone.
The storm roared like summer nights

Monday

A construction worker stopped me on the sidewalk (no, no catcalls). I stood still as a crane balanced a steel beam 10 feet over my head
New flowers at the store across from work. Must mean spring.

The best things in life are free ...

Ending soon ...

2008-02-15T16:03:00.002-05:00

February in New York: cold, wet, germy. But. No tourists.

Without their business, NYC restaurants, museums, tours and hotels are ready to cut you a deal. It's not always much, 10% here, 25% there, but every little bit helps and there are some two-for-one specials. Use these coupon codes by Feb. 29.

After that, it's not NY-specific -- in fact, I mostly use it to leave the city more cheaply -- but you can keep e-cutting coupons at retailmenot.com.

'Not gonna write you a love song ...'

2008-02-14T15:14:00.002-05:00

But maybe a novel?

Gotham Writers' Workshop just announced its spring class schedules for everything from Nonfiction 101 to Screenwriting and Stand-Up Comedy. And yes, even Songwriting, so maybe you could write a love song, it is Valentine's after all. Sadly, these workshops all hover around $400. Shouldn't starving artists spend their bread on ... bread?

Go to their free sample classes. You do have to register and sign in, but it never turns into a high-pressure sales pitch. Each of these free workshops is about an hour long, usually held in a neighborhood Barnes & Noble or what-have-you. They're led by actual Gotham teachers whose enthusiasm for instructing freeloaders seems, based on my limited experience, to vary. The advice of Janice Erlbaum (author of Girlbomb and the newly released Have You Found Her) I remember came across as accessible and helpful for any writer, even though she focuses on memoirs.

A spattering of sci-fi crazies and cat ladies do attend, but mostly it's a mix of people just looking to get their creative juices flowing or trying to figure out if they're serious enough for the next step, which I guess is paying for class.

It's funny how in college I had no problem skipping class and now I scour the city for any sort of education I can afford. I've even started watching the History Channel ... am I old?

Delish dosai

2008-02-09T19:27:00.000-05:00

Last night we stuffed ourselves at Chennai Garden, a southern Indian kosher vegetarian restaurant in Curry Hill or Little India or whatever you want to call it. Yummy.

The masala dosai and mysore masala dosai were tasty (the mysore wasn't terribly spicy), the appetizers were perfect except for some overcooked pakora. The coconut chutney wasn't too coconuty, which I personally appreciate, and the lentil soup was nice and spicy. I'm not big on non-chocolate desserts, but the conical kulfi ice cream with cardamom was a nice cool-down to a hot, savory meal.

The servers weren't particularly friendly, but they were quick enough.

Best part: Nothing on the menu was more than $10.

Chennai Garden

129 E. 27th St. (between Park and Lexington)

212-689-1999

Subway: 6, R, W or 1 to 28th; F, V to 23rd

Happy New Year (again)!

2008-02-05T16:07:00.000-05:00

Chinatown is friendly territory for anyone looking to save a buck, and that's especially true on holidays like Chinese Lunar New Year. Not only do you get the usual cheap eats, clothes, bowls, what-have-you, but free entertainment, as well.

It falls on Feb. 7 this year, when they'll have the firecrackers and dance troupes. Then this Sunday's the parade. Both events are great photo opps.

Firecrackers
Chatham Square (where the arch stands for Chinese-Americans who died in WWII)
Feb. 7; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Intersection: Bowery, Mott and E. Broadway
Subway: J, M, Z to Chambers; 4, 5, 6 to City Hall; N, Q, R, W to Canal

Diagonally from the square (and across Bowery) is Doyers Street, which you might've seen on TV and stuff. People say the merchants way-back-when made it crooked so that ghosts, who can apparently only fly straight, couldn't haunt them. Of course, the firecrackers are meant to ward off evil spirits, too, but a double-dose of luck couldn't hurt.

Lion Dance (martial artists, drums, gongs, fun)
Feb. 10; 11 a.m.-Noon
125 E. 65th St. (outside the China Institute @ Park and Lex.)
Note: this is in the Upper East Side
Subway: 6 to 68th; F to 53rd

Parade
Feb. 10; 1–5 p.m.
Mott St. (between Canal and Bayard)
Subway: J, M, Z, 6, N, Q, R, W to Canal; B, D to Grand

Mott Street probably has the most restaurants of any in Chinatown, so you should have no trouble finding a delish deal, but if you'd like some suggestions, well, here. Also, nearby Eldridge St. hosts two great spots: Super Taste (#26) has pretty authentic pulled noodles and Prosperity Dumpling (#46) has, ya know, tasty dumplings.

Hoping it's Year of the Rat in fortune ... but not so much literally ...

Treats in tow ...

2008-02-05T14:47:00.000-05:00

The elusive Treats Truck is now back in the Upper West Side on a regular basis, without giving up stops in the rest of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

$3 Mexican chocolate brownies, 50-cent sugar dots, $2 peanut butter sandwich cookies and $1 classic chocolate chips or $2 rice crispies -- mm mm mm mmm goooood! Plus, there's more, including specials and gift boxes.

And "owner/baker/driver/eater" Kim Ima just might be the nicest lady I've met since moving to New York. She's certainly generous with the free samples!

The truck, "Sugar," runs on cleaner compressed natural gas and 10% goes to charity (this month it's New York Cares' Coat Drive), so you can feel better about satisfying your sweet tooth at the TT rather than coffee chains.

To find Sugar, you can always call 212-691-5226 -- once they're parked they put up a new recording with the location every day.

Today it's at 44th near 6th, noon to 5 p.m.

Tomorrow it's at 38th and 5th, noon to 5 p.m.
Friday the same spot between noon and 2:30pm, then heading down to Bond & Lafayette 4-6 p.m.

Saturday almost home in Brooklyn 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Union St. and 8th in Park Slope and back in the UWS 2-5 p.m.

It really is a treat :-p

Super Fat Giants Tuesday!

2008-02-05T02:47:00.000-05:00

Wow, today we have Super Tuesday voting, in which New York actually matters for a change, the Mardi Gras hurricane specials and beads, and a ticker-tape parade celebrating the Giants amazing Super Bowl victory.

First thing's first. Polling places are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., so if you're not a registered independent, get out there and cast your ballot. It's a big'un.

The first ticker-tape parade since the Yankees won the World Series in 2000 starts at 11 a.m. and will follow the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway, ending at City Hall (see Newsday's satellite view of the parade route). Three words: Get there early.

This is not by any means a party endorsement, but if you feel like downing one with politically minded persons after performing your civic duty, see Drinking Liberally's list of NYC bars. Proof is also having Super Tuesday specials.

If you want to avoid drunken arguments over Hillary, Huckabee or whomever, maybe go to a bar focusing more on the beads, bourbon, etc. MurphGuide compiled deals from across the city, so you should have no trouble finding a drinking deal near your polling place so you can stumble on home.

Happy Super Fat Giants Tuesday, New York!

Kanye @ AMNH? It's true

2008-01-30T06:37:00.000-05:00

OK, just to update on an earlier post about the American Museum of Natural History's nighttime shenanigans. In addition to SonicVision, the Rose Center also hosts One Step Beyond one Friday a month. This past Friday, Kanye West made a surprise appearance! He took the stage with main act Kid Sister (whom ya'll should know for "Pro Nails"), then performed some hits off Graduation. Kudos to one of our faves, Flavorpill, for their ongoing sponsorship of the music series. Expect even longer lines at the next One Step Beyond, Feb. 29 (9 p.m.-1 a.m.).

It's $20 per, but it includes entrance to the museum later, which is normally $15 or $11 for students, so not bad.

Anyway, I just finished an overnight shift, so I gotta sleep but just wanted to post this since it's a little late anyway and I thought it was worth knowing. 'Night! ('morning?)

American Museum of Natural History
81st St. between C.P.W. and Columbus Ave.
212-769-5200
Subway: C to 81st St.; 1 to 79th St.

Skip the squats, try four-square?

2008-01-28T16:04:00.000-05:00

If your physical peak was in the third grade as the reigning queen/king of Red Rover or hopscotch, you may be jonesing for a throwback to the blacktop days. Clearly, you need to move on -- but before you do, indulge your nostalgia at Punk Rope this week.

Yes, it's truly a jump rope fitness class, but unlike the soundtrack to your glory days (did someone say NKOTB? i heart joey), the Punk Rope folks actually get you going to some decent tunes. Normally classes are set to classics like The Ramones, but this week the theme is "Get Ready for Some Football," a mock tribute to the upcoming Super spandex'ed festivities. Don't worry, the music is still at its inspirational best (Queen, Joan Jett), and you even get to try out your own touchdown dance. You know you want to.

This week is your last chance to check out Punk Rope, so "skip" (ha) the excuses. Physical exertion not much of a motivation? How about post-class happy hours? There's nothing like a night of jumping rope and slugging $2 drafts.

January 28 at the 14th Street Y

344 E. 14th St. (near 1st Ave.)

212-780-0800 x221

Free for members, $12 for non-members

Subway: L to 1st Ave.; 4, 5, 6, Q, N, R, W to Union Sq.

January 30 at the Greenpoint YMCA

99 Meserole Ave. (near Manhattan Ave.) in Brooklyn

718-389-3700

Free for members, Free 1-time trial for non-members

Subway: G to Nassau; L to Lorimer

"Let's go to the movies ..."

2008-01-27T14:42:00.000-05:00

In a city where we're pushing $14 a pop for a movie ticket, not to mention gourmet-priced snacks, the hunt is on for free/cheap tickets.

Timeout New York has this "Free Flix" program where they offer a limited number of free tickets to advanced screenings of new movies. In exchange, they get your e-mail address for unlimited spam, your attention for several sponsored messages and I think there was some fine print about your soul for the rest of eternity. Nonetheless, I'd suck it up to save the nearly 14 buckaroos for an hour-and-a-half of distraction (I'm cheap).

I have to caveat that I haven't tried this out yet (this week's movie is sold out, they say to keep checking back) so I don't know how long the lines are or how obnoxious the advertisements inherent in this deal, but I'll keep an eye on it and post an update if I can - let me know if you've tried it, too.

I also have to caveat that this week's movie is Over Her Dead Body, so you may want to ask yourself if free tickets are worth it if it's for a movie you wouldn't spring for even as a rental. Your call.

On another note, if you have a Border's Reward Card (you should, it's free), Border's Reward Perks are a little-known ... well ... perk. If you buy a block of movie tickets (minimum of 8) you can get them either for $7.95 or $6.50 each. The $7.95 tix can be used at any AMC/Loews theater for any movie. If you opt for the cheaper $6.50, the same rules apply except they're not valid for the first 10 days of some films. We sprung for the $7.95 option (I know, bring around the Rolls) and have been happy so far.

Passion play

2008-01-26T02:05:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we saw Crimes of the Heart, Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in rural Mississippi that deals with sisterhood, scandal, murder and suicide in a somehow loving, sometimes laughable way. (It became an '80s movie with Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange and Sissy Spacek, but I missed it -- at the time, probably wasn't interested in anything that wasn't animated.)

Little bit of weird trivia, Diane Keaton played eldest sister Lenny in the movie; Jennifer Dundas, who plays Lenny on stage, was also cast as Diane Keaton's daughter in two movies. Anyway, aside from that little tidbit, Dundas was excellent in the tightly wound role. Sarah Paulson, whose face you know you've seen ("Studio 60," What Women Want (Mel Gibson's assistant), The Other Sister [also as Keaton's daughter!], "Jack & Jill"), plays wild-child middle sister Meg. Paulson and Dundas worked expertly off each other -- both in moments of drama and comic relief. I liked the girl who played Babe, too, but she was the understudy and I feel horrible but I don't remember her name.

Kathleen Turner (yes, the "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way"/Body Heat/Romancing the Stone Kathleen Turner) directed. I was hoping she'd come take a bow at the end, but all we heard from her was the request to turn off cell phones. Regardless, I'd highly recommend the play.

If you're under 35 (and let's face it, if you're one of the two people aside from Mom reading this you fit that description) you can join the Roundabout Theatre's HipTix group for free and get a $20 ticket. I think you can only get one though, so you have to get a friend to join if you want company. But it's a good deal and applies to their other plays, too, so it's worth joining.

You could also try general rush for rear mezzanine tickets on the day of performance for $21.25 - $26.25 or student rush 30 minutes before curtain for the best available seats half off (full price $64-$74).

Roundabout Theatre's Crimes of the Heart
Harold and Miriam Steinberg/Laura Pels Theatre
111 West 46th St. (between 6th & 7th)
Subway: B, D, F, V to Rockefeller Ctr.; 1 to 50th; N, R, W to 49th
Shows Tuesday-Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 2 p.m.

Tomorrow, tomorrow ... er, Friday, Friday ...

2008-01-24T18:11:00.000-05:00

Last week we took advantage of a couple Friday night museum deals. You can see some priceless works of art for free and drink after. Take a date -- you can be cheap without looking cheap (you're deep) -- and it'll give you something to discuss over wine. That's right, wine. You think art aficionados drink Bud Light (sp: Lite?)? Uh uh.

Anyway, first we went to the International Center for Photography, which is pay-what-you-wish from 5-8 p.m. They presented a collection of Mapplethorpes with criticisms from sociologists, other artists, etc. between the photographs, which I found the most interesting. Perhaps not something you want to visit with Grandma. In addition to photographs, they also have some film projects. One room hosts a collection of 9/11 front pages from around world. We've seen these before, but it's still a punch in the stomach, knocking the wind out.

Then we trekked uptown to the Guggenheim. Because of renovations, only two galleries were open so the ticket distributor was nice enough to suggest donating just $1 per person. The spaces that were open held Expressionists, Bauhaus, Post-Impressionists, and I'm sure other movements I'm excluding. Some of my favorites were Picasso's Woman with Yellow Hair and Rousseau's Football Players. And all the Kandinskys make me smile!

Details on these museums and others are listed below. Unfortunately, many of the free/suggested donation Friday hours are at the same times, so you may want to be smarter than we were and go to several in the same area instead of traipsing about town. But your call :)

International Center for Photography
Pay-what-you-wish Fridays 5-8 p.m.
1133 6th Ave. (at 43rd)
Subway: B, D, F, V to 42nd St.; 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, S, W to Times Square; A, C, E to Port Authority

Guggenheim
Pay-what-you-wish Fridays 5:45-7:45 p.m.
*Last tickets at 7:15 p.m.
1071 5th Ave. (at 89th and Central Park)
Subway: 4, 5, 6 to 86th or this is a time when you might actually want the bus: M1, M2, M3, M4 stops across the street

MoMA
Free Fridays 4-8 p.m.
11 W. 53rd St. (between 5th and 6th Aves.)
Subway: E or V to Fifth Avenue/53rd; B, D, or F to 47-50 Streets/Rockefeller Center
*If you want to get in the most famous works in the short time, take the elevator to floors 4 and 5

American Folk Art Museum
Free Fridays 5:30-7:30 p.m.
45 W. 53rd St. (basically next door to MoMA)
Subway: (same as above)

Whitney Museum of American Art
Pay-what-you-wish Fridays 6-9 p.m.
945 Madison Avenue (at 75th)
*Walkable from Guggenheim
Subway: 6 to 77th or M1, M2, M3, M4 bus

Viva la France!

2008-01-19T19:56:00.000-05:00

Recently we hosted my mom, grandmom, aunt, uncle and two cousins. For some of them, it was their first time in New York so they wanted to see the usual Midtown tourist attractions. The challenge: find something nearby that's not expensive, formal, crazy crowded or a hideous cheese-drenched chain like Friday's or Applebee's. La Bonne Soupe was the solution.

As you might've guessed, their best deal is the soup combo. A bowl of soup, bread, salad, dessert (chocolate mousse, creme caramel, sorbets) and house wine (or another beverage if you're not a drinker) for $16.75. They accommodated our group beautifully and the servers were attentive but not pushy.

I'd recommend it to any Midtown worker bee or person playing tour guide. Maybe it was that it was so cold that day, maybe it was that we'd already walked so much, but it just felt like a haven in the middle of it all.

La Bonne Soupe
48 W. 55th St. (between 5th and 6th)
212-586-7650
Subway: F, N, R, W, Q to 57th ; A, B, C, D, 1 to 59th; E, V to 53rd

Black20 friends ...

2008-01-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

We went to Black20's first live show Thursday night at the UCB Theatre -- but probably only 20% of it was live. When they actually performed it was awesome. Most of the time, though, they just showed their videos, which are also awesome, just not worth the $5 as I can see them for free online without venturing out into sleet.

But it has to be said, despite the rain/snow they packed the place, so no doubt they'll be back on the sched soon.

Their opening song is still stuck in my head. Was that a four-part harmony?

Blame my background/affinity for old movies, but I loved that their sketch of an Us Weekly newsroom meeting brought back that "hey-a boss, I gotta story that's gonna knock your socks off" archetype.

Their James Bond was on the money, too. I could go on, but like I said you can see most of it for yourself! For a taste, check out Black20 News and their virals.

A (Trippy) Night at the Museum

2008-01-16T23:13:00.000-05:00

The last thing I'd expect from the American Museum of Natural History is a rave party. Set to a soundtrack of Moby and David Bowie. With a light show.

Every Friday and Saturday night at 7:30, the museum opens up its Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center to an early bird crowd for SonicVision, a weird, trippy (I know I already said that, but is there any other word? Seriously, take a gander at the video) music and light extravaganza. Actually, I think the museum says it best -- it's a "mind-warping musical roller-coaster ride through fantastical dreamspace." Yes. Bring it on.

I know you're curious too. Try it, just once, and maybe dust off those tiny glowsticks from college for the occasion. Plus, this wouldn't normally qualify for the frugal Frugle Bugle but right now there's a two-for-one coupon, bringing the price down to $7.50 each if you split the cost with your friend (or $15 if you spring for your date, you cheap bastard).

American Museum of Natural History
81st St. between C.P.W. and Columbus Ave.
212-769-5200
Subway: C to 81st St.; 1 to 79th St.

Future guilty pleasure?

2008-01-16T21:20:00.001-05:00

Chocolate Cake City (now with correct url) sounds like a zip code in heaven, not a sketch comedy group that performs in trendy Tribeca. But next to uncooked brownie batter that doesn't have a hope in hell of meeting an oven, it has the potential to be my next guilty pleasure.

Every other week, the troupe performs free. I haven't been yet, but based on the YouTube clips, I'm ready to dig in my heels, settle in with a beer and regress about ten years. "Proverbial Cake" is a fast-paced, "Who's on first?"-esque battle of words -- with a lot more shouting and chair-throwing. On second thought, in addition to turning back the clock I may need to morph into a pre-pubescent boy to really get my chuckles on.

Nevertheless, I'm never one to turn down a piece of cake. Especially if it's free.

The Knitting Factory
74 Leonard St. (between Church St. and Broadway)
212-219-3132
Saturday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Subway: 1 to Franklin; A, C, E, N, R to Canal

They also have several shows coming up at The PIT, but frankly, we're not sure yet if they're worth $8 ... does the cake have icing?

Note the post time

2008-01-16T03:51:00.000-05:00

OK, so this isn't NYC-specific, but New York is the city that never sleeps. And this happens to be something I'm recently obsessed with, especially when work or insomnia or "things" keep me up in the wee hours. It's just an online version of Pac-Man. But it's not quite Pac-Man. And it's really easy to beat levels. But not too easy. That's how they get ya. Addictiveness is baked right in, see: addictinggames.com/pacxon.html.

Then I thought about other games that have been or are now among the staple timewasters for a procrastinator like me. Funny how they can fulfill different moods, too ...

If you haven't volunteered this week (month, whatever), assuage your guilt and expand your vocabulary at freerice.com. It's legit, and it's pretty cool. For every definition you choose correctly, 20 grains of rice are donated through the United Nations.

If you want another game that makes you feel like (maybe) you're exercising your brain and at least serving as a lab rat, see wordgame.stanford.edu. Only problem there is that they pair you with someone else in the ether, so if that person does badly, you do badly and if, say, the primaries already have you cursing people's stupidity ... well ... deep breaths.

If you want something more visually appealing and, well, original, see Orisinal.

And, of course, there's always the new old standby: Sudoku.

Who needs sleep?

Do I have chicken-foot breath?

2008-01-13T15:18:00.000-05:00

Back in Chinatown with an old high school friend Sunday for a dim sum brunch, including ...

2 orders of chicken feet

Flat noodles with soy sauce

Egg noodles with mushrooms

Tripe

Small fried fish (not anchovies, but something related?)

Dumplings

Fried pork

Another pork dish (white)

Chinese spinach or broccoli

Fried tofu in pineapple sauce with tomatoes

Tofu soup

Scallop and shrimp balls

Rice balls

Vegetable spring rolls

Two types of tea

... and there could easily have been others I'm forgetting.

This easily fed 7 people for $13 per person, including tax and tip.

We arrived around 12:30 and probably waited about 20 minutes to be seated. The room was massive and filled with families -- apparently it's also a popular wedding venue. This made it perfect for large groups but definitely not a place to sit and read the Times over coffee.

Oh, and if the list above isn't familiar and you're one of those folks nursing a Gatorade on the train Sunday morning/afternoon ... well, you may want to stick to a fried egg sandwich.

OK, so I admit, I'd normally pick french toast over tripe, but even I can nibble on chicken toes (mind the bones). We were also hoping to get turnip pancakes, but seated in the middle of the crowded banquet hall we didn't have much luck -- the carts were always out of them -- though service-wise it helped to have Cantonese and Mandarin speakers in our group (sorry I can't remember any of the proper food names!).

Golden Bridge Restaurant
50 Bowery St. (@ Canal, across from the Manhattan Bridge entrance)
Subway: B, D to Canal; J, M, Z to Bowery or Canal; N, Q, R, W, 6 to Canal

As of this posting, it has (out of five) 3 1/2 stars on yelp and 4 1/2 on citysearch.

Afterwards, we stopped for bubble tea (bubbles = gummy tapioca balls the size of blueberries, very sweet). The staff was nice and served all seven of us, plus a line of others in no time. The shop is tiny, no seating, but it looks like they serve snacks (fries, popcorn shrimp), too.

Vivi Bubble Tea
49 Bayard St.
Subway essentially same as above.

Free (and even funny!) comedy every Sunday

2008-01-12T17:53:00.000-05:00

If I had a few hours every Sunday night to wait in line, I would forgo the typically uninspired TV lineup every time and head over to the Upright Citizens Brigade's ASSSSCAT 3000. And I have -- even in wind, rain and freezing weather ... maybe someday it'll hail.

They call it "longform improv;" I call it a legitimate substitute for crunches (I swear my abs were sore the next day from laughing so hard) and a chance to glimpse SNL and VH1 faves in their element. Amy Poehler is a genius, and you never know who else will be there -- we've seen Kenneth from 30 Rock three times and "oh, that guy" from I Love the 90s, The Colbert Report, etc.

The 9:30 show is free, except for your time waiting. They start handing out tickets at 8:15, but I'd get there by 7:30 to line up if you don't want to be one of the sad faces walking away sans tickets, after an hour wasted in the cold. Plus, even if you get tickets, if you're one of the last you could end up on the floor, and man, your ass will hurt. Or maybe I'm just old. Oh, and dress in your hipster best ;). If you want a sure thing, the 7:30 show is just $8 with reservations.

UCB delivers other free and cheap shows throughout the week. See the schedule here.

Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater
307 W 26th St. between 8th & 9th (by the big Gristedes)
212-366-9176
Subway: C, E, 1

After you get your tickets, kill time before the show at the kitschy Trailer Park Lounge. The menu will bring you back - yay tater tots! Other than that, it smells strongly of margaritas (split a pitcher) and the service is slooow. But it's a great place to wait before UCB, especially if it's cold out. And *yay* tater tots ...

The Trailer Park Lounge
271 W 23rd St
212-463-8000
Subway (same as above): C, E, 1

Music this Sunday

2008-01-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

“Here is the church and here is the steeple /
We sure are cute for two ugly people …”
-Anyone Else But You, The Moldy Peaches

When you’re done with church (or brunching) with your cute, ugly person, make your way to the noon show at Southpaw. Kimya Dawson, formerly of the Moldy Peaches and now featured in Juno, will perform her honest, sweet songs. It’s $10, and considering that she’s likely to ride the quirky, lovable Juno rocket to stardom, I wouldn’t expect it to be less any time soon.

Southpaw
125 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn
718-230-0236
18 and over, bring ID
Subway: M, R, 2, 3, B, Q

OR … If you want to go for a bigger name and free event, KT Tunstall is performing at the Apple Store in SoHo at 3 p.m. Very cool, likely very crowded (it’s steps from NYU and right around the time they’re rollin’ out of bed :).

Apple Store
103 Prince St.
212-226-3126
Subway: R, W, B, D, F, V, 6, C, E

2 meals = $10.90

2008-01-11T22:55:00.000-05:00

We made our way to Pho Viet Huong last night and left with full bellies and leftovers. I got the spicy No. 200 Curry chicken and rice. She got No. 194 Ginger chicken with rice, which was verrrry gingery. Not the most adventurous, I know, but we were so hungry we just wanted something nice and filling. Each dish was about $5 and they serve free tea, so there you go — a tasty meal out for two for under $15 including tax and tip.

Though we certainly didn’t have to wait to be seated, it was pretty crowded for a Thursday night and everyone else’s meals smelled and looked delicious, too. Most of the rice, vermicelli dishes and pho were under $6 (some as low as $4). Entrees went as high as $16 for fish.

As of this writing, the restaurant has 4 of 5 stars on menupages, 3 1/2 of 5 on yelp, 4 1/2 of 5 on citysearch and is recommended by Frommers.

This place delivers, but mainly just Chinatown/Wall Street.

Pho Viet Huong
73 Mulberry St. (near Bayard)
10 a.m.-10 p.m.
212-233-8988
Subway: J, M, Z, N, Q, R, W, 6 to Canal St.

Sidenote for those wondering: “Pho” is a kind of rice noodle that’s served in soups, which is a staple, which is why you see it in so many restaurant names.

Afterwards we went to nearby Dragon Land Bakery and picked up two pastries — I’m not really sure what they are, but they taste good — for $1.50. The worker was very patient. There are little tables if you choose to eat there, but we needed to walk off some of our rice!

Dragon Land Bakery
125 Walker St. (near where Walker, Baxter and Canal meet)
212-219-2012
Subway (same as above): J, M, Z, N, Q, R, W, 6 to Canal St.

Start spreadin' the news ...

2008-01-11T22:28:00.000-05:00

I wouldn’t dare call myself a New Yorker. In fact, I’m new to the city. So I’m not an expert, but I am an explorer (now rejecting images of Christopher Columbus and guys in pith helmets ... who calls them pith helmets?). Anyway, I’m young. And not an investment banker, nor married to one (happily, not even close on either count ;).

Basically, what it all comes down to is that I’m trying to get the most out of the city while taking the least out of my checking account.

So if I’m already hunting down free and cheap tricks (in the non-prostitute sense, obviously), why not spread the word? I know there are others out there who cry a little inside at $12 cocktails. I feel ya (and I heart you, just like we all heart ny).

So whether it’s budget-friendly restaurants or free goings-ons, hopefully this will be helpful ... if only to my mom ... that one time she visits. And, of course, should you randomly arrive here, feel free to share your favorite haunts as well. You can even say, "hey, cheapo, my favorite haunt is ..." (see it's fun to use words normally used as verbs as nouns and vice versa, innit?).

Sorry, this ends NOW.