That Sacred Stone's first name is Matt... Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the comedic geniuses behind the hit animated television show, South Park, have taken their satirical edginess all the way to Broadway, with a new musical that has "Tony" written all over it.
The Book of Mormon the Musical is everything you'd expect from Stone and Parker. It is hilariously witty and incredibly, incredibly offensive, just like a good religious satire should be. I was laughing before the show even began, as the pre-curtain set reminded me of the cover of this Asteroids Galaxy Tour album, and I just knew that I was about to see something out of this world.
The cast of characters includes a cameo by the Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith, known for uncovering, in good old "ancient America" (upstate New York to be exact), the sacred gold plates that detailed the Book of Mormon, as shown to him by the angel Moroni, who also has a recurring part in the show. Of course, Stone and Parker could not resist adding other well known historical figures such as Mormon himself, Jesus and... well, a whole lot of scary folk you'll recognize in one of the most interesting and bizarre musical numbers of the show, "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream."
The show follows two mismatched Mormon missionary trainees, "Elder Price" (played by actor Andrew Rannels) and "Elder Cunningham" (played by actor and comedian Josh Gad) as they embark on a proselytizing journey to Uganda. What happens along the way is often so shocking that I am left gaping, mouth-opened, in amazement that this is actually occurring on stage in front of me. The entire time, I and the rest of the audience are also chuckling uproariously. Remember the South Park episode about Scientology, or the epic movie, Bigger Longer & Uncut? This play is like that, times ten, and it's a musical comedy about Mormonism.
Elder Price represents the epitome of what a young Mormon should be. He is charming, professional, slim, good looking and angelic, with slick-backed hair and an even slicker grasp of his religion and what it expects of him. Enter Elder Cunningham, an awkward, heavyset, bubbly, boisterous, kid-like trainee with a sci-fi infused imagination that runs wild, and a clingy affect that draws him to Elder Price quicker than white on rice, much to Elder Price's dismay. Nevertheless, the two must come together to convince the struggling, impoverished Ugandans to subscribe to the eponymous Book of Mormon and become baptized. Mezzo-soprano Nikki M. James plays the beautiful Ugandan, "Nabulungi," and stuns the audience with her spectacular singing talent and wide-eyed innocence.
The show addresses such hot topics as sex, love, religion, racism, AIDS, overlord dictators, politics, history and technology, and by the end of the show, my body was aching from laughing so hard for so long. Before the main actors have even emerged for their curtain call, the entire house is up in a standing ovation.
I wish I could be more specific but the creators of the show purposefully left out any real explanation or even a list of songs in the playbill, and for very good reason. Just come to this dirty, raucous, racy musical with an open mind, and The Book of Mormon will certainly convert you into a fan. Just remember, tomorrow is a latter day...
The Book of Mormon is currently playing at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, located at 230 W. 49th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets may be purchased at the theatre's box office, on-line at telecharge.com, or by phone at (212) 239-6200 or (800) 432-7780. A limited number of tickets are also offered each day for only $32 each, via a box office lottery system two-and-a-half hours prior to each performance.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LookyTasty!
Have you heard about LookyTasty? This great blog by Cindy Waffles follows the adventures of a food enthusiast from kitchen recipes to restaurant dining experiences and more. As Waffles is a native New Yorker, the majority of her posts focus on food available in New York City.
Currently, LookyTasty is offering a very special promotion for one lucky reader, courtesy of Signpost. LookyTasty will be giving away, completely FREE, a $20 voucher for AllMenus.com. Here is what Waffles has to say about AllMenus:
"I don’t order delivery often, but when I do, I like the convenience of ordering online. It can be such a quick and simple process, with a website like Allmenus.com. With over 250,000 restaurant menus, Allmenus.com is the single largest provider of restaurant content and information in the United States. You can search through their selection of menus, read reviews, get restaurant details and delivery info, and place your order. The ordering process is simple. Your only effort would be to decide on where and what to order from all the restaurants to choose from."
You can find all the relevant details for the promotion at LookyTasty's post here.
There are THREE ways to enter, and each method gives you another entry, and another chance at that $20 voucher. You can 1) sign up for Signpost; 2) follow @LookyTasty on twitter and tweet LookyTasty's post about the promotion; or 3) become a fan of LookyTasty on facebook and share the post there. Good luck!!
(In other news, keep following LookyTasty for some cool guest posts by whatsgoodinny...)
Currently, LookyTasty is offering a very special promotion for one lucky reader, courtesy of Signpost. LookyTasty will be giving away, completely FREE, a $20 voucher for AllMenus.com. Here is what Waffles has to say about AllMenus:
"I don’t order delivery often, but when I do, I like the convenience of ordering online. It can be such a quick and simple process, with a website like Allmenus.com. With over 250,000 restaurant menus, Allmenus.com is the single largest provider of restaurant content and information in the United States. You can search through their selection of menus, read reviews, get restaurant details and delivery info, and place your order. The ordering process is simple. Your only effort would be to decide on where and what to order from all the restaurants to choose from."
You can find all the relevant details for the promotion at LookyTasty's post here.
There are THREE ways to enter, and each method gives you another entry, and another chance at that $20 voucher. You can 1) sign up for Signpost; 2) follow @LookyTasty on twitter and tweet LookyTasty's post about the promotion; or 3) become a fan of LookyTasty on facebook and share the post there. Good luck!!
(In other news, keep following LookyTasty for some cool guest posts by whatsgoodinny...)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Pizza Post Part 3: Embarking on a Pizza Crawl to Explore More of The Best New York Style Pizza in New York.
This past Saturday I spent seven-and-a-half hours eating approximately nine slices of pizza... With a group of roughly ten friends at each stop, we embarked on a "pizza tour," or crawl, if you will, that we created to give us a "taste" of some of the more renoun pizza parlors in the city that many of us had yet to try.
We began the day at Patsy's Pizza, in Harlem, to try their famous, $1.75 "paper thin"coal-oven slice, then headed down to the West Village for a stop at Keste Pizza & Vino, and finally crossed over the East River to test out some Brooklyn dough at Fornino and Motorino in Williamsburg.
Our first stop was Fornino, on Bedford and N 7th Street (there is also a Park Slope location). At Fornino, we ordered a margherita pie as well as something called the "Al Roker." The legend goes that Mr. Roker once went into Fornino's, and the owner asked him to put whatever he liked onto a pizza. Thus, this divine slice topped with tomato, mozzarella, fontina, caramelized onion, sopressata, roasted peppers and rosemary was born. This strange mixture was, by consensus, the best overall slice of the day. Although I would not recommend the margherita here, as the sauce was bland and there was not nearly enough cheese, it is definitely worth stopping by for the Al Roker.
Our final tasting of the day was Motorino, on Graham Avenue, one block south of the Graham Avenue L stop. Here we all agreed that we shared the best margherita pizza of the day, and perhaps ever in NYC (a bold statement, I know!). I have heard that Motorino can be hit or miss (an East Village location is also quite good, but is blown away by it's Williamsburg sister), but this night it was for sure a hit.
Be sure to order the "Margherita DOC" at Motorino, which is made with true "mozzarella di bufala" and is, currently, only available at the Williamsburg location (perhaps that is what makes the difference between the sisters...). Word on the street is that the DOC designation is only given to pies that the Italian government would certify as "authentic."
As if nine slices were not enough, we topped our day off with tiramisu and chocolate cake at Motorino. The chocolate cake was rather dry, but the tiramisu was rich, flavorful, and highly addictive. Mmm, mmm, mmmm! What a day!
UPDATE: Check out the re-post of Pizza Part 3 at lookytasty.com.
We began the day at Patsy's Pizza, in Harlem, to try their famous, $1.75 "paper thin"coal-oven slice, then headed down to the West Village for a stop at Keste Pizza & Vino, and finally crossed over the East River to test out some Brooklyn dough at Fornino and Motorino in Williamsburg.
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| Half Plain-Half Pepperoni Pie at Patsy's |
Patsy's celebrated it's 75th Anniversary in 2008, and it's no wonder that pizza fans still flock to 117th Street and 1st Avenue for a slice. But watch out, the pizza here is so hot and fresh that you may literally lose your cheese! While the sweet tomato sauce was tasty, I would have preferred if my cheese and topping had stayed on my slice. I enjoy thin crust, but this slice was so thin that I could not pick it up and fold it without losing the best ingredients. When able to actually get it all into one bite, the pizza at Patsy's is solid. I am not sure that I would personally make the trek again just for a slice, but I would certainly make a point of stopping by if ever in the neighborhood again. And at only $11 for a plain pie, it is really a steal.
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| Regina Margherita at Keste |
We expected a long wait at Keste, located at 271 Bleecker Street, (across from yummy John's!), but found that we were seated after waiting less than ten minutes. The pies, which are made for about two people to share, also cooked up quickly, in only ninety seconds in Keste's fast brick-oven. Apparently the toppings take longer to put together than the baking of each individual pie. Friends chowed down on a specialty pie of the day, a white pie made with a thick mozzarella cheese called burrata, and were uttering all sorts of oohs and ahs over their choice. I shared a "Regina Margherita" pie, which was made of tomatoes, grape tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil. The crust could have been just a bit crispier, but overall this pie was delicious. The addition of the basil complimented the other ingredients and made for a fine example of what a margherita pie should taste like. (Notably, Keste also offers gluten-free pies).
Following our pizza adventures in Manhattan, we rode the subway from West 4th Street to Delancey, and took advantage of the nice weather by enjoying a leisurely stroll across the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn.
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| The "Al Roker" |
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| The Best Pizza Ever, aka Margherita DOC |
Be sure to order the "Margherita DOC" at Motorino, which is made with true "mozzarella di bufala" and is, currently, only available at the Williamsburg location (perhaps that is what makes the difference between the sisters...). Word on the street is that the DOC designation is only given to pies that the Italian government would certify as "authentic."
As if nine slices were not enough, we topped our day off with tiramisu and chocolate cake at Motorino. The chocolate cake was rather dry, but the tiramisu was rich, flavorful, and highly addictive. Mmm, mmm, mmmm! What a day!
UPDATE: Check out the re-post of Pizza Part 3 at lookytasty.com.
Monday, March 21, 2011
SCENEPR!'s Auction for Hope: A Fundraiser for Japan -- April 6
On Wednesday, April 6, media, arts and entertainment network SCENEPR!, will be holding an "Auction for Hope" to raise money for the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund. The event will take place from 7pm to 11pm at bar/lounge Gstaad NYC, located at 43 W. 26th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues.
If you've been thinking about the terrible destruction and devastation in Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and you're wondering how you can help, this is your chance!
The benefit will include a three-hour open bar (7pm to 10pm) and silent auction, and some celebrity personalities may be in attendance! Plus, this social event will offer networking opportunities throughout the media, arts and entertainment industries.
Silent auction items are still rolling in, but here are some of the featured items being auctioned off:
+ An Autographed Copy of Justin Nozuka's Latest CD (http://www.justinnozuka.com/)
+ A package of Four (4) private, one hour Pilates sessions ($400 Value)
+ Two (2) Full Passes for the Williamsburg International Film Festival
+ One (1) unlimited subscription to Bizwall.net+design support plus a free, professional artist website with full CMS access
+ One (1) Private Personalized Astrology Session
+ One (1) hour Studio Photography Session by Meagan Cignoli of Visual Country
+ One (1) hour Style Consultation by Dana Prigge, Founder of DailyFashionista
+ One (1) hour business coaching by Mitchel Groter of Quantum Achievement Group
Tickets for the Auction for Hope may be purchased here.
There are two ticket options:
1) A $60.00 "Love" Ticket will get you the three-hour open bar, hor d'oeuvres, AND a raffle ticket for an Apple iPod Touch!
2) A $50.00 "Hope" Ticket will cover the open bar and hor d'oeuvres.
Additional raffle tickets for the iPod Touch can be purchased for $10 each at the event.
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE JAPAN SOCIETY'S EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND.
Silent Auction and iPod winners will be announced at 10:30pm.
Reserve your tickets today!
For more info on SCENEPR!:
Meetup
Do you have an item or service you would like to donate to the silent auction? Please let me know ASAP! (Contact: whatsgoodinny@gmail.com).
Friday, March 18, 2011
A Stimulating Evening of Irish Poetry and Prose.
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| The sizzling "Sapphire Jones" |
Last night, in honor of St. Patrick's day, I went to see an Irish literature reading entitled, "The Emerald Isle". As soon as I walked into the dark, sultry upstairs lounge at Madame X, it was clear that something was off —that something was the clothing of the readers.... Naked Girls Reading NYC was in the midst of its monthly event at the lounge that hosts, very matter-of-factly, naked girls, reading.
I arrived to see four beautiful, and very naked (bottoms included!) women sitting at the front of the room, sipping cocktails, and a fifth woman, a brunette bombshell pin-up type, who goes by the name of "RunAround Sue," reading George Bearnard Shaw at the microphone. RunAround Sue is wearing nothing but red, fishnet thigh-highs, and high heels. Her eyelids are adorned with sparkling green glitter in a tribute, I imagine, to Saint Patrick himself. I unexpectedly find that I cannot keep my eyes off of her...face. She is absolutely stunning, and she reads with character.
I glance around the room and notice that there appears to be a disproportionate amount of older gentleman who are attending the reading alone, and I am not sure what to make of this. However, I am told that the crowd is typically younger and more co-ed, and I do not doubt it. Personally, I just came for the literature, really, I did. I also notice that, as beautiful as the women are, a couple of them could stand to eat a cheeseburger now and again.
As the evening continues, the girls recite poetry and prose selections from James Joyce, W.B.Yates, Jonathan Swift, Desmond Hogan, and Bram Stoker, among others. "Honi Harlow"'s reading of "Dracula" particularly titillates me. (Like many, I had believed that Mr. Stoker was English-born, and was surprised to learn that he was actually an Irishman). I learn that Stoker was born in Dublin, but emigrated to England, where he eventually managed the Lyceum Theatre and penned his immortal novel. I become so engrossed in Ms. Harlow's reading that I almost forget that she is standing there stark naked.
Sexy Sapphire Jones, whose sheer beauty commands attention and who stands out, not simply because of her height, but because of her seemingly intrinsic theatrical ability and superb comedic timing, also really grabs me with her blithe reading of Jonathan's Swift's poem, A Beautiful Young Nymph Going to Bed.
In fact, although the nudity was an amusing gimmick, I found that the ladies generally held their own, reading with feeling, emotion and wit, and I do not believe that the addition of clothing would have made it any less interesting.
For more information on the Naked Girls, see here.
Naked Girls Reading NYC performs on the third Thursday of every month at Madame X, located at 94 Houston Street, off of Thompson. The next event, "The Seven Deadly Sins," will take place at Madame X on Thursday, April 21, at 8pm. Tickets are $15 for standing room, $25 for reserved seating with one drink, or $40 for a package for two that includes reserved seating and a drink for each attendee. They can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets (but be careful, the website is confusing! Make sure you confirm how many tickets you are purchasing before you hit "submit order," as there are no refunds).
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Brooklyn Restaurant Week Details.
From Cindy Waffles of lookytasty.com (edited by WGINY), here is all you need to know about Brooklyn's upcoming Restaurant Week, March 21-31:
[See Cindy Waffles' full post here]
Dine In Brooklyn Restaurant Week is approaching!
From March 21st through 31st, over 200 Brooklyn eateries will be offering 3-course prix fixe menus at special prices.
$20.11 for lunch/brunch and $25.00 for dinner!
Some restaurants are offering 2-for-1 deals too!
Offerings vary by restaurant, so call ahead for a reservation and verify their Dine In Brooklyn menus. The list of participating restaurants is available here in PDF, or view them on the Dine In Brooklyn Restaurant Week Map.
From March 21st through 31st, over 200 Brooklyn eateries will be offering 3-course prix fixe menus at special prices.
$20.11 for lunch/brunch and $25.00 for dinner!
Some restaurants are offering 2-for-1 deals too!
Offerings vary by restaurant, so call ahead for a reservation and verify their Dine In Brooklyn menus. The list of participating restaurants is available here in PDF, or view them on the Dine In Brooklyn Restaurant Week Map.
[See Cindy Waffles' full post here]
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A Review of Club A Steakhouse.
I recently had the opportunity to use the voucher I purchased on yelp, for a four-course dinner and bottle of wine for two, at Club A Steakhouse, located on E. 58th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. Club A is fairly new to the NYC steak scene, and with powerhouses like Delmonico's and Wolfgang's, to name a few, already dominating, it is certainly tough to establish yourself when your prime meat is well, prime meat. However, judging by my own dining experience, I believe that Club A can adequately rise to the competition.
I decided to treat my dad to the steakhouse for his birthday, and we were both impressed by the immediate hospitality that greeted us as soon as we walked into the restaurant. Owner Bruno personally escorted us to an opulent upstairs dining room, which featured a small fireplace and plush seating, and looked out upon lighted bushes that filled the length of the large picture window at the back of the room. Mirrored walls created the illusion that the room was larger than it actually was. As we were seated, a red rose and a long-stemmed candle were placed on our table, along with a bread basket full of a variety of warm breads to please any palate, such as onion focaccia, rosemary rolls and walnut raisin bread (I had at least one of each...yum!).
With the yelp deal, we were offered a choice between a Malbec and Pinot Grigio. As a rule, I always choose red wine with steak, but it was my dad's night so I let him choose, and he went with the Pinot. (I should have noted the wine names, but I forgot). Nevertheless, mixing red meat with white wine did not taste nearly as controversial as I expected and, in fact, I rather enjoyed it.
For appetizers I was debating between the caesar salad and the thick Canadian bacon (Although I'm not generally bacon's biggest fan, I've had a similar appetizer at Wolfgang's and it was to-die-for), and decided to go with the salad, if only to choose something healthy to accompany all the carbs, steak, alcohol and sweets I would imbibe before the night was through. The salad was good, but a little too much dressing made it tangier than it should have been.
While waiting for our next course, we were served some lobster ravioli "on the house," and it was fantastic (I'm not sure if this is a norm of the restaurant, if it was because of my dad's birthday, or perhaps the waiter overheard my dad and I discussing this blog...). The creamy sauce and tasty lobster meat made this dish really stand out.
Options for entrees were a 10 oz. filet minion, a 12 oz. hanger steak, a veal dish, and some seafood items, such as salmon. Side dish options included potato puree, fries, and creamed spinach. I went with my staple steak, the filet minion, medium-rare, and my dad and I choose to share sides of potato puree and creamed spinach. The steak, garnished with asparagus (my favorite green vegetable!) was of the succulent, melt-in-your mouth variety. The outside was more well-done that I wanted, but the medium-rare inside was perfectly tender. The herbed potato puree was smooth and buttery, and a superb complement for the steak. The creamed spinach was flavorful, but a bit too salty.
There was a constant flow of wait staff who were so attentive, it made me feel like I was some wealthy debutante being doted upon by personal hired servers. Bruno himself made continual rounds to the tables, and when he learned that it was my dad's birthday he had two glasses of champagne brought over for us. The personable owner told us that his family had lived in the building which housed the steakhouse for approximately thirty-three years, but that Club A had only been open for three years, as the business was previously an Italian restaurant.
To top it all off, when the waiter brought our dessert, an array of divine cream puffs and tiramisu drizzled with sweet sauces, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" had been spelled out in chocolate sauce on the serving plate. We ate to our heart's content and were quite pleased, overall, with the both the quality of the food as well as the ambiance and service. My few, small complaints did not belittle the meal at all, as we delighted in our meal until the last bite.
I decided to treat my dad to the steakhouse for his birthday, and we were both impressed by the immediate hospitality that greeted us as soon as we walked into the restaurant. Owner Bruno personally escorted us to an opulent upstairs dining room, which featured a small fireplace and plush seating, and looked out upon lighted bushes that filled the length of the large picture window at the back of the room. Mirrored walls created the illusion that the room was larger than it actually was. As we were seated, a red rose and a long-stemmed candle were placed on our table, along with a bread basket full of a variety of warm breads to please any palate, such as onion focaccia, rosemary rolls and walnut raisin bread (I had at least one of each...yum!).
With the yelp deal, we were offered a choice between a Malbec and Pinot Grigio. As a rule, I always choose red wine with steak, but it was my dad's night so I let him choose, and he went with the Pinot. (I should have noted the wine names, but I forgot). Nevertheless, mixing red meat with white wine did not taste nearly as controversial as I expected and, in fact, I rather enjoyed it.
For appetizers I was debating between the caesar salad and the thick Canadian bacon (Although I'm not generally bacon's biggest fan, I've had a similar appetizer at Wolfgang's and it was to-die-for), and decided to go with the salad, if only to choose something healthy to accompany all the carbs, steak, alcohol and sweets I would imbibe before the night was through. The salad was good, but a little too much dressing made it tangier than it should have been.
While waiting for our next course, we were served some lobster ravioli "on the house," and it was fantastic (I'm not sure if this is a norm of the restaurant, if it was because of my dad's birthday, or perhaps the waiter overheard my dad and I discussing this blog...). The creamy sauce and tasty lobster meat made this dish really stand out.
There was a constant flow of wait staff who were so attentive, it made me feel like I was some wealthy debutante being doted upon by personal hired servers. Bruno himself made continual rounds to the tables, and when he learned that it was my dad's birthday he had two glasses of champagne brought over for us. The personable owner told us that his family had lived in the building which housed the steakhouse for approximately thirty-three years, but that Club A had only been open for three years, as the business was previously an Italian restaurant.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Care to Take a Walk Through Your Brain?
Then head to the American Museum of Natural History's latest special exhibit, Brain: The Inside Story, on through August 15, 2011. Although the museum's general admission is actually only a "suggested donation," for this exhibit you'll have to pay full price. Entrance into the exhibit is $20 for adults and $11 for children (members get into special exhibitions for free), or you can purchase a museum ticket that includes this and/or other exhibits, such as the IMAX theater or the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space.
You will receive a timed-entry ticket for the exhibit, but you should still arrive early as lines will form regardless of entry time. Also, although we were told the exhibit would only take an hour to see, and we bought a ticket to a following IMAX screening of Sea Rex: Journey to a Prehistoric World, at the next available hour, I would suggest leaving, at minimum, an hour and a half for the Brain exhibit, as we were forced to skip over parts of it in order to make our IMAX show on time.
Upon beginning your journey into the Brain, you will walk through a larger-than-life, colorful fiber-optic neural pathway that will lead you to the interactive adventure awaiting inside. There, you will learn about memory, cognition, breathing and other functions controlled by the most complex organ in the body. You can peer into the brain activity of a dancer preparing for an audition, and learn how practice leads to fluidity, as it "creates more efficient neural pathways." (So, tell your mom that she was right all along, that practice really does make perfect, and you now know how to get to Carnegie Hall...).
Perhaps surprisingly to those who have never studied it, the average human brain is only three pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe. Yet, the brain is constantly changing and, as you proceed through the exhibit, you'll be invited to participate in perception tests, foreign language games, and other experiments designed to guide you further along the neural paths that lead to the exhibit's exit.
You'll learn about all five senses controlled by the brain, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, and how they interact to collect information (and ferret out misinformation) about the world around you. Did you know that your brain runs on electricity? Or that different parts of your brain are stimulated by different activities such as listening to music, or telling a lie? How about that if all of the neurons in your brain were marbles, you would have enough marbles to fill the New York Public Library?
Relative to body size, humans have larger brains than any other animal, yet many of us do not know enough about this important organ that controls every minute of our waking, and our sleeping, life. You will have a fascinating time exploring these and other facts at the Brain exhibit. So, set aside an hour and a half, go to the American Museum of Natural History, and take a walk through your brain.
The American Museum of Natural History is located at 79th and Central Park West.
You will receive a timed-entry ticket for the exhibit, but you should still arrive early as lines will form regardless of entry time. Also, although we were told the exhibit would only take an hour to see, and we bought a ticket to a following IMAX screening of Sea Rex: Journey to a Prehistoric World, at the next available hour, I would suggest leaving, at minimum, an hour and a half for the Brain exhibit, as we were forced to skip over parts of it in order to make our IMAX show on time.
Upon beginning your journey into the Brain, you will walk through a larger-than-life, colorful fiber-optic neural pathway that will lead you to the interactive adventure awaiting inside. There, you will learn about memory, cognition, breathing and other functions controlled by the most complex organ in the body. You can peer into the brain activity of a dancer preparing for an audition, and learn how practice leads to fluidity, as it "creates more efficient neural pathways." (So, tell your mom that she was right all along, that practice really does make perfect, and you now know how to get to Carnegie Hall...).
Perhaps surprisingly to those who have never studied it, the average human brain is only three pounds, about the size of a cantaloupe. Yet, the brain is constantly changing and, as you proceed through the exhibit, you'll be invited to participate in perception tests, foreign language games, and other experiments designed to guide you further along the neural paths that lead to the exhibit's exit.
You'll learn about all five senses controlled by the brain, sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, and how they interact to collect information (and ferret out misinformation) about the world around you. Did you know that your brain runs on electricity? Or that different parts of your brain are stimulated by different activities such as listening to music, or telling a lie? How about that if all of the neurons in your brain were marbles, you would have enough marbles to fill the New York Public Library?
Relative to body size, humans have larger brains than any other animal, yet many of us do not know enough about this important organ that controls every minute of our waking, and our sleeping, life. You will have a fascinating time exploring these and other facts at the Brain exhibit. So, set aside an hour and a half, go to the American Museum of Natural History, and take a walk through your brain.
The American Museum of Natural History is located at 79th and Central Park West.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Why You Should Stop By Rudy's Bar and Grill.
In accordance with this post, my friend and I headed down to Delta Grill tonight for their Mardi Gras celebration. We were greeted by a huge line and, upon glancing inside, although there was no place to sit and the place was jam-packed, the scene actually seemed somewhat lame, and not worth the $20 head-charge. So, we began walking down 9th Avenue to see what else we could find.
I was hungry, and my friend suggested that we go to Rudy's Bar and Grill, for cheap pitchers of beer and free hot dogs. I wasn't sure that I could stomach eating hot dogs, as I had never found them very appealing in the past, but I obliged and we headed to 44th Street and 9th Ave. Upon entering the laid-back dive bar, I knew we had found a cool place to relax. There was no Fat Tuesday theme, except for the bartender wearing exactly one strand of beads, but you can't really go wrong with pitchers of beer that start at $7 and some epic rock music playing out over the bar's speaker system. As I nervously bit into one of the free hot dogs that came with our drinks, smothered in a mixture of garden variety ketchup and mustard, I suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! I guess I do like hot dogs!" I then proceeded to eat two more. We each bought one pitcher and the total per person charge came to $11, including tips. The booths, if you can get one, are not the most comfortable, but you get what you pay for. I would certainly return.
I was hungry, and my friend suggested that we go to Rudy's Bar and Grill, for cheap pitchers of beer and free hot dogs. I wasn't sure that I could stomach eating hot dogs, as I had never found them very appealing in the past, but I obliged and we headed to 44th Street and 9th Ave. Upon entering the laid-back dive bar, I knew we had found a cool place to relax. There was no Fat Tuesday theme, except for the bartender wearing exactly one strand of beads, but you can't really go wrong with pitchers of beer that start at $7 and some epic rock music playing out over the bar's speaker system. As I nervously bit into one of the free hot dogs that came with our drinks, smothered in a mixture of garden variety ketchup and mustard, I suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! I guess I do like hot dogs!" I then proceeded to eat two more. We each bought one pitcher and the total per person charge came to $11, including tips. The booths, if you can get one, are not the most comfortable, but you get what you pay for. I would certainly return.
Trendy Jazz Vocalist Series Every Wednesday Night in Chelsea.
Every Wednesday evening, music, arts and recording studio "Zeb's" (short for Zebulon Sound and Light) runs a Jazz Vocalist Series featuring a different performer. Some of the musicians are "up and coming" while others are more seasoned artists, but nearly all give pretty memorable performances. Last time I attended, singer Gregory Porter was the featured vocalist and was also promoting his new CD, Water, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album, a fun fact that Mr. Porter happened to learn on his way to Zeb's that evening! Tomorrow night's vocalist, who I am quite excited to see, is Johnny O'Neal, who was featured in the movie Ray as famed jazz pianist, Art Tatum.
The doors at the large loft-style studio, located at 228 W. 28th Street, 2nd floor, open at 8pm, although artists do not usually start until around 8:30 or 8:45pm. After an approximately one-hour set by the featured vocalist, "professional" singers and musicians are invited to participate in a jam session that sometimes goes on for hours (if you want to sing, sign up at the front door when you come in).
There is some limited seating, and there is also plenty of standing room. Cover is $10 and there are usually free cookies as well as $5 glasses of self-service wine (money for wine is collected in an honesty jar of sorts).
Be sure to look down, around and up when you arrive at the loft. There are many unique and unusual art pieces made by Zeb himself (aka Saul Zebulon Rubin). Zeb is also involved in various other musical and artistic ventures. His studio hosted the 2010 NYC Jazz Guitar Festival, and Zeb also contributes his talents to jazz quartets around NYC and is a member of the groovy indie-rock band, Juicy Bruce, which will be performing at the studio on March 26.
The doors at the large loft-style studio, located at 228 W. 28th Street, 2nd floor, open at 8pm, although artists do not usually start until around 8:30 or 8:45pm. After an approximately one-hour set by the featured vocalist, "professional" singers and musicians are invited to participate in a jam session that sometimes goes on for hours (if you want to sing, sign up at the front door when you come in).
There is some limited seating, and there is also plenty of standing room. Cover is $10 and there are usually free cookies as well as $5 glasses of self-service wine (money for wine is collected in an honesty jar of sorts).
Be sure to look down, around and up when you arrive at the loft. There are many unique and unusual art pieces made by Zeb himself (aka Saul Zebulon Rubin). Zeb is also involved in various other musical and artistic ventures. His studio hosted the 2010 NYC Jazz Guitar Festival, and Zeb also contributes his talents to jazz quartets around NYC and is a member of the groovy indie-rock band, Juicy Bruce, which will be performing at the studio on March 26.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I'm Burning for Joanna Burns!
Joanna Burns sings "Where You Stand"
This past Friday afternoon, I came across an event announcement for a performance by singer/songwriter Joanna Burns, taking place at Canal Room. I watched the video embedded above, was instantly hooked to her music, and invited a friend to go to her show that evening.
Canal Room was not as packed as I would have expected for this talented singer, but after watching her perform I am sure that she will be playing to sold-out crowds soon. (I paid $12 for a ticket but for what I got out of it, I would have paid at least twice that!). I am going to make a bold statement right now and say that Joanna could hold her own in a sing-off against top divas like Whitney Houston (no joke, Joanna’s ability to belt out “And I-ee-I will always love you” blew me away…). She is not only a talented composer and singer, but she is funny and spunky on stage. Her witty comments to the crowd and her dimpled smile light up the room before she even begins to sing, and then, when her hands hit the keyboard and her voice hits the microphone, the audience is fully transported into her world of musical bliss. Some songs even involve audience participation...
Although Joanna performs mostly original music, she is also known for a medley or “sampler” of no less than nine songs from some of the most famous female pop and rock vocalists of our time – in addition to Whitney, she can do Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera, to name a few. As I listened to her powerful, soulful sound and watched her fingers gracefully tickle the ivory keys, I was reminded of a singer she did not throw into her song medley, Alicia Keys (with a hint of Ben Folds, who the singer does list as an influence), and I knew that I was watching a budding star.
Be sure to keep your eyes (and your ears) on Joanna Burns. Her album, The Green Year, comes out May 1. You can also buy the single "Us," right now, at http://joannaburns.bandcamp.com/, for whatever price you wish! If you missed Joanna at Canal Room, check her tour schedule here. Unfortunately, she does not have any upcoming NYC shows planned, but she will be at neighboring Orange County Community College this week, will be performing at SXSW in Austin (okay, nowhere near NYC, but I know some readers who will be traveling to the festival), and will be at the Brookdale Performing Arts Center in Lincroft, New Jersey on May 1 for Green Year's release.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Girls, Please Keep Your Shirts On...
This isn't New Orleans! Nevertheless, on "Fat Tuesday," which is rapidly approaching on March 8, you can score some beads, as well such southern delicacies as fried gator, crawfish boil and jambalaya, while drinking frozen hurricanes and listening to live bluegrass music.
Two good ole' southern-style bars planning Mardi Gras celebrations:
At The Delta Grill, located on the corner of 48th and 9th, for $20 admission you get a free hurricane, a buffet of crawfish boil, jambalaya, chicken creole and red beans and rice. Doors open at 5pm, food is available starting at 6pm and Citigrass Band will be entertaining revelers from 7pm to midnight.
Rodeo Bar, a personal favorite of mine, located on the corner of 27th and 3rd, never charges a cover, makes strong drinks and allows you to throw peanut shells on the saloon-style floor. Rodeo has live, danceable country, rockabilly and bluegrass music every night and never charges a cover. For Fat Tuesday, they will be having drink and food specials on hurricanes, jambalaya and fried gator (it tastes like chicken, really, it does!...), and Bill Sims, Jr. will start playing at 9pm. In theory, you could start out at Delta Grill, catch the Shuttle or the 7 from Times Square to Grand Central, and then grab the 6 train down to 28th and Park, to continue your night at Rodeo Bar.
A google search for "fat tuesday nyc" also led me to the following parties:
Village Pourhouse's Fat Tuesday, at 7pm. No cover, no food specials (although they do have a regular menu). Drink specials and "dress to impress." I often find Village Pourhouse to be overrated and crowded. I'm still rooting for Delta or Rodeo.
"The Biggest Fat Tuesday Party in New York City," according to their own website, is at Southern Hospitality BBQ. I've never been here so I can't comment, but I'm skeptical, especially of their "cash prizes for best Mardi Gras spirit..."
Annual Mardi Gras Ball at Le Poisson Rouge, sponsored by Two Boots Pizzeria, (which makes very tasty pizza for a chain, especially the "Cleopatra Jones" slice) at 7pm. $25 cover, or $100 for VIP dinner and open bar, benefits The Lower East Side Girls Club, and you can get a discount with promotional code "TWOBOOTS11". Poisson Rouge is your typical NYC club, it's loud and colorful, and drinks are expensive, but, for what it is, it's a good time. For this particular party there will be a costume contest, ping-pong, a coronation of a lucky "King and Queen," and a give away trip to New Orleans.
If you're really looking to drop some dough on Fat Tuesday, for $125 per person, BR Guest seafood restaurant Blue Water Grill (a favorite of mine for very occasional fancy food nights) will be serving a New Orleans three course prix-fixe menu, to include items such as Oysters Bienville (I'm not really sure what that is, but BWG oysters never disappoint...) and Lobster Jambalaya. Accompanying music in the Grill's jazz dining room provided by All Saint's Brass Band. $15 from every ticket purchase will be donated to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.
Yet a few more suggestions: http://manhattan.about.com/od/eventsandattractions/a/mardigrasnewyork.htm
Two good ole' southern-style bars planning Mardi Gras celebrations:
At The Delta Grill, located on the corner of 48th and 9th, for $20 admission you get a free hurricane, a buffet of crawfish boil, jambalaya, chicken creole and red beans and rice. Doors open at 5pm, food is available starting at 6pm and Citigrass Band will be entertaining revelers from 7pm to midnight.
Rodeo Bar, a personal favorite of mine, located on the corner of 27th and 3rd, never charges a cover, makes strong drinks and allows you to throw peanut shells on the saloon-style floor. Rodeo has live, danceable country, rockabilly and bluegrass music every night and never charges a cover. For Fat Tuesday, they will be having drink and food specials on hurricanes, jambalaya and fried gator (it tastes like chicken, really, it does!...), and Bill Sims, Jr. will start playing at 9pm. In theory, you could start out at Delta Grill, catch the Shuttle or the 7 from Times Square to Grand Central, and then grab the 6 train down to 28th and Park, to continue your night at Rodeo Bar.
A google search for "fat tuesday nyc" also led me to the following parties:
Village Pourhouse's Fat Tuesday, at 7pm. No cover, no food specials (although they do have a regular menu). Drink specials and "dress to impress." I often find Village Pourhouse to be overrated and crowded. I'm still rooting for Delta or Rodeo.
"The Biggest Fat Tuesday Party in New York City," according to their own website, is at Southern Hospitality BBQ. I've never been here so I can't comment, but I'm skeptical, especially of their "cash prizes for best Mardi Gras spirit..."
Annual Mardi Gras Ball at Le Poisson Rouge, sponsored by Two Boots Pizzeria, (which makes very tasty pizza for a chain, especially the "Cleopatra Jones" slice) at 7pm. $25 cover, or $100 for VIP dinner and open bar, benefits The Lower East Side Girls Club, and you can get a discount with promotional code "TWOBOOTS11". Poisson Rouge is your typical NYC club, it's loud and colorful, and drinks are expensive, but, for what it is, it's a good time. For this particular party there will be a costume contest, ping-pong, a coronation of a lucky "King and Queen," and a give away trip to New Orleans.
If you're really looking to drop some dough on Fat Tuesday, for $125 per person, BR Guest seafood restaurant Blue Water Grill (a favorite of mine for very occasional fancy food nights) will be serving a New Orleans three course prix-fixe menu, to include items such as Oysters Bienville (I'm not really sure what that is, but BWG oysters never disappoint...) and Lobster Jambalaya. Accompanying music in the Grill's jazz dining room provided by All Saint's Brass Band. $15 from every ticket purchase will be donated to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.
Yet a few more suggestions: http://manhattan.about.com/od/eventsandattractions/a/mardigrasnewyork.htm
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Pack Your Camera and Head Down to the Statue of Liberty Before the Fall.
Only 240 people are allowed in the crown daily, and tickets must be purchased well in advance, here. I recommend buying tickets for the crown at least a month or two ahead of time, especially if you intend to visit on a weekend, and you should also order reserved tickets even if you only want to visit the outdoor observatory pedestal (the crown observatory is indoors, but well worth it). Be prepared to be thoroughly screened by security officers at Battery Park, where you’ll board the ferry to Liberty Island, and then again before you enter Miss Liberty. If you are lucky enough to get crown tickets, you will be required to leave all personal items, with the exception of a handheld camera, in fee lockers at the base of the statue.
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| Stairs to the crown. |
At Liberty Island, you’ll be able to take in panoramic views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and parts of New Jersey, from a wide variety of perspectives, depending on your ticket. Make sure you purchase the ticket that is best for you—consider whether you want to just visit the Island and its museum on the history of the Statue (did you know that Alexander Gustave Eiffel was pivotal in Lady Liberty's design??), whether you want to head inside the monument and glimpse some views from her pedestal, or whether you have the stamina to climb the 300+ stairs to the crown. No matter your vantage point, you surely will not be disappointed, provided the weather chooses to agree. However, if do you make it all the way to the top, at least you can cross that one off of your bucket list. The rangers were unable to provide a date when the crown and general statue access might re-open after 2011. Set aside 45min to an hour for the museum, and at least another hour for the climb up the winding stairs to the crown and back down, in addition to some time to just walk around Her. Your next stop should be Ellis Island, via ferry, but first consider grabbing a bite to eat at the only café on the Island (there is also a café on Ellis Island).
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| An immigrant recalls her arrival. |
Try to start your day as early as possible, as it will surely get away from you before you know it, and make sure to note the ferry arrival and departure times to and from each Island and Battery Park.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Play Dead.
This weekend I had a spooktacular time at a haunting new show at The Players Theatre -- "Play Dead" is a thriller written by acclaimed illusionist Teller (yes, that Teller), and famed sideshow actor Todd Robbins, and starring... Todd Robbins! Apparently a master of illusion himself, Robbins takes the audience on a journey to play, quite literally, with Death. In keeping with the Spirit of the show, I cannot reveal much more, as the audience was asked to hold our tongues regarding any secrets we may have learned during the hour-and-a-half, no-intermission-fear-fest. I wish I could tell you about the... or how Robbins... or the audience member who... but, alas!, you'll have to go see this show for yourself.
And what will you see exactly? Well, for parts of the show, absolutely nothing, as the entire theatre is plunged into deep darkness. (Don't forget to turn off that cell phone completely so as not to ruin the experience for anyone!). But don't despair, I assure you that the rest of your senses will be quite heightened. You'll laugh, you'll scream, you'll cower and you may even cry. You'll witness things you have never seen before, and some you'll hope to never see again. You may even be called on to participate, and who knows where your fate may then lie. Some of what you'll see you won't believe, but if it's happening right in front of you it must be real, right?...
If you're looking for a unique date idea, this may be the perfect way to get that woman (or man) to grab and grope you and ask you to please, please, hold her tighter. I personally chose to enjoy this show with my mom, and I can honestly say that I have probably not held onto her so tightly since my days of grasping reflexes.
A fair warning: this show is not for the faint of heart, and may also be inappropriate for those who have very recently experienced loss. However, if you like dark comedy and you're ready to allow yourself to have a real sense of humor about Death, as Teller states in the show's playbill, "[D]on't sit back. Don't relax. It's time to play dead."
The Players Theatre is located at 115 Macdougal Street in Greenwich Village, off of West 3rd.
And what will you see exactly? Well, for parts of the show, absolutely nothing, as the entire theatre is plunged into deep darkness. (Don't forget to turn off that cell phone completely so as not to ruin the experience for anyone!). But don't despair, I assure you that the rest of your senses will be quite heightened. You'll laugh, you'll scream, you'll cower and you may even cry. You'll witness things you have never seen before, and some you'll hope to never see again. You may even be called on to participate, and who knows where your fate may then lie. Some of what you'll see you won't believe, but if it's happening right in front of you it must be real, right?...
If you're looking for a unique date idea, this may be the perfect way to get that woman (or man) to grab and grope you and ask you to please, please, hold her tighter. I personally chose to enjoy this show with my mom, and I can honestly say that I have probably not held onto her so tightly since my days of grasping reflexes.
A fair warning: this show is not for the faint of heart, and may also be inappropriate for those who have very recently experienced loss. However, if you like dark comedy and you're ready to allow yourself to have a real sense of humor about Death, as Teller states in the show's playbill, "[D]on't sit back. Don't relax. It's time to play dead."
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| Left: Todd Robbins |
Luxury Movie Theaters in NYC?
I recently received an email from a reader who posed the following question:
"I lived in Seattle for two years, and one of the best things I found there and in Portland were movie theaters that were comfortable. By comfortable I mean one has couches, serves gourmet pizza and micobrew beer. Another has cocktail tables and serves tapas and fancy drinks. I'm looking for a similar place in NYC... Know of anything?"
After considering the plethora of movie theaters I have visited in the nearly seven years that I have been living in NYC (Manhattan and Brooklyn), as well as conducting some research online, in the hopes that NYC might have some Muvico-style palace theater I was unaware of, here is what I came up with:
Unfortunately NYC doesn't yet have anything really like the Seattle theaters you miss. I am hoping that AMC opens one of their dine-in theaters here soon, as they have in some areas of New Jersey... http://www.
"I lived in Seattle for two years, and one of the best things I found there and in Portland were movie theaters that were comfortable. By comfortable I mean one has couches, serves gourmet pizza and micobrew beer. Another has cocktail tables and serves tapas and fancy drinks. I'm looking for a similar place in NYC... Know of anything?"
After considering the plethora of movie theaters I have visited in the nearly seven years that I have been living in NYC (Manhattan and Brooklyn), as well as conducting some research online, in the hopes that NYC might have some Muvico-style palace theater I was unaware of, here is what I came up with:
Unfortunately NYC doesn't yet have anything really like the Seattle theaters you miss. I am hoping that AMC opens one of their dine-in theaters here soon, as they have in some areas of New Jersey... http://www.
In the meantime, you check out Sunshine Cinema, in the lower east side, which shows mostly independent movies and has a good espresso bar. Another indie theater, Angelika Film Center, has a sit-down cafe inside, though I believe it is non-alcoholic. Tribeca Cinemas also plays hosts to many film festivals throughout the year. Other well known indie theaters: Film Forum and IFC Center.
Finally, this "gastropub" indie theater in DUMBO, Brooklyn, with an often changing movie schedule, may be closest to what you are seeking: reRun Gastropub Theater.
[Note: In my original response to the reader, I linked to the yelp reviews, rather than to reRun's home page, which is now linked to above. I have yet to explore this particular movie theater experience, but it seems like fun! I am certainly hoping to see more theaters like this in NYC's future.]
Some larger "first-run movie" theaters also do offer some food options like pizza and chicken fingers, sandwiches, etc.. AMC Empire 25 Theater in Times Square, on 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th ave, is probably the best example of this. It is also a very large theater, connected to Dave and Busters and Applebees, and I believe you can access some terraces with views of the city. Other large theaters are AMC Loews on 34th Street between 8th and 9th ave, and AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13, at Broadway and 68th Street, which is the only Manhattan movie theater to have a "real" IMAX. (There is also one in Brooklyn, the United Artist Sheepshead Bay).
[Added note: I forgot to mention this to the reader, but I recall that when I was looking for a NYC New Year's Eve venue for 2010-2011, the AMC Empire Theater was offering packages to view Times Square. Eventually I just threw a party in my apartment with my awesome roommates...Still have yet to do the Times Square thing...]
You may also want to check out these articles on best movie theaters in NYC:
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A Review of West Village Trattoria, Pesce Pasta.
Contributing Author For This Post: Mom (who is very excited to have her first byline)
Looking for an intimate restaurant to enjoy a dinner among friends or spark some romance with a date? Try Pesce Pasta, located at 262 Bleecker Street, in the village. This trattoria serves up trendy Northern Italian fare without emptying your wallet. My mom and I recently tried it for dinner after reading various reviews on yelp, menupages and citysearch.
The ambiance at Pesce Pasta was quaint. The walls were lined with "pesce" (Italian for fish) themed art, which is not surprising considering that the restaurant is known for its fresh fish selection, which changes everyday based on availability. Nevertheless, my mom and I were both craving some rich carb-laden food, so we went with more traditional Italian choices -- sharing a chicken parmesan and a lasagna bolognese. We also started out with a caesar salad which we shared, and rightly so, as every dish seemed made for at least two people. The salad, topped with fresh parmesan cheese and creamy dressing, was crisp and tasty.
The chicken parmesan, which was breaded and fried, had just the right amount of cheese paired with flavorful marinara sauce. The chicken was tender and easy to cut, and not a single morsel was burned, which is something I have unfortunately come to expect based on dining experiences at other restaurants.
The lasagna was especially interesting and somewhat unusual, in a very delectable way. The bolognese sauce, which had as its base the same flavorful marinara sauce as the chicken parmesan, was prepared with velvety, smooth cream, and choice meat, and, as our waiter explained, "lots and lots of parmesan cheese." The chef at Pesce Pasta certainly knows his way around the kitchen.
Unlike some reviews have foretold, the wait staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The prices were also reasonable. Know before you go that this restaurant has no bar, but they do serve beer and have an extensive wine list. I'll keep this in mind next time I stop by, as I surely intend to return to see if their pesce lives up to its name.
Looking for an intimate restaurant to enjoy a dinner among friends or spark some romance with a date? Try Pesce Pasta, located at 262 Bleecker Street, in the village. This trattoria serves up trendy Northern Italian fare without emptying your wallet. My mom and I recently tried it for dinner after reading various reviews on yelp, menupages and citysearch.
The ambiance at Pesce Pasta was quaint. The walls were lined with "pesce" (Italian for fish) themed art, which is not surprising considering that the restaurant is known for its fresh fish selection, which changes everyday based on availability. Nevertheless, my mom and I were both craving some rich carb-laden food, so we went with more traditional Italian choices -- sharing a chicken parmesan and a lasagna bolognese. We also started out with a caesar salad which we shared, and rightly so, as every dish seemed made for at least two people. The salad, topped with fresh parmesan cheese and creamy dressing, was crisp and tasty.
The chicken parmesan, which was breaded and fried, had just the right amount of cheese paired with flavorful marinara sauce. The chicken was tender and easy to cut, and not a single morsel was burned, which is something I have unfortunately come to expect based on dining experiences at other restaurants.
The lasagna was especially interesting and somewhat unusual, in a very delectable way. The bolognese sauce, which had as its base the same flavorful marinara sauce as the chicken parmesan, was prepared with velvety, smooth cream, and choice meat, and, as our waiter explained, "lots and lots of parmesan cheese." The chef at Pesce Pasta certainly knows his way around the kitchen.
Unlike some reviews have foretold, the wait staff was extremely friendly and attentive. The prices were also reasonable. Know before you go that this restaurant has no bar, but they do serve beer and have an extensive wine list. I'll keep this in mind next time I stop by, as I surely intend to return to see if their pesce lives up to its name.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Make the Most of Your Public Libraries -- They're Not Just For Books!!
If you're like me, in this digital age of internet, smartphones and e-readers, you may have forgotten all about your friendly, neighborhood public library. Remember that place where you spent hours in grade school researching Abraham Lincoln or borrowing a copy of Brave New World? Well, keep reading and you'll learn that libraries aren't just about books and book reports.
At your local public library you can find, not only the expected books, newpapers and magazines, but also CDs, DVDs, graphic novels, comics, free internet access, and more. Don't have time to rummage through the Dewey Decimal System at the New York Public Library (NYPL), which has branches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) or the Queens Library? Visit the libraries' websites to learn how to reserve books and other materials online, place holds on material you want to read, schedule interlibrary loans, and renew material, all with just a few clicks! Did you know that you can also "borrow" material on your e-reader?
Another great feature is that while some branches may most be useful due to convenience (BPL boasts that "[e]very resident of Brooklyn lives within a half-mile of a Brooklyn Public Library...location"), there are also a number of speciality libraries, like NYPL's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Performing Arts Library, and Science, Industry and Business Library, or BPL's Business Library. Find your preferred branch and hours here: NYPL, BPL, Queens.
Looking for a unique first date idea? Check out library event calendars. Last year, I went a date to BPL's Central Library, to visit an art exhibit centered around everyone's favorite street, Sesame Street! If you're ready to delve into some heavy philosophical discussions, check out NYPL's Three Faiths exhibit before it ends this Sunday, February 27. Perhaps you'll even catch a glimpse of some Ghostbusters hot on the trail of paranormal activity. Libraries not only often play host to cultural activities, but also offer career-oriented and other classes and programs, from art and concerts to computer/word processing/and internet classes, resume assistance, tax advice, foreign language (and ESL) classes, a bridge club, children's events (arts & crafts, storytelling, etc.), and more, you'll never be bored at the library. Many library branches also often exhibit local artists and photographers, so don't be shy, send in your work! See events calendars here: BPL, NYPL, Queens.
The value of all of this immeasurable. However, if you want to attempt to measure it, try this nifty Library Use Value Calculator provided by the New York Library Association (NYLA). My own estimated use comes out to well over $1000 a year! When you see how valuable the library can be, consider donating to the NYPL, BPL or Queens Library, making a donation to or even joining NYLA, and/or attending New York Library Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 1, 2011.
Get a Library Card:
New York Public Library (good at any NYPL branch, including Staten Island and the Bronx)
Brooklyn Public Library (good at any BPL branch)
Queens Library (good at any Queens branch)
Tip: If your personal and/or business address allow you to do so, make sure to get a library card for multiple library systems, as on some rare occassions you may find that NYPL has access to material that BPL does not have, or vice versa. A prime example - you won't find beloved graphic novel/comic series Y, The Last Man at BPL, but you will find the entire series at NYPL.
At your local public library you can find, not only the expected books, newpapers and magazines, but also CDs, DVDs, graphic novels, comics, free internet access, and more. Don't have time to rummage through the Dewey Decimal System at the New York Public Library (NYPL), which has branches in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) or the Queens Library? Visit the libraries' websites to learn how to reserve books and other materials online, place holds on material you want to read, schedule interlibrary loans, and renew material, all with just a few clicks! Did you know that you can also "borrow" material on your e-reader?
Another great feature is that while some branches may most be useful due to convenience (BPL boasts that "[e]very resident of Brooklyn lives within a half-mile of a Brooklyn Public Library...location"), there are also a number of speciality libraries, like NYPL's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Performing Arts Library, and Science, Industry and Business Library, or BPL's Business Library. Find your preferred branch and hours here: NYPL, BPL, Queens.
Looking for a unique first date idea? Check out library event calendars. Last year, I went a date to BPL's Central Library, to visit an art exhibit centered around everyone's favorite street, Sesame Street! If you're ready to delve into some heavy philosophical discussions, check out NYPL's Three Faiths exhibit before it ends this Sunday, February 27. Perhaps you'll even catch a glimpse of some Ghostbusters hot on the trail of paranormal activity. Libraries not only often play host to cultural activities, but also offer career-oriented and other classes and programs, from art and concerts to computer/word processing/and internet classes, resume assistance, tax advice, foreign language (and ESL) classes, a bridge club, children's events (arts & crafts, storytelling, etc.), and more, you'll never be bored at the library. Many library branches also often exhibit local artists and photographers, so don't be shy, send in your work! See events calendars here: BPL, NYPL, Queens.
The value of all of this immeasurable. However, if you want to attempt to measure it, try this nifty Library Use Value Calculator provided by the New York Library Association (NYLA). My own estimated use comes out to well over $1000 a year! When you see how valuable the library can be, consider donating to the NYPL, BPL or Queens Library, making a donation to or even joining NYLA, and/or attending New York Library Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 1, 2011.
Get a Library Card:
New York Public Library (good at any NYPL branch, including Staten Island and the Bronx)
Brooklyn Public Library (good at any BPL branch)
Queens Library (good at any Queens branch)
Tip: If your personal and/or business address allow you to do so, make sure to get a library card for multiple library systems, as on some rare occassions you may find that NYPL has access to material that BPL does not have, or vice versa. A prime example - you won't find beloved graphic novel/comic series Y, The Last Man at BPL, but you will find the entire series at NYPL.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sing With Your Community!
Tonight I had the pleasure of attending, and participating in, a "Community Sing" with five-time grammy nominated choir, Conspirare. The FREE event, hosted by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute and sponsored by Target, took place at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and was part of the Center's February programming in conjunction with Black History Month. (See post following this one about making the most of your public library...).
Conspirare is a national ensemble, based in Austin, Texas, but made up of professional singers from across the country and Canada who often come together just days (or a day!) before performances to rehearse with each other. During tonight's Community Sing, renowned conductor Craig Hella Johnson led the chorus and the audience in deeply moving hymns and spirituals such as "Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,"arranged by Alice Parker, and "Soon-ah Will Be Done (a-with the troubles of the world)," arranged by William Dawson.
As I sat with approximately 150 attendees in the auditorium of the Schomburg Center, Conspirare members (29 singers in total at this performance) slowly emerged from backstage and surrounded us, sopranos, altos, tenors and bases, all singing Carly Simon's "Let the River Run." Mr. Johnson then invited the audience to participate as he worked on some warm-up exercises with the group, such as singing "tip of the tongue the teeth the lips" throughout a musical scale. As we then turned to musical arrangements, we worked on syncopation, dynamics and harmony, listening to parts from the chorus members that surrounded us, or creating our own. The conductor quoted African-American songwriter, Bernice Johnson Reagon, and told us that, "When we sing, we announce our existence."
Such beautiful music was being made as I both sang and listened to the collective voices, those of the Conspirare members as well as audience members, rising up together in song. We were informed that the name "Conspirare" is derived from Latin words meaning "to breathe together," and that the focus of the performance was to share our song, and our hearts, with each other, with these strangers, to sing with our "community." Each song produced such an intense musical and spiritual experience for me that I had constant chills throughout the evening.
This amazing group also treated the audience to some songs for which they went on stage and sang out to us. Highlights included spiritual "Hard Trials,"arranged by Mr. Johnson himself, and featuring soloist Nicole Greenidge in a song inspired, in part, by the story of a woman recalling her childhood as a slave, and a "mash-up" of spirituals "Soon-ah Will Be Done," and "I Wanna Die Easy," the latter also arranged by Mr. Johnson. Soloists for the mash-up were Matt Alber and Abigail H. Lenox. Ms. Lenox's beautiful tone and stage presence for "I Wanna Die Easy" were haunting as she portrayed an enchanting pain that may otherwise have been hard to convey without the poetry of music.
After a requested encore spiritual, "Walk Together Children," arranged by Moses Hogan, was performed, Conspirare received a well-deserved standing ovation from the crowd.
A member informed me that Conspirare's Community Sings in Austin can draw as many as 600 people, a fact that does not at all surprise me. If you missed out on tonight's performance, you have ONE MORE opportunity to see them/sing with them in New York, tomorrow, February 24, at 7pm at Jacobi Medical Center, located at 1400 Pelham Pkwy S, in the Bronx.
Conspirare is a national ensemble, based in Austin, Texas, but made up of professional singers from across the country and Canada who often come together just days (or a day!) before performances to rehearse with each other. During tonight's Community Sing, renowned conductor Craig Hella Johnson led the chorus and the audience in deeply moving hymns and spirituals such as "Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,"arranged by Alice Parker, and "Soon-ah Will Be Done (a-with the troubles of the world)," arranged by William Dawson.
As I sat with approximately 150 attendees in the auditorium of the Schomburg Center, Conspirare members (29 singers in total at this performance) slowly emerged from backstage and surrounded us, sopranos, altos, tenors and bases, all singing Carly Simon's "Let the River Run." Mr. Johnson then invited the audience to participate as he worked on some warm-up exercises with the group, such as singing "tip of the tongue the teeth the lips" throughout a musical scale. As we then turned to musical arrangements, we worked on syncopation, dynamics and harmony, listening to parts from the chorus members that surrounded us, or creating our own. The conductor quoted African-American songwriter, Bernice Johnson Reagon, and told us that, "When we sing, we announce our existence."
Such beautiful music was being made as I both sang and listened to the collective voices, those of the Conspirare members as well as audience members, rising up together in song. We were informed that the name "Conspirare" is derived from Latin words meaning "to breathe together," and that the focus of the performance was to share our song, and our hearts, with each other, with these strangers, to sing with our "community." Each song produced such an intense musical and spiritual experience for me that I had constant chills throughout the evening.
This amazing group also treated the audience to some songs for which they went on stage and sang out to us. Highlights included spiritual "Hard Trials,"arranged by Mr. Johnson himself, and featuring soloist Nicole Greenidge in a song inspired, in part, by the story of a woman recalling her childhood as a slave, and a "mash-up" of spirituals "Soon-ah Will Be Done," and "I Wanna Die Easy," the latter also arranged by Mr. Johnson. Soloists for the mash-up were Matt Alber and Abigail H. Lenox. Ms. Lenox's beautiful tone and stage presence for "I Wanna Die Easy" were haunting as she portrayed an enchanting pain that may otherwise have been hard to convey without the poetry of music.
After a requested encore spiritual, "Walk Together Children," arranged by Moses Hogan, was performed, Conspirare received a well-deserved standing ovation from the crowd.
A member informed me that Conspirare's Community Sings in Austin can draw as many as 600 people, a fact that does not at all surprise me. If you missed out on tonight's performance, you have ONE MORE opportunity to see them/sing with them in New York, tomorrow, February 24, at 7pm at Jacobi Medical Center, located at 1400 Pelham Pkwy S, in the Bronx.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Save Big on Broadway Tickets
One of the most popular ways to save big on Broadway and Off-Broadway shows is to stand on line at one of TKTS' three discount booths, located in Times Square, South Street Seaport, and Downtown Brooklyn. Check each individual booth's hours on the site, and note that times for purchasing matinee and evening tickets will differ. At the Times Square TKTS location, on Broadway and 47th Street, which sells only same day theater tickets (matinee and evening shows), you'll be closest to the shows you're most likely to see, but you'll also probably wait on a much longer line, up to an hour or longer on weekends. Why not plan ahead and travel instead to the South Street Seaport booth, at Front and John Streets, or the Downtown Brooklyn booth at Metrotech Center on Jay Street? At these locations, you can buy tickets to evening performance for the day-of the show, and matinee performances one day prior to shows, and you'll rarely ever have to wait more than five or ten minutes in line, if there's a line at all. Discounts at any of TKTS booth range from 25%-50%. The only drawback is that your chosen show may not be offered at a discounted price for the day you wish to see it. You need to come to these booths with an open mind, check this site for the prior week's sales to see if your show is on there, and be prepared to have a backup option or two.
If you do have one particular show in mind, try these websites for deep discounts:
Broadway Box, Theater Mania and NY Tix all provide discount codes for FREE, that will earn you up to 50% off of face value of theater tickets, and can often be used for either online, ticketmaster, telephone, or box office purchases. NY Tix has a particularly helpful list of currently available discounts and lineup times for "rush" tickets (see note about rush tickets below).
Playbill Club: You must sign up on their website and join the "club" in order to access discounts, but membership is free. Discounts on theater tickets range from 10% to 50%.
Score Big: This is a very new website and members currently can only join (for free) by invite, or by getting on the waiting list. If you can get on the site, it is well worth it. Score Big is for theater and other event tickets what priceline is for airfare/hotels/travel. You are "guaranteed" to get a deal by bidding on tickets for lower than face value, and seeing whether or not your bid is accepted.
Hip Tix: If you're between the ages of 18 and 35, sign up to receive $20 ticket offers to broadway and off-broadway theater, sponsored by Roundabout Theatre Company (but be careful, once you're on Roundabout's calling list, they'll never leave you alone...).
TDF: TDF, the Theater Development Fund, not only runs the TKTS booths, it also offers an online ticket program for "eligible theatergoers," which includes teachers, retirees, civil servants, non-profit workers, union members, students, armed forces and clergy. It requires a $30 yearly fee but if you go to even 1-2 shows, your discounts will pay off.
Plum Benefits: If your company doesn't already have a Plum Benefits account, talk to your HR manager today! You can only access PB if your company signs up. I have ordered so many great tickets from this site and saved a lot of money. PB offers discounts for theater, sporting events, concerts, comedy and restaurants.
Many productions also offer "rush" or at least student rush tickets (purchased via waiting on a line a few hours before curtain and being subjected to a lottery system, but you usually get great seats), and standing room only tickets. Call the box office for more details.
Another idea is to go to your local library, college or community center and see if you can get "school ticket" discounts. These are flyers, about the size of bookmarks, that advertise the show and also provide discount codes for a finite time-period. Although they are known to be "school" discount tickets, and are most often found in some principal's office, you don't actually have to be a student or school administrator to use the code. You just have to know where to find one...
If you do have one particular show in mind, try these websites for deep discounts:
Broadway Box, Theater Mania and NY Tix all provide discount codes for FREE, that will earn you up to 50% off of face value of theater tickets, and can often be used for either online, ticketmaster, telephone, or box office purchases. NY Tix has a particularly helpful list of currently available discounts and lineup times for "rush" tickets (see note about rush tickets below).
Playbill Club: You must sign up on their website and join the "club" in order to access discounts, but membership is free. Discounts on theater tickets range from 10% to 50%.
Score Big: This is a very new website and members currently can only join (for free) by invite, or by getting on the waiting list. If you can get on the site, it is well worth it. Score Big is for theater and other event tickets what priceline is for airfare/hotels/travel. You are "guaranteed" to get a deal by bidding on tickets for lower than face value, and seeing whether or not your bid is accepted.
Hip Tix: If you're between the ages of 18 and 35, sign up to receive $20 ticket offers to broadway and off-broadway theater, sponsored by Roundabout Theatre Company (but be careful, once you're on Roundabout's calling list, they'll never leave you alone...).
TDF: TDF, the Theater Development Fund, not only runs the TKTS booths, it also offers an online ticket program for "eligible theatergoers," which includes teachers, retirees, civil servants, non-profit workers, union members, students, armed forces and clergy. It requires a $30 yearly fee but if you go to even 1-2 shows, your discounts will pay off.
Plum Benefits: If your company doesn't already have a Plum Benefits account, talk to your HR manager today! You can only access PB if your company signs up. I have ordered so many great tickets from this site and saved a lot of money. PB offers discounts for theater, sporting events, concerts, comedy and restaurants.
Many productions also offer "rush" or at least student rush tickets (purchased via waiting on a line a few hours before curtain and being subjected to a lottery system, but you usually get great seats), and standing room only tickets. Call the box office for more details.
Another idea is to go to your local library, college or community center and see if you can get "school ticket" discounts. These are flyers, about the size of bookmarks, that advertise the show and also provide discount codes for a finite time-period. Although they are known to be "school" discount tickets, and are most often found in some principal's office, you don't actually have to be a student or school administrator to use the code. You just have to know where to find one...
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