Love, Your Favorite City Girl

Pipa

2010-04-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

Escape into a dimly lit room full of beautiful vintage chandeliers, a pitcher full of divine sangria and a menu full of delicious Spanish tapa plates at Pipa (located at 38 east 19th St., between Broadway and Park Ave).

What to know before you go:

The actual Spanish word, "pipa" translates to "having a good time" which is exactly what people go to this restaurant to have. For this reason, reservations are highly, highly recommended. Pipa is popular for groups due to the sharing nature of the menu, so if you are planning a gathering of sorts, this may be a great choice for you. This is also a great place for a date as the atmosphere is very romantic, the only down side is that it can get a little loud.

When you're there:

The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous as it has beautiful, vintage chandeliers (which are available for sale) hanging everywhere, dim lighting and exposed bricks embedded with seashells. The restaurant pipes out latin-infused music as well and if you are lucky, sometimes there is live music or a flamenco dancer present.

The menu offers a huge variety of dishes that are friendly to all of you herbivores and carnivores alike. As it is a tapas restaurant, plates are designed to share. Price points for dinner range from $5 - $26 depending on the item. While you are eating, you absolutely should try a glass or a pitcher of sangria; both the white and the red are delish!

Things to do in NYC for less than $10 - A Wednesday Field Trip to the Bronx

2010-03-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

I am hoping that within the next couple of weeks, the weather will stay beautiful and we will all be packing up our winter coats. That being said, once it gets warmer, if you are unemployed, working part time, or feel like taking a day off, take a trip up to the Bronx on a Wednesday afternoon. Why the hell would I be suggesting a trip to the Bronx of all places? Three reasons: Bronx Zoo, Botanical Garden, and Arthur Avenue. Why on a Wednesday afternoon? Free Admission!

The Bronx Zoo has been doing free admission Wednesdays for years. You can wander around the zoo for hours upon hours on a beautiful spring day. Just be ready for large crowds as everyone and their mother goes on Wednesdays.

The´New York Botanical Garden is a gorgeous escape that a lot of people forget about and it is right across the street from the Bronx Zoo. Depending on when you go, NYBG has different, special exhibits all year. Plus, who doesn't love flowers trees and butterflies? An upside to the Gardens is that they also have free admission on Saturdays from 10am-12pm. The regular prices for grounds admission is $6 and less on regular days, so you wouldn't be breaking the bank either way.

Arthur avenue is the Bronx's Little Italy and it is on the opposite side of the Fordham campus from the Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo. When you walk up this street and get to the places where all of the cute restaurants and bakeries are, you’ll realize the walk was worth it. There are a ton of inexpensive places to grab lunch or dinner and complete your $10 day.

Quick sidenote: the easiest way to get here with public transportation is to use Metro North and get off at the Botanical Garden station. On weekends, a city ticket costs $3.50 and on week days, it costs $5.25. Just make sure you get on the right train, not all stop here!

Can't wait for Spring to officially get here!

Cafeteria - A Favorite

2010-03-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Cafeteria is located in Chelsea and while the name playfully suggests cafeteria style food, this restaurant is sleek and offers some delicious items on the menu.

What to know before you go:

Cafeteria is open 24/7, and is one of the only places where I have seen a 30 minute wait for a table at 4am. Be prepared to put your name down for a table and go for a walk or for a drink while you wait.

When you're there:

I prefer outdoor seating whenever possible, not because sitting inside is bad, but because it makes for better people watching... plus, they have heat lamps when it is chilly. The interior is simple and modern with a lot of white and a wall of windows that opens up in the summer.

As I said earlier, most of the dishes on the menu play up the cafeteria theme but with a tastier, grown up twist. One of the most popular items is the meatloaf and it is delish. Other fun options include southern fried steak, mac and cheese and various other items including a "blue plate special" every day. I have also had some of the drinks on the drink menu which were fantastic. The prices for dinner entrees range from about $15-$25 which isn't terrible.

Why is Cafeteria one of my favorites? Overall, I just really enjoy the food and the laid back side of the New York atmosphere that it presents. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I've had some great times there!

Things to do in NYC for less than $10 - Rainy afternoons at the movies

2010-03-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend of horrible weather inspired me to write this quick post. Rainy days at the movies may seem to be a it typical, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad idea! If you enjoy going to the movies as much as my boyfriend does, it can get to be extremely expensive in NYC. There is one alternative to the hefty $12.50 movie ticket and that is the AMC Lowes matinee ticket which is only $6. The downside to this super cheap movie ticket is that it is only valid on movie times before noon. However, pair up an early movie with a pizza lunch and you have a $10 outing that is perfect for this bad weather!

Things to do in NYC for less than $10 - Watch the taping of a TV show

2010-02-25T15:20:00.000-08:00

One of my dreams is to work in television production, so this topic is of huge interest to me. That being said, I am going to take a second to shamelessly say that if you are reading this and work in TV, please help me in my fruitless job search and take my resume! Haha. Anyway, one of the great things about this city is that it is a media capital. We have so many corporate offices and recording studios for TV networks here.

Ok, what is the point of this and what does this have to do with things to do for under $10? Most TV shows offer free tickets for their taping. It makes sense when you think about it because the shows want a full audience otherwise it looks lame. This is a super fun idea even if you are not a regular viewer for the shows because you get to see some of the production process and it's free entertainment. Plus, maybe you will get lucky and score tickets to see one of your favorite celeb guests! The only down side is that if you have a 9-5, you may find it difficult to make it to some of the taping times.

I did a bunch of research to find where and how to get tickets. I am only going to list a few shows, but if there is a lot of interest in this, I will write another post with more show information.

The Late Show with David Letterman:

There are three ways to get tickets to this show: fill out an online request form, fill out an in person request form, or call the standby phone number at 11am the morning before the taping. Letterman apparently wants to be sure that his audience members are actual viewers, so if you are filling out the online application, it will ask you a trivia fact about the show.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

I have to give props to Jimmy Fallon's crew for making their ticket information page entertaining. Tickets for this show are available by calling their ticket office, checking their twitter page about last minute seats or by waiting on the standby line (which does not guarantee you a seat). This show also has a special seating area for people who are fans of the musical guests and there is a separate website with more information on those seats. The show is taped at 30 Rock.

Rachel Ray:

Tickets are available online or you have the option of trying to get a standby ticket which requires you to get there at 10:15 for the early taping or at 2:15 for the later taping. Rachel Ray has a dress code for the tapings, you have to be in business casual attire. This show tapes Tuesday - Thursday at 12pm and at 4pm but you do have to be there an hour and forty five minutes before the taping starts and it is located at 44th street between 2nd and 3rd ave.

The Colbert Report:

To get tickets for Colbert, you only have two options which include filling out the online form or waiting on standby the day of the show, at 4pm. The studio is located on 54th street between 10th and 11th ave.

The Food Network shows:

Unfortunately, I was not able to find any current tickets for the Food Network but I do know that they tape some shows, such as Emril Live, in New York. Check the news section of their website to see when they will be giving out tickets to shows.

There are a few things to keep in mind before you go to these tapings. First, most shows are strict with allowing cameras and such into the studio, so you might want to leave the camera at home. Second, some shows, like those from the Food Network, keep the studios cold, so bring a sweater. Third, you have to stay for the entire taping of the show, which can take up to a couple of hours. Finally, some shows have special requests for the audience (ex. Rachel Ray asks audience members to dress business casual) so basically, just be sure to check the websites before you leave for the taping.

This is such a great resource that so many people forget about. Definitely try to make it to at least one taping!

Have fun!

Senor Swanky's - Bottoms Up!

2010-02-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

Senor Swanky's Speakeasy ( located on Columbus and 85th street) looks like your typical Mexican restaurant, and in most ways, it is... BUT it has one different thing to offer that you party people might enjoy...

What you need to know before you go:

There is an option to pay $25 for two hours of open bar any night of the week and any time of the night! In my opinion, this is a pretty good deal if you are looking for cheap booze on a weekend night. There are places with better happy hour and drink specials at other times during the week.

When you're there:

I wouldn't recommend going here for atmosphere. About the only part of the interior that was memorable was the photos on the wall; they superimposed Senor Swanky's face on various celeb photos and wrote fake autographs. There is also very loud music playing at night, so if you do decide to eat here, you won't be having a quiet dinner.

The bar does not seem to draw in huge crowds of people and the people who do come, are completely random. There is a full menu, as it is a restaurant, but I found the food to be less than impressive. I would consider eating here out of convenience if doing the open bar, but I would not come to the restaurant just to eat.

In short, Senor Swanky's best feature is the two hour open bar.

Things to do in NYC for less than $10 - Cleopatra's Needle

2010-02-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Jazz clubs in New York can be pricey between cover charges and drink minimums but I found one in my neighborhood that you can do for $10.

Cleopatra's Needle is a great little jazz club on the UWS (Broadway between 92nd and 93rd). There is no cover charge here, the only requirement is that you spend $10 per music set.

Happy hour is offered between 4 and 7:30pm and is full of temptations such as half price martinis and wine. So, essentially, at this time, you can have two martinis or glasses of wine, enjoy great music, and still be in your $10 budget.

The club's website boasts about their reviews and mentions in publications such as Downbeat magazine's international club guide (they were named one of the top 100 venues to go for jazz music). Their esteemed reviews don't stop with the jazz music, Cleopatra's Needle was also mentioned on the Food Network's show, "$40 a Day."

This is a great place to go for a date or a quiet meal as the food prices are low, the interior is super cozy and the atmosphere is great. The menu offers Mediterranean dishes with appetizers starting at $3.95 and going up to $14.95 and entrees starting at $12.95 and going up to $21.95 (if you are getting dinner here, it will obviously no longer be something to do for under $10).

Be sure to check out their music schedule which is located on their website. I have gone to the "jam sessions" late at night which were fantastic.

I would highly recommend getting a drink here and enjoying the music with your $10.

Things to do in NYC for less than $10 - The MoMA

2010-02-19T21:22:00.000-08:00

This may be old news for some of you, but the Museum of Modern Art has free admission on Friday late afternoons/early evenings. Before you go check this one out, take a look on their website to verify their hours. My friends and I made that mistake tonight and only got to explore the photography exhibits before the museum closed.

"Target Free Friday Nights" starts at 4pm and ends at 8pm (which is when the museum closes). You can pick up your free ticket at the ticket counters. If you go during other hours, the general admission price is $20 and the student admission price is $12.

Some special events/exhibitions have timed tickets and tend to "sell out" their limited quantity of tickets during the free admission times. If you want to go check out a special event/exhibition, such as the Tim Burton one that is going on until April 26, 2010, be sure to get to the museum right at 4pm for your ticket as they are distributed on a first come first serve basis.

Even if you're not a fan of the arts (boo to you... sorry for judging), this is a great idea for something to do on a rainy or freezing cold evening.

So, go get a little cultured at the MoMA!

Things to do in NYC for less than $10

2010-02-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

As soon as I get my internet fixed at my apartment, I am going to start writing posts on a new topic: Things to do in NYC for less than $10. Now, this may be a little ambitious and difficult, and I may have to adjust the price range, but I am going to do my best to deliver. As I said in my more recent posts, I am on a super tight budget and I know that I am not the only one in this city who is in this situation and who is bored out of my freakin' mind from not being able to afford going out.

How to save some money when out to dinner!

2010-02-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

Since I have unfortunately been on the bad end of the stick in my quest for a post-graduation job (thanks, economy), saving money is HUGE for me. I would like to take time to very quickly extend a money saving tip to those who enjoy going out to restauants:

Go to Opentable.com and sign up for an account. Every time you make a dinner reservation through the website, your account receives points (usually 100 points per reservation) and once you accumulate 2,000 points, you get a $20 gift certificate to use in any of the open table restaurants. Some restaurants from time to time are worth 1,000 points which makes it super easy to get to your gift certificate. Keep in mind that you cannot beat the system by making a ton of reservations and never going because you only get awarded points when you check in at the restaurant.

Make sure you are logged in while making reservations and enjoy your gift certificates! =)

Celeste Ristaurante & Pizzeria

2010-02-10T16:26:00.000-08:00

Celeste is one of my favorite places in my new neighborhood (the UWS). It's located at 502 Amsterdam Ave, or 84th and Amsterdam, so if you're in the area, definitely, definitely check this place out.

What you need to know before you go:

Celeste is only open for dinner and Sunday Brunch. HAVE CASH. This place is cash only, so be sure to drop by an ATM before sitting down. Also, because it is so awesome, it is almost always packed, especially for dinner. Be prepared to wait a few minutes for a table. You will probably have to wait outside because this place is um really cozy (it's small as hell to put it bluntly). Don't worry about getting dressed up, this is a casual spot.

When you're there:

Even though this restaurant is very small, the noise level is not as bad as you would expect. The interior is nothing really special although the exposed brick and kitchen have some charm.

I find the food here to be absolutely de-lish. The pastas and the brick oven pizzas are fantastic and I heard the seafood is good as well. The prices here are also very reasonable with most items falling under $20, towards the $10-$15 range. There are also plenty of vegetarian options on the menu.

The service is a little slow due to the fact that there is usually only one or two waiters for the entire place. But, have some patience and it will pay off!

The Stumble Inn

2009-07-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Stumble Inn is a dive bar located on 77th Street and 2nd Ave with great drink specials!

What you need to know before you go:

There is no cover charge and no dress code. Everyone is here to just drink or have a bite to eat and have a good time. You also won't have to worry about spending a ton of money because this bar has frequent drink specials throughout the week. It's owned by the same people as Gin Mill, Jake's Dilemma, Off the Wagon and Down the Hatch... so, if you've been to any of those, expect a similar crowd and atmosphere (my favorites are Stumble Inn and Gin Mill).

When you're there:

You'll walk in and see that this is your typical dive bar equipped with beer pong tables, tvs for sports and lots of loud people. They run good specials throughout the week such as:

Mondays after 7pm: $1 drafts and $8 pitchers and $4 Stella and Sam Light bottles

Tuesdays after 7pm: $4 mixed drinks, bottles, drafts, and shots

Wednesday after 7pm: Ladies night with $2 pints, $8 & $12 pitchers and $3 SoCo, Lemon Drops and American Honey shots.

Thursdays after 7pm: $12 buckets filled with 5 domestic bottles and 1/2 price bombs.

Check out their website for more specials and for updates. Go ahead and Stumble Inn to some good times!

Guantanamera... great Cuban food, music and drinks!

2009-07-05T10:52:00.001-07:00

Guantanamera is a great, fun Cuban restaurant on 8th Ave and 56th Street.

What to know before you go:

Guantanamera has tasty Cuban food in the mid-price range and offers live music every day. The restaurant is pretty nice, so you need to dress appropriately (meaning, no sneakers, etc.). It's also pretty small, so reservations are ideal. Since the restaurant is on the smaller side, it can get pretty loud and may not be the best place if you are looking to have an intimate conversation over dinner... but it is definitely a great place for good food and fun!

When you're there:

They have live Cuban music every day starting at 8:30pm which is great but is the reason why it can get loud. The restaurant is pretty small and the band uses microphones so, you won't be able to hear much more than the music when you go.

The restaurant offers several great Cuban dishes with appetizers ranging from $7-$12 and entrees ranging from $15-$25.

If you are into cigars, they have a hand roller on the premises and their website says that cigars are complimentary for Guantanamera customers. I'm not a cigar smoker, so I am the wrong person to ask about this (click the "about us" link on the website for more information).

Other fun offers from the restaurant are Mojito Tuesdays when you can drink up $5 Mojitos all night and Ladies' night on Mondays with $5 drinks all night!

$2 Shots at Barcelona Bar

2009-07-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Barcelona Bar is a cheap shot bar located on 8th Ave between 54th and 55th streets.

What to know before you go:

This bar is very small and is easy to miss when you are looking for it on 8th Ave. The prices are low and the bar frequently has drink specials ($2 shots). This is the place to go if you are looking for a relaxed dive bar with an extensive shot menu.

When you're there:

The bar is not very pretty or festive inside... it just has black walls and a few tables in addition to the bar. The name is actually pretty random since there is no Spanish influence at all aside from calling it a "Barcelona-style shot bar." They have a shot menu that consists of more than 100 different kinds of mixed shots ranging from the $2 shot of the day to the regularly priced $3-$5 shots. The bar can get rowdy on weekends but when I went during the week it was pretty quiet and empty.

Margaritas at Mustang Grill

2009-07-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Mustang Grill is a Tex-Mex/Southwestern restaurant and bar located on the Upper East Side on 2nd Ave and 85th Street.

What to know before you go:

The food here is a bit over priced for the quality and the quantity which you will receive. Entrees range from $16-$22 and margaritas are around $10. You will not be missing much if you skip ordering food and only order margaritas.

Don't be surprised if the customer service is below par (read my personal experiences below).

When you're there:

The interior of the restaurant/bar is decorated as a Tex-Mex/Southwestern place would be, but it is a little bit dark and dingy... not unbearable though. The bar can get really crowded on busy nights as can the restaurant.

It would be a waste to go to this bar and not order a margarita... not only because it is known as a "tequila lounge" but also because the other mixed drinks come in BABY sized glasses. I have seriously never seen a smaller glass for a caipirinha or mojito in my life (and they charged $10 for them). In my opinion, even the margaritas are not the best.

My personal Experiences:

I found the staff to be incredibly unaccommodating. I went at 10:30pm on a Wednesday night and asked to sit outside (there were 4 open tables set up for groups of 4 people). The response given to us by the hostess? She told us that she, "can't sit twos in fours." Ok, I might be able to understand this if the place was crowded or if it were a time of day when people would actually be eating dinner... but at 10:30pm? Really? So, we left and tried again in an hour (keep in mind this is now 11:30pm on a Wednesday). This time, all 4 tables from before were still open and 3 tables set up for parties of two were open... we ask to sit outside. The response given by the hostess? She told us that she "can only seat people ordering entrees." At 11:30pm when your entire place is empty? We eventually won out the argument when the manager came over and said he'd "make an exception this one time" and then the hostess made it a point to say that she had to talk to the waitress so we wouldn't get kicked out. SUPERB customer service.

One of my friends went to this bar on another very quiet evening and was seated in a section where there was no other people. A hockey game was on, and my friend asked if the Yankee game could be put on instead since there was no one else in there. The staff said that the Yankee game was only to be put on specific TVs. Um, what? So, that entire group left the bar.

Sunny days at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park

2009-06-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

Shake Shack in Madison Square Park (23rd and Madison) is a fantastic place to go on a sunny day or a nice evening for snacks and burger/hot dog/shake-type foods.

What to know before you go:

The prices here are low (burgers ranging from $5-$10), and the menu is limited to burgers, hot dogs, shakes, floats and other things of the sort. The Shake Shack here is vegetarian friendly, although there is only one real item that can earn it this title and that is the "'Shroom Burger" which is a portebello mushroom burger. The fries are vegetarian friendly as well; they are cooked in canola oil.

Since you'll be eating in the park, it would be wise to make sure that the weather is appropriate.

When you're there:

You will be ordering food from the building where it is prepared and you will be eating in the park. While you wait for your food, you'll be given a pager so you don't have to stand around the pickup window. The outside dining is really cute; there are your classic, metal park tables and chairs but there is no indoor area to sit (hence, make sure the weather is appropriate).

There is usually a pretty big crowd here, so you may have to wait for a table or to order/pickup your food. But, I would say that it is worth it on a nice day.

Another plus, it's open until 11pm which means you can stop by for a shake/float dessert after dinner and enjoy the park!

Mama Mexicooo!

2009-06-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mama Mexico is a super fun Mexican restaurant with several locations in Manhattan. The location that I frequent, is at W102 street and Broadway.

What you need to know before you go:

This is not the place to go if you want a nice, quiet dinner. This restaurant is LOUD and can at times be a bit rowdy (some of my friends have had the manager pour tequila in their mouths). If you're looking for a fun, Mexican restaurant with excellent margaritas, this is your place to go!

The prices are not low, but they are also not high. Expect to pay $15-20 for most dishes and $9 for margaritas (unless you want a pitcher which I recommend... $40 for frozen and $45 on the rocks)

When you're there:

The interior of the place is very colorful, and not so "romantic" if you know what I mean. It does not look like a dive Mexican restaurant though, so expect it to look like a nice Mexican restaurant.

There IS a mariachi band, which is GREAT... and loud. Be ready for that one while you are eating.

Also, be ready to have to flag down your waiter. The restaurant is always very busy, so they sometimes get a little overwhelmed. If this is something you can't handle, this isn't the restaurant for you.

I think the food is great. They have a variety of different types and they have an entire section dedicated to you vegetarians out there. There is something for everyone, but like I said before, the prices can add up. I can safely say that if you want to share a dish, the fajitas are big enough for two people.

Champagne Brunch in Hell's Kitchen!

2009-06-07T11:45:00.001-07:00

Sunday morning, I went to brunch at a place called HK which was at 39th and 9th.

What you need to know before you go:

The place is very small, so be prepared to wait. We also somehow made reservations only to get there and discover that... they do not actually take reservations? I have no idea what went on there! The restaurant is great in the warmer months because practically two entire sides of the place can be completely opened up. If the sides are not opened up, this place can get claustrophobic.

This is not a jeans/sneakers type place, think more jcrew appropriate clothing.

When you're there:

The music is a bit loud if you are eating inside, and for whatever reason, they feel the need to play club music at brunch. The food was delicious though, and the portions were pretty generous. Prices were mostly within the 10-15 dollar price range. You also have the option of getting unlimited brunch drinks until 5pm when you order an entree (for an additional price). So, if you're a fan of the bloody mary or of the bellini/mimosa, this is a great place for you!

Pazza Notte, which translates to "crazy night" is about accurate for this restaurant after a few martinis!

2009-06-07T10:50:00.001-07:00

Pazza Notte, which is on 56th and 6th, is an Italian restaurant with a good martini deal for happy hour.

What to know before you go:

It's not a jeans/sneakers place, but you do not need to go crazy with dressing up unless you want to. It can tend to get pretty busy during dinnertime, so if you are looking for a quiet, romantic dinner this may not be the best place for you.

When you're there:

The pizza is good in theory, they have a lot of delicious flavors but, the crust needs work. The crust can get a little soggy which to me, is a deal breaker for pizza.

The martinis are perhaps too delicious for their own good and with their 2 for 1 martini deal after 5pm, who can turn them down?! Each one is around $15, so you'll be paying around $7.50 during the deal.

The price points at this place are a little high for what you are getting but they are not unbearable. The pizzas are around $20 as are most pasta dishes and the risotto dishes. I have a problem paying over $20 for pasta dishes that are less than amazing, so I stick to the pizza even though the crust is less than stellar.

We're back in action!

2009-06-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I just got back from a 3 week trip to Austria, Italy and Belize. So, I have not posted up any new reviews... BUT I will be working on this again as soon as I get myself out of this jet lag! I would appreciate any suggestions for changes or anything you would like to see me write about. I plan on fixing this site up a bit and making it more organized, etc. So, you may see some entries disappear and reappear and any feedback would be great! =)

Presidential dining!

2009-05-10T16:14:00.001-07:00

This entry is dedicated to those of you who are more interested in president-spotting than in celebrity-spotting. President Obama is a known restaurant fan, so I have researched to find out some of his favorite restaurants as well as other presidential hotspots where President Obama may journey during his visits to New York. In order to figure out where to go for president-spotting, you could start by looking at some eating habit generalizations of the two political parties as well as some of the restaurants where Obama has been previously dining or where other presidents have frequented.

Let's start by looking at the food preferences of the two political parties. Political parties have been grouped into two camps for restaurant-going. In the past, Republicans tended to lean more towards steakhouses and Democrats tended to lean more towards health food places as well as French and other foreign food places. However, these generalizations are not so accurate anymore. The situation has shifted and Lynne Breaux, executive director of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, has observed that now "we've got vegetarian Republicans." So, be warned because it may be a bit more difficult to take a guess at possible restaurants for politician-spotting by looking at the traditional generalizations.

Next, let's look at an eating habit difference between Republicans and Democrats which involves the time in which they dine. Republicans tend to eat earlier in the evening whereas Democrats tend to eat later in the evening. So, if you're hoping to spot Obama at one of his favorite restaurants, maybe a later reservation would work best.

Obama's love for dining out can provide renewed interest in the restaurants, mostly for those in the DC area. It could also help other areas when he is in town (I will tell you some places he likes in our city). This publicity could be the boost that the restaurant industry needs since people have been cutting back on their dining expenses.

“When the president comes, that creates huge P.R.,” Michel Richard, one of DC's pre-eminent chefs, said. “I think it’s always better when you have the president.” Mr. Richard also continued to note that Obama has a broader mind when it comes to his food selections partly because of his time spent in Indonesia, Hawaii and other travels. So basically, he has a broader scope of restaurant selections.

Why would Obama's restaurant appearances matter to the restaurant industry?

"You can't buy that kind of publicity," said Amanda McClements, a food writer and author of the blog metrocurean.com. "Straight up, there is no better publicity than having the president dine at your restaurant." Other than the obvious reason of Obama bringing publicity because of his presidency, McClements notes that, "Obama is bringing a sort of celebrity that we haven't seen in Washington in a long time. He is young and charismatic and for a lot of people, it's akin to seeing a major Hollywood celebrity. I'm not sure I would say the same about President Bush."

Some restaurants are actually beginning to extend invitations to Obama to try to get him to make an appearance. The competition between restaurants for this publicity has been increasing and understandably so... who wouldn't want the president to eat at their restaurant?

Let's move on to look at some presidential NYC hotspots.

One of Obama's favorite restaurants in NYC is Sylvia's (which is in Harlem). It's a soul food restaurant where Obama has been seen dining with the Reverend Al Sharpton (If you are not from NYC and want to check out some other presidential hotspots in your city, you should check out this article!).

Obama has also been seen frequenting Cosi. He was spotted with Bill Clinton dining on Cosi takeout. So, I guess the president does not always feel the need to get fancy with his food. I have to say, I don't blame him. Those sandwiches are pretty delicious considering they are from a chain restaurant.

Since Obama enjoys sandwiches, perhaps he would enjoy Katz's Deli in NYC where four previous presidents in addition to Al Gore, the Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin and most of New York's politicians have been seen taking in the orgasmic tastes (this is the deli where Meg Ryan had her famous "fake orgasm" in When Harry Met Sally).

Maybe if Obama is feeling more formal but not quite at the 21 Club level, he would also like to pay a visit to the Café des Artiste in Manhattan where other presidents have been spotted.

If you're interested in checking out this French/Continental/European restaurant, it's offering a year-round restaurant week menu for $35. It opened in 1917, so it's a Manhattan oldie and it is decorated with paintings and murals. It's located on w67th street between Central Park West and Columbus. I think this goes without saying that you should be dressed nicely if you plan on making a visit here.

The press attention that Obama's eating habits have been generating are so great that a hamburger run made by him and Joe Biden have been covered in the news. Sean Hannity felt the need to criticize Obama's choice of condiment (spicy mustard) because it is not "American." Seriously? He can't prefer dijon mustard? Come on.

Controversy:

Some restaurants are going beyond trying to get a presidential visit for publicity... "Obama Fried Chicken" in Harlem decided to (obviously) change its name to include the president's last name. Another fried chicken restaurant in Brooklyn decided to do the same. This has raised issues on several different platforms including racial stereotyping and ethical problems with trying to gain a profit off of the historic election. The owners argued that the name changes were only done because they were Obama fans. I don't know how much I believe that explanation but it did get the restaurants some press.

How is this different for the restaurant industry from the past 8 years? Well, let's see...

The years under the Bush Administration were a bit boring for the restaurant industry. President Bush was a known "homebody" and preferred the comforts of the White House when it came to dining. But, when he and his fellow Republicans decided to dine out, they frequented steakhouses. In 2001, Fortune Magazine actually declared that, "Washington is gorging on red meat." Following the Republican stereotype as you can see.

Meanwhile, back in 2001 when Obama was a senator and Bush was eating steak in DC, Obama played the role of food critic about one of his favorite restaurants, Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop (in Chicago). Since then, his dining budget may have increased but he still obviously enjoys a plethora of places.

Check out Obama playing the role of a food critic in this clip:

Another difference between Bush and Obama on the restaurant scene, Bush broke a tradition!He turned out to be the first president since FDR not to dine out at the 21 Club in Manhattan. Everyone around him made it to the restaurant including Dick Cheney, Laura Bush, Barbara and Jenna, Karl Rove, Condi Rice and George H.W. and Barbara Bush, but I suppose that Bush was too comfortable at home with his Tex-Mex cooking to make the swanky NYC trip to keep the tradition going (Huffington).

21 Club is an upscale restaurant in Midtown (21 W57th Street between 5th and 6th Ave) where celebs and politicians alike dine. There is a nice list of celebs who have dined recently at the establishment that you can check out for yourself. The menu is pricey with entrees costing around $50. Needless to say, this is not the kind of place that you would go to for a casual meal.

Will Obama make it to the restaurant? I think so.

If Madame X were a person and not a bar, she'd smell bad and creep you out.

2009-04-05T00:57:00.001-07:00

Madame X (on W Houston between Laguardia pl. and Thompson st.) gets a thumb down from me. From the website, you would think this could be a different, funky place to check out. Nope. It stinks... literally. It smells like a combination of body odor and stank smoke.

What you need to know before you go:

Going back to the strange odor... when I went, there was practically no one inside and no one in my group smelled, so it had to be a permanent stink trapped in the old velvet couches and the old carpets.

As I said before, the crowd was nonexistent. So, when the bouncer said that there was a $5 cover, and we peeked inside to see no one on a Friday night, we knew that it was going to be bad news.

When you're there:

The inside is all red, velvet and dim lighting but it doesn't look very good, it just looked old, tired and dingy to me. It was a little sad to see because the space was great with 2 spacious floors and an outdoor patio as well.

The few people who were inside were a mish-mash group, so I couldn't even tell you the general age-range or style.

The Dj wasn't so great either, but he could have been worse. He was playing a lot of older dance music... the kind that is not quite old enough to be classified as an "oldie" or an "80s-90s jam" but the kind from a couple of years ago that you just don't feel like hearing anymore.

The only upside to this place was that it had a fun drink menu. My drink was pretty tasty but not worth repeating a night here ever again.

If your wallet is skinny... this dive bar could be for you.

2009-04-02T07:57:00.004-07:00

This LES bar (on Orchard street between Houston and Stanton) has a name that fits it well... The Skinny is definitely... well, skinny.

What you need to know before you go:

Drink prices here are on the cheaper side and there is no cover charge... so basically, as I wrote in my cheesy title, if your wallet is on the skinny side these days, this place works.

If you're a dive bar fan, check it out. But, if you are more of a swanky bar type, I would not recommend. It's a place to just go and have a chill, relaxed night.

When you're there:

It's very narrow inside which means that when it gets crowded, don't expect to have a lot of room to move around. There are two floors but the bar is just small in general. The inside looks like your cool, chill, basic dive/college bar with a typical, random, lower east side crowd.

I went on a Friday night, and there was a Dj who was playing a mix of all types of music and a healthy sized crowd. Also, for those of you who don't like getting dressed up, this is definitely the type of place where you can wear whatever the hell you want.

Rue 57

2009-04-02T07:57:00.003-07:00

Rue 57 is a french-american restaurant that oddly also has sushi on the menu. Don't let this weird you out, despite the random sushi section on the menu (I have no idea if it's good, I don't go to french-american restaurants to order sushi and I'm not quite sure who does), the beef is pretty damn good.

What you need to know before you go:

The downside for my fellow budget watchers is that steaks cost around $40 which isn't terrible but I wouldn't consider it to be a deal... burgers cost about $13.

When you're there:

The restaurant is pretty, dimly lit and quiet. It's a great place to go on a date or to go to with friends and be able to talk. Again, you don't have to get completely decked out but, no sneakers or t-shirts!

Enjoy Some Pasta at Puttanesca Restaurant!

2009-04-02T07:57:00.001-07:00

If you are in the mood for pasta, this restaurant specializes in it and they are all homemade. Puttanesca is located on 56th and 9th on the UWS.

What you need to know before you go:

The menu has a lot of good, Italian options and with pastas priced at around $15 and meats priced at around $20, what's not to like! The portions are a fair size as well; you will be full and satisfied when you are done, but you also won't feel like a complete fatty. Plus, if you have room for dessert, they have plenty to choose from and they are priced at around $7.

When you're there:

It's a spacious, open restaurant with brick walls and chandeliers. It's pretty, but plain and simple which is how you should look as well; you don't need to be dressed all swanky, but no sneakers!
Give this restaurant a try. I had the Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, practically licked my plate clean and would definitely recommend it.

Highbars and Launch Parties

2009-03-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Last night, I went to a launch party for TheLuxurySpot.com at Highbar (located on 48th and 8th). The party was really nice, it was for the official press launch of the new website. I would recommend checking it out, it reminds me of a mix between a magazine and a blog.

What you need to know before you go:

It's owned by the Brier Group, so it's the same people as D'or lounge, Amalia and Aspen Lounge. If you have been to these other lounges, the atmosphere is the same. You don't want to be showing up here dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. In fact, if you are wearing sneakers, you will get a hard time at the door and probably won't be able to go upstairs.

The drinks on the menu were around $16 and there is no cover.

When you're there:

The venue was really nice, I can't wait for it to get warmer to go back and enjoy the open rooftop bar. There is a Dj, but I am not quite sure how much dancing there is on a regular night. Aside from that, there is an indoor section with a glass roof/ceiling and the rest of it is outside. It's very pretty with tiling, greenery and candles inside. Outside, there are cabanas, big couches and more greenery. Highbar is a decent size, so you don't have to worry about feeling claustrophobic and I don't think I need to state the obvious and say that the views are great.

My personal experience:

The crowd when I went was a little different because it was a party, but it was mixed. It also wasn't overcrowded which was good and there was no one running around like a drunk idiot. We all know that I hate overcrowded places with drunkards all over the place.

Overall, this will be a great place for the summer. Once it warms up, I am sure that I will be a frequent because who likes being indoors when the weather is nice?

Revisiting my favorite 3 clubs on W27th street for Travelogged.com!

2009-03-23T20:12:00.001-07:00

For those of you who are looking for someplace swanky to go this weekend, you can try my 3-stop club hop on west 27th street (Ok, fine. That worked better as the "3 stop bar hop"). Anyway, check out what I had to say in my guest blogger post on Travelogged.com! Also, for those of you planning spring vacations, you may want to poke around the website for some great travel ideas and information!

For all you wine drinkers... Vero Wine Bar

2009-03-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Vero is a restaurant/wine bar that is located on 2nd ave between 77th and 78th streets, and on 2nd ave and 53rd street.

What you need to know before you go:

The uptown location can be easy to miss when you get distracted by all of the lights and noise from Brother Jimmy's which is next door. But, once you're inside, you'll see that Vero is a very quiet and sleek wine bar. This would be a great place to go for drinks on a date because it is nice and is so quiet.

The prices range mostly from $10-15 for a glass of wine or a martini/mixed drink off of their menu.

When you're there:

The bar is very sleek inside, and is also very small. It's a really quiet atmosphere, not really a place I would go to if you are trying to meet people. Most of the people in here were with their groups or in couples, not really looking to strike up conversations with new people.

There were mixed ages; the crowd was quiet and not a very casual one... Most people were dressed nicely.

If you want a low key night, but want to stay away from the crazy scene next door, I would give this place a try.

NYC's eco-friendly night club, Greenhouse

2009-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Greenhouse, located way downtown in SOHO on the corner of Varick st. & Vandam st., is NYC's first "green" club.

What you need to know before you go:

The crowd when I went was very random... men seemed to be mostly in their 30s and older and women seemed to be all over the place in ages. The attire/style of people here was also all over the place. It was overcrowded when I got there around 12:30 and started emptying out by 2am which was a little strange for a club. I am pretty sure that there is a cover charge of $20 to get in unless you buy a bottle or are on a promoter list.

When you're there:

The club is very pretty inside. It has two rooms, the upstairs room is the larger, main room in which the Dj plays house/dance music. Along with the Dj, there was also a sax player which was awesome. The main room is decorated with green circles on the walls (some are covered in some kind of plant) and in those circles, there are tiny little colorful LED lights. There are also plants under all of the tables. The really pretty part of the room is on the ceiling. There are a ton of these little glass balls (think glass disco balls the size of golf balls) hanging from the ceiling at different lengths that create a kind of wave illusion. The downstairs room is completely covered in autumn leaves... walls and ceilings. The Dj down here plays hip hop but the room is very small which means not much room for dancing. Actually, there is not much room for anything down there except for the tables.

So, how is Greenhouse trying to be the first "Green" club in NYC?

The club tries to be green in a bunch of ways, which the NY Post covered well in their article. These resources/tools that Greenhouse utilizes include: LED light bulbs to cut back on energy use, waterless urinals and low-flow toilets to cut back on water consumption, bamboo wood instead of more traditional wood to use more sustainable resources, leaves to decorate the walls of the club (although they have to be coated in a non-eco friendly flame resistant chemical), and sustainable uniforms made by Edun (a company owned by Bono and his wife). The club also uses wind-power generated electricity by purchasing credits which means that the wind-power electricity is generated some place else as a replacement for the regular electricity used at the club. There are lots of articles on this cool place, y'all should check them out if you're interested in how they try to be green. Even if there are some flaws with the club, it is still generating a lot of awareness for the cause and is definitely a step in the right direction.

My personal experience:

I would recommend going to this place at least once because it is pretty cool and it's definitely gorgeous inside. But unfortunately, I wasn't impressed by the Djs or by the crowd on the night that I checked it out.

Let's bar hop on the LES... first stop: One and One Bar

2009-03-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

This entry and the following two entries are dedicated to three places that I like located on First Ave. Let's start with my favorite, move West and end with another favorite.

One and One is a fun bar on 1st ave and 1st street (hence the name). It has an Irish Pub upstairs and a Dj and dancing downstairs on Saturdays and Sundays. It has a little bit of everything for everyone!

What you need to know before you go:

Don't let the outside, pub-look turn you away from this place. The bar is really relaxed... there is no crazy dress code. The crowd is also relaxed and is mixed (ages, styles, etc. and no worries, I mean it in a good way). It makes sense for the crowd to be mixed because there is literally something here for everyone... you have the regular bar/pub scene, the dancing downstairs, the live music on Mondays, the numerous flat screen tvs for game days, the friendly crowd/staff, and the lower prices.

When you're there:

The atmosphere is exactly what a pub is supposed to be... from the decor to the super friendly staff. When you go, be sure to say, "Hi" to Jim and Tim for me (my favorites... they are two of the best bartenders in the city!)!

Let's discuss some deals for those of you who are on a super tight budget, like myself...

For you weekday partiers or early evening aficionados, Sundays after 7pm they have 1/2 priced fish and chips, Mondays after 7pm is 20cent wings, and Tuesdays after 7pm they have $1 mini burgers. Happy hour here runs until 7pm and offers $4 beer, wine and well drinks. So basically, you can get drunk and then eat! In general, there is no cover charge and drink prices are kept nice and low as well.

This is a great place... definitely go and check it out! I don't know anyone who hasn't had a good time at One and One. Next we'll cross the street and head over to Boucarou...

Let's bar hop on the LES... second stop: Boucarou

2009-03-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

Boucarou is another bar/lounge on the Lower East Side.. this one is just across the street and a few doors down from One and One (on 1st Ave between 1st and 2nd streets).

What you need to know before you go:

It's a restaurant during the day and early evening. I have never eaten here but I do see people on the tail ends of their dinners and I have to say the food does look/smell quite fab.

I usually get here before 12, and I have yet to pay a cover charge. The drinks are not outrageously priced here either. Keep in mind that this place does not fill up until after midnight...

As for the dress code, this place leans more towards lounge than bar, so even though you don't need to go crazy and get all decked out, you do need to step it up a little bit.

When you're there:

The feel of the place is supposed to be West-African. It's very sleek, sexy and simple inside... they use a lot of dim, warm lighting, candles, mirrors and brown shades in their interior design.

I find the Dj to be quite fun, he plays good dancing music (a mix of pop/hip hop/dance). The place is pretty small though, so the dance floor is limited... and they do move out the tables/chairs to make more room.

The crowd here is mixed again, but it is similar to the crowd at Arlo & Esme... mid-late 20s. This is a good place to go when you are bouncing around the area... the good part about this area is that there are a ton of places within a block or two of each other than you can hit up in a night.

Let's bar hop on the LES... third stop: Arlo and Esme

2009-03-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

Arlo & Esme is a bar/lounge that's located on 1st Ave between 1st and 2nd streets.

What you need to know before you go:

At night, this place turns into quite the busy spot for partying and it usually gets PACKED. Every time I have gone, or walked by on my way elsewhere, there has always been a huge crowd. I have heard of this place having "slow" nights, but I have yet to experience that. You should keep in mind that it won't fill up before midnight, so give it a chance if you arrive early. Also, sometimes they will charge you $5ish to get in... but the drinks are not super expensive. So, it's a good place to go to if you are on a budget.

When you're there:

The upstairs area changes from a coffee place to a nice and quiet wine bar. The basement part of the bar is a different story; it's very large, has multiple rooms (one of which has a pool table), and has a Dj. The walls are mostly brick/stone, so it has an underground/cellar-type feel and there are funky paintings on the walls of dragons and whatnot.

The age range here in my experience has been mostly in their mid-late 20s. As for the style of the crowd and dress code of the place, it's mixed... anything seems to go (although I would advise against sneakers).

My personal experience:

The only thing I strongly dislike about this place is the bathroom... tiny is not even the word to describe it. You'll be waiting on line for quite some time. But, bathroom issues aside, one of the reasons why I like this lounge is because it is not pretentious at all. The crowd, doorman and bouncers are all pleasant.

I would definitely recommend trying this place for some relaxed fun.

"Put some South in yo' mouth!"

2009-03-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

Take a trip to Brother Jimmy's BBQ to enjoy some good old fashioned bar fun! This is actually on my list of favorite bars in the city. There are six locations now, my two favorites are on 78th and 2nd (the original one) as well as the one on 80th and Amsterdam.

What you need to know before you go:

Brother Jimmy's prides itself on its Southern roots... so there is a Southern influence that you can clearly see between the food and the hospitality.

They have ladies' nights on Wednesdays where you can get $2 draft beers and frozen margaritas (YES!) and other random drink/food special nights... like "Southern Appreciation Day" or "White Trash Wednesday" which is all you can eat! The bar is also known for being an A.C.C. bar... so the teams are all A.C.C. teams (ie., UNC, Duke, etc.), obviously. It's a fun bar to go to on those game days.

When you're there:

The places are all decorated pretty much the same... wood floors, wood walls, checkered table clothes, sports memorabilia, and Christmas lights. The music mix that they have ranges from country to rock to pop to hip hop music... basically, they play everything.

Prices here are somewhat low for Manhattan... and the drinks are fun! You can get a fishbowl full of punch (they have two flavors, I like the blue one more) or stick to frozen margaritas or the usual drinks such as beers and whatnot. The bbq here is pretty good as well (although, most of my friends and I found the sauces to be a tad disappointing). I enjoy getting here around 9, eating at the bar and staying for the evening.

The crowd here is mixed with ages but I tend to see a lot of mid-late 20s when I go. People tend to be friendly here as well... especially the bartenders.

If you're looking for a good, friendly, casual place to head out for some drinks, definitely check this one out!

Check me out on Travelogged.com!

2009-03-12T10:57:00.001-07:00

I recently wrote a guest blogger post for Travelogged.com about Burke/Lyndonville Vermont! Check it out! Travelogged is definitely a great site to take a look at if you are thinking about going on vacation.

The oh so exclusive Tenjune

2009-03-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tenjune is located in the meatpacking district on Little West 12th street and is best known for celeb spotting.

What you need to know before you go:

This place is known for being "selective" with who they let in... and some nights you may get in with no problem, other nights you might be left standing outside. To give you an idea of how ridiculous this place is, I have heard rumors that women have to be at least 5'6 to get in... now I call this a rumor because most times that I have gone, there has been a fairly large number women under 5'6. They may enforce this "rule" when they have celebs coming to try to keep the crowd looking as model-esque as possible... who knows. But, they do try to keep the crowd as good looking and as expensive looking as they can.

Once you're there:

The lounge itself is tiny. The first time I went, I was very disappointed by this. When you walk in, you go downstairs below STK (the restaurant above the club). There is one bar which is a decent size and spans about 1/3 of the length of the place. The area to the right of the bar is where the dance floor/seating is, it's set up in the shape of a semi-circle/horseshoe. There's an elevated seating area around the perimeter of the horseshoe for those who buy bottles. Then, there is more seating around the dance floor level as well. The dance floor itself is pretty small but it exists. The decor is not too notable.. it's just a lot of plush purple couches... and the bar is covered in a black alligator-type leather.

There is usually no cover charge. Drinks are around $15+.

My personal experiences:

When I went last night, the Dj was great. He had a great mix of music and kept the beat going throughout the entire night. So the dancing was great fun. No one was too sloppy either which was a good thing. However, when I have gone on other nights, the music and the crowd was terrible inside. It's very hit or miss.

I have mixed feelings about this place... but last night was a lot of fun at their Purim Masquerade Party. I guess I would recommend trying this place at least once... maybe you'll get to see some celebs! Just make sure to look your absolute best and have a backup plan in case the doorman doesn't like you for reasons unknown or in case they are having an off-night.

Marquee... weekends only please!

2009-03-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

Marquee is another one of the W 27th street team of snooty lounges. It's a two/three room venue that used to be the place to go for celeb-spotting and it's still a "hot spot" to check out.

What you need to know before you go:

There's a $20 cover to get in unless you know a promoter or buy a bottle (yikes)... which is an annoyance, but it's a fair $20 meaning that there's no garbage with the doorman charging some people nothing and some people $50 like at the other venues on 27th street. Although, I have heard of the door guys leaving people they don't like to stand outside... so dress to impress! Drinks are on the expensive side here... expect to pay around $15 for mixed drinks.

When you're there:

The layout of the place is pretty cool. There is the main room which is a healthy size and then towards the back of it, you see two staircases leading up to the second floor. The second floor is smaller, but the side that faces the main room is all windows, so it doesn't feel so claustrophobic and gives the room a loft-type feel. The place is decorated in natural woods, has leather couches and has fun lanterns/chandeliers hanging from the ceilings.

The Dj on the top floor plays mostly pop/hip hop music and the Dj on the main floor plays mostly dance/techno music. However, this is not always the music situation. Upstairs can kind of feel like a hallway... there's no real dance floor and people are constantly walking through/by which makes dancing difficult.

The crowd was mixed & more American rather than European (like most of the other spots on this street)... mixed ages, styles, etc. But in a good way. If I had to, I would say that the majority of people are in their mid-late 20s. There's also a lot less smoking here... very little to none. Which I love because I hate leaving a place and stinking like cigarettes.

My personal experiences:

This is a good weekend place to go... I tried to go one Tuesday for their Mardi Gras party, and it was bad news bears. The top floor was closed, the crowd was a mess of sloppy people and it just wasn't a classy scene in general. One of my friends had tried to go on another Tuesday, when there was no event, and she told me it was worse. So, despite what people say about Marquee being a good place for young people on Tuesday nights, I would advise against it.

Also, the past couple of times that I have gone here, they have been dropping the ball. The music has not been so great, it's been overcrowded and the crowd has been a little off. It may have just been bad luck.

Overall, Marquee is a good weekend place to go if you want to get dressed up and go to a classy club/lounge... just don't forget your dancing shoes. ;)

Oh, 49 Grove... what are you doing?

2009-03-10T11:38:00.001-07:00

49 Grove is a lounge that is located on Grove Street in the West Village.... yes, the name is the address.

What you need to know before you go:

The doorman and bouncer were really nice and pleasant. We (a group of girls) got there before 12 and didn't have to pay any kind of cover charge and had no problems. There is a dress code but, it is not as strict as other places. Basically, dress for going out and avoid sneakers.

When you're there:

I really liked the look of the place.. it was all navy blue, dark wood and stone walls. Navy blue carpet, walls, and cushy couches. It was in the basement of the building, so you had to walk down some stairs and for this reason the ceilings were a bit low (tall guys, watch your heads!). But, it didn't feel like a basement aside from the ceilings. It had two rooms and lots of tables around the perimeter of the rooms, so there was room to dance.

The Dj on Friday night was awesome... he was playing a great mix. It was a lot of fun for dancing and was one of the best music mixes I have heard at a club in a while.

My personal experience:

Now, the crowd... killed it. I think I may have gone on an off night or at least I hope I did. The place did not seem to be able to bring in a crowd, the second room was completely empty and the first room was not packed. I am not sure if this place is past its glory days now. The people who did come in were within the 18-24 age group... I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and say 21-24 but there is no way that a good number of the people there were 21. No chance. For this reason, you had the sloppy underage girls who go out not wearing pants because they think that looking skanky will help them to get in. It seemed to me that 49 Grove needs to get older/better promoters to bring in a better crowd. This place seriously had everything else down really well. It was so disappointing to see.

It's a very pretty place, and was really quiet on the Friday that I went... for this reason, I think it could be a great spot to go to with a big group because you would be able to have room, talk, etc. and then the crowd wouldn't matter so much. It certainly was not a place to go to try to meet people unless you were a NYU college student.

Take a trip up to Turtle Bay...

2009-03-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have been to Turtle Bay more than once... it is a dive bar of sorts that's located on 52nd and 2nd. It's actually a fun place that I would recommend.

What to know before you go:

There is no cover charge of sorts and the prices are pretty low. It's not the kind of place where you need to get dressed up or where you will have to deal with a doorman.

When you're there:

There is 2 1/2 levels (the 1/2 is like a loft over the top floor). The place looks kind of like a dive bar but it is a little nicer. It has brick walls and wood floors, the top floor has what looks like barn loft doors. I have been here when they have just a dj and when they have live music. When there are only djs, they play different types of music on the different floors. In my experience, upstairs they tend to play music that is better for dancing. Downstairs is just typical bar rock-type music. This place can get a little rowdy at times... girls sometimes get encouraged to dance on the bar! It's great fun. The live band that I saw was a cover band, it was pleasant/cute but the crowd was more mellow as a result.

Prices here are not bad... if I remember correctly, mixed drinks are around $6-10 and they sometimes have beer specials. If you want better draft beers (not bud/coors light) then you need to go downstairs because for whatever reason the draft beers are different down there.

My personal experience:

The crowd on the weekends is mostly people in their 20s, but not really underagers... it's a lot of college graduates and young professionals. On weekdays, it's a totally different story... I was one of the oldest people there and I am only 23!

I would definitely recommend this for people who like bars, dancing or relaxed nights. It's a great place to go to and has something for everyone. It's especially great when you don't want to deal with doormen or high prices and still have a great time!

It's a Beautiful Day... with U2 at Fordham!

2009-03-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

This morning, I woke up at 5:30am so that I could get to my campus on time to see U2 perform for Good Morning America. Let me tell you, I do NOT wake up that early for just anything. I was so happy/suprised that they chose to perform at my campus! They were amazing... definitely one of the best live performances I have seen. I wont ramble on about it, watch the video before and see for yourself!

Check them out performing some new songs on the stairs of Keating Hall:

Let's go downtown to.. Yuerba Buena!

2009-03-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

Yerba Buena is a super cute little restaurant in the lower east side that serves Latin American food. It's on Avenue A between Houston and 2nd street.

What you need to know before you go:

The restaurant itself is very pretty and colorful inside but it is SMALL. You should definitely make reservations... my friend and I went sans reservations and ended up eating at the bar because all of their tables were reserved... which wasn't terrible but wasn't ideal. We ended up having a good time talking to the friendly bartenders. Keep in mind also that because it's so small, the restaurant is loud. So, if you are looking for a quiet, private dinner... maybe not the best place. But if you're looking to try a new, cute Latin restaurant, I would recommend Yuerba Buena.

When you're there:

Their menu contains dishes from a couple of different Latin American countries. I found the food to be really flavorful and enjoyable. The entrees run between 20-30 dollars but appetizers and salads and smaller plates are mostly around 15, so it's not bad price-wise. I would also recommend taking a look at the cocktail menu, they have a ton of fun drinks. I liked the Caipirinha... not the most creative on the list, but it's one of my drinks of choice. My favorite part of my meal was the dessert (surprise). I had the tres leches cake; it was just sweet, moist deliciousness.

I heart desserts.

2009-02-28T21:27:00.000-08:00

I LOVE desserts... it's my favorite part of a meal. Give me something sweet, and I will like it. I like eating desserts, I like baking desserts, I just like everythng about desserts in general. So, I would like to tell you about 2 places that I promise you will like.

1. Max Brenner, Chocolate by the Bald Man. I think of this restaurant as heaven. When you walk in this place, you can smell the chocolate in the air. There are fake chocolate pipes running throughout the restaurant and giant tubs with chocolate stirring in them. It's dimly lit, think romantic restaurant, and has quotes on the walls that say things like "Look mom, Willy Wonka does exist!" It's just amazing. Guys, if you want to make a girl happy... Bring. Her. Here. The dessert menu is pages long... and, as I am sure you already guessed, his specialty is... chocolate! If you're not a chocolate lover, don't worry, he has a ton of other delicious treats that you would enjoy. Seriously, go to the website and check out the dessert menu. There is real food as well, but I never had it... I go straight to the desserts! I would recommend the melting chocolate heart cake, the chocolate mess, and the ice creams. I would also recommend going to the Union Square location because that one is the best.

2. Magnolia Bakery. Cupcakes. Do I have to say anything else? Ok, fine I will. I am a huge fan of Magnolia's cupcakes... and I prefer the Bleeker street location just because it's the original one and you get a real feel for the place... the other locations are prettier though. It's one of my favorite Spring/Summer dessert places because I like to get my cupcake, eat it in the park, and walk around the village. I prefer these cupcakes over Crumbs (another cupcake bakery for those of you who don't know) because they feel like old fashioned cupcakes. Crumbs is a little too fancy in their flavors sometimes, and I find the cupcakes to be too big and too sweet. Magnolia's are just regular sized cupcakes and are also very sweet but 1 cupcake is the perfect amount. My favorite is the chocolate cake with vanilla icing. Delish! One of my friends, Sarah, has a recipe for Magnolia's cupcakes on her blog. I love baking, so you'd better believe that I will try out her recipe!

Party for Charity and the Empire Hotel Rooftop bar!

2009-02-25T21:52:00.001-08:00

The Empire Hotel rooftop bar is a beautiful rooftop venue that is perfect for beautiful nights!

What you need to know before you go:

During the week, the bar closes on the early side, around 12am. This rooftop bar is classy, so dress appropriately and get ready to enjoy some nice drinks and some great views.

When you're there:

In the cold weather, they have the outdoor areas, such as the one in the photo, covered (with windows...like a dome). The views, as was the overall atmosphere of the place, were beautiful. There is music but this bar is not so much a place to go for dancing, it is more of a place to go for having a drink and socializing. During the week, I have found it not to be a very busy place, which could be nice if you just want to relax and enjoy the rooftop with your friends or go for drinks with a date.

My personal experience:

I went to a Mardi Gras party for charity and it was quite fun! It was held by Mercy Ships, which is an organization that goes around bringing health care to poor port areas. There was a live jazz band followed by a dj which was a ton of fun. Donations were made by buying Mardi Gras beads which was a great, festive idea.

Takin a break from Ny Parte Deux... Deep South Style!

2009-02-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I traveled my way down to New Orleans for the first time. I can now say that I fell in love with the French Quarter... and the St. Charles area, but mostly the French Quarter.

Bourbon Street was a disappointment, unless you are a 20 year old frat boy who enjoys drunkenly roaming around a dirty street. Seriously though, it was just too crowded, too dirty and too cold for me. No one was really inside the bars, everyone was just roaming around in the streets. And, sorry boys, the entire time I was there I only saw three people flashing and they were all fat chicks... maybe it was because it was cold, I don't know, but if you're going there with hopes of having a sleazy vacation, be prepared to be very disappointed. It's not so bad during the day though.

Frenchmen Street is another one of the party streets. I didn't get to go because I was in the room suffering from my delicious, yet deadly creole dinner (weak stomachs suck). But from what I understand, it has a lot of live music and some hippies.

On to classier things... the rest of the French Quarter is beautiful! Some of the buildings have obviously been rebuilt after Katrina but we did see a bunch of old ones. It's very colorful and there's lots of rod iron. The French Market was great and cute as well. You could buy anything from masks for Mardi Gras to voodoo dolls to gumbo to sunglasses there. It's all outside and there is some live music too.

Cafe du Monde is supposed to be one of the best places for beignets (deep fried doughnuts with a ton of powdered sugar) and cafe au lait. It was pretty good and was next to the French Market which was nice. I liked the beignets at Cafe Beignet much better though, and the place itself was a lot cuter.

If you go during Mardi Gras and want to get beads, you have to go to the parades. The parades are really fun and festive and they just throw the beads off of floats. Watch out though, sometimes they throw entire bags of them and if you're unlucky, like me, one may hit your head really hard!

Basically if you go, there is a lot to see and do in New Orleans. I'm putting it on my list of favorite cities.

Dive 75

2009-02-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Obviously, Dive 75 would fall under the category of "dive bars" and apparently there is a whole string of them in the city under the same owner (check out the link above).

What you need to know before you go:

It's almost impossible to find, it's on 75th between Columbus and Amsterdam... I made the mistake of walking around in the rain, looking for it on Columbus. Learn from my mistakes people! It's a good place to go to just chill, have a beer, play a game and talk. Not so much a place I would go to for a par-tay.

When you're there:

The feel of the place is definitely one of a dive bar, there is no better way to describe it. There is a fish tank and a jukebox... point made. The age group when I went was a little older than me, mostly late 20s- late 30s... but I did go on a Wednesday night, so take that observation with a grain of salt. A fun little thing they have there is old school board games like Connect Four and Battleship. I was not so impressed with the drink prices, I thought they were a little high for such a dive.

Taking a little break from New York...

2009-02-17T19:43:00.001-08:00

So, I haven't been able to post anything new about the city because... I have been away! We'll venture a little off topic tonight.

Since Saturday, I have been in beautiful Vermont. I love it here! I have been vacationing here with my family since I was 6yrs old. I don't mean Vermont, like southern Vermont where everyone from the city goes, I mean way-up-north-near-Canada Vermont. The town I am currently hiding away in is Lyndonville. It's a tiny, tiny town but it's really cute.

No, there is not much in the way of nightlife here, they didn't even have a McDonald's until 6yrs ago and there is still no Starbucks (*EDIT: turns out, there actually IS a starbucks now!). I used to have friends who lived up here and they took me out a bunch of times, but I have no idea where the places are (they certainly are not on the one main street that is the town) or if they are still open.

As for daytime/winter sports, this town is great! Burke Mountain is where you would go for downhill and cross country skiing as well as snow shoeing. It's a great mountain, it's not really commercialized but the lifts are modern, the slopes are beautiful and there is never a huge crowd. That means, no lift lines! I have tried, operative word here being tried, to ski at Windham Mountain, and it was the worst skiing experience of my life. Burke is way better if you are willing to drive 5 hours (obviously, you would be staying overnight).

The next issue then would be lodging. I stay at the Wildflower Inn, which is a really cute, friendly family inn. I was pretty much a baby when my family started coming, so this place was great for me growing up. I still think it's great now if you like the casual/family feel, which I do. There are also snow shoe/cross country ski trails at the Inn that go all around through the woods. Otherwise, the Lynburke Motel I have heard is ok and inexpensive and the mountain has some lodging as well.

The only other suggestions I will go through for now are:
1. If you have never skied or snowboarded, do it, but take a lesson and preferably a private lesson. Burke is great with ski/snowboard instruction and since it's not crowded, no worries about crashing into someone!
2. When you come, you have to try the beer from the local brewer, Trout River. It's great, I would recommend their "Rainbow Red" beer.
3. If you need a cute cafe with tastey foods to eat at, check out the River Garden Cafe in East Burke.
4. Also, check out Bailey's, I believe they call it a "country store." Just do it.
5. You can even dogsled if you want to! My brother and sister-in-law said it was really cool.

Ok, done with my rambling! Bottom line... I love Vermont!

Cellar Bar & Fashion week!

2009-02-15T20:17:00.001-08:00

Cellar Bar is a pretty bar/lounge located within the Bryant Park Hotel on 40th Street between 5th and 6th Ave. Due to the location, it is the home to many fashion week events. To view the website for the lounge, you need to click the link above for the hotel's website and look under "entertainment."

What you need to know before you go:

Cellar bar can at times generate a line outside at around 12:30am. The line does move fairly quickly and the doorman tends to not be as "selective" and obnoxious as the places on W27th Street. You can get away with more as far as the dress code goes, but you still need to look nice and not wear sneakers. I almost forgot... good news! There is no cover charge!

When you're there:

When you get inside the Bryant Park Hotel, you will walk downstairs to the lounge. The lounge is one room with two levels which are decorated with large round chandeliers, tiled ceilings and at times on the weekends, there are gogo dancers up behind the bar. The overall appearance and atmosphere of the lounge is very pleasant. The Dj will be playing a mix of music for dancing and for just hanging out (it's not as obscenely loud as other places). Even though there is no designated dance floor, there is enough room to dance and to be able to move. On occasion this place can get really crowded but usually it's not so bad. The bad news? One thing that this venue has in common with the snooty 27th street gang is the drink prices. Be ready, yet again, to pay around the $15 range for mixed drinks. So basically, this place has the same feel and prices as the more obnoxious places but with no cover charges and a not-so-obnoxious doorman.

My personal experience:

Friday was the opening of Fashion Week at Bryant Park. We all know that I love this time of year (I like the spring shows in September more, I have a thing for Spring/Summertime)! Anyway, I went to the Ottavia et Emma event at Cellar Bar and it was really nice. The crowd was pleasant, the place was not overcrowded, it was very well organized. I had a great time. I went to the party in September also, and it was a bit overcrowded but this time was an improvement. The Dj was fun, the open bar was accessible and everyone was friendly and dressed really well. Check out pictures on my Facebook!

Attention Beer Lovers! George Keely's may be the place for you!

2009-02-15T14:15:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I went to George Keeley's which is a pub located on Amsterdam between 83rd and 84th street.

What to know before you go:

George Keeley's is not a place you need to get dressed up for, it is a place to go to when you just want a great, relaxed place to just hang out, maybe play some darts and have a beer.

When you're there:

The bar serves regular pub/bar food but let me tell you, beer is George Keeley's specialty! The bar prides itself on having a large selection of beer from all over the world which they switch up frequently. You can check out which beers they have by clicking on their "on tap today" button on their website. While you're on the website, you can also look into joining "beer clubs" and look into special events such as beer tastings.

We're going to the opera!

2009-02-15T13:26:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night, I went to the Metropolitan Opera to see La Rondine. Let's look at how you can go to the opera on a budget.
What you need to know before you go:
For those of you who have never been to the opera and are concerned about language barriers, no worries! The Metropolitan Opera has "supertitles" which are basically subtitles on the back of the seat in front of you. You also have language options, the supertitles do not need to be in English.
So, how can you see this opera for $20? You can get tickets in the Balcony ($15-$85) or in the Family Circle ($15-$26) sections. You'll be high up, but you can still see and hear everything. The other option you have is student tickets. The student tickets are available for those who are under 29yrs old and have a valid student id. You would purchase tickets the day of the performance, starting at 10am. It's $25 for weekday shows and $35 for weekend shows. The website does not state where the seats are for the student tickets, I would assume that they are filler seats.
My personal experiences:
I would definitely recommend going to the opera at least once! But be prepared, some of the operas have five acts and can be very long. La Rondine was only 3 acts and ran for about 2.5-3 hours. I would also recommend seeing Le Nozze di Figaro (I saw it two years ago and it was a great, funny love story that ran for 5 acts). Oh yeah, and don't forget to dress appropriately!

Serendipity? Yeah, right.

2009-02-10T00:19:00.000-08:00

Serendipity... or "Serendipity3" (as they now like to call it) is on my list of the worst places to go to for dessert in Manhattan.

What you need to know before you go:

Last year, I made the mistake of waiting for an hour and a half to go to Serendipity (60th between 2nd and 3rd), which was one of the worst dessert places that I have ever been to. I disliked it so much that I am writing about it a year later! I really have no idea why people go here or why it is still open. It actually did get shut down for a while for failing health inspections due to "pest infestations" (I heard it was mice and fruit flies). YUM! Just the place I would want to order a $1,000 dessert from (yes, they actually have a dessert that costs $1,000, and it is ice cream)! The place has been around since the '50s and it looks like that was the last time they refurbished it. It just looked dirty and old, not "whimsical" (the above photo is generously flattering).

When you're there:

I got dragged back to this place a second time and tried to not order anything because I found it to be a complete waste. Well, that is just not how they roll at Serendipity! They wanted to charge me a "sitting" fee for not ordering something for myself. I ended up ordering a scoop of overpriced ice cream.

Serendipity is known for its frozen hot chocolate, but honestly, you are better off walking to the corner of 60th and 3rd and going to Dylan's Candy Bar. Dylan's has a section on the top floor where they do all kinds of frozen hot chocolates, ice cream desserts, cupcakes, etc. You may miss out on the "ambiance" by choosing Dylan's over Serendipity, but I can assure you that you wont be that upset. Better yet... try The Bean, a small coffee shop on 3rd st and 1st ave. It's the best and cheapest place that I have found for frozen hot chocolate. Plus, if you have a pup, bring him/her on in! They are dog-friendly and will give him/her a free treat.

Black Fin Bar/Restaurant

2009-02-10T00:11:00.000-08:00

Black Fin which is located on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd Ave is a bar/restaurant that I think has potential.

What you need to know before you go:

Good news for happy hour dinner/drinks! Mondays and Tuesdays are half price appetizers from 5pm-8pm and draft beers are only $3! The bar also offers late night specials. If you are on a budget, you may want to check out the website, you will see that you can sign up to be a "guest bartender" and you can register to win a free open bar.

When you're there:

During the week, the place can be pretty quiet. The dining area as well as the bar are not typically crowded. I could see this place being great for watching sports, since they have 20 plasma TVs and a surround sound system. The atmosphere was so-so, but it is very clean looking. It has the potential to be a good place to meet up with friends after work for some cheap food and beers.

My personal experiences:

I spent a total of $10 on a basket of fried calamari and two Blue Moons. Not a bad deal but not the most amazing food, I would say it was about par but nothing better.

Cain Luxe

2009-02-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Cain Luxe is on the same street, as well as the same playing field, as Pink Elephant but I think this club is the best on the street.

What you need to know before you go:

The cover charge depends on the doorman and whether or not he likes you... it can range from $0 to $30 (I asked the bouncer). The place is smaller than Pink Elephant, so I would recommend getting there before 1am because there's no guarantee that you will get in once it gets full and the doorman does not overcrowd this place which is great. Also, after 12/12:30, the doors start getting more "selective." Again, you need to look neat, nice and classy. No sneakers!! It's the same dress code that I described for Pink Elephant. Looking like a skank and being rude to the guys at the door will get you nowhere.

When you're there:

You walk into this place and see red walls and zebra print walls, giant faux elephant tusks and go go dancers in gorgeous, yet skanky, beaded outfits (the club is going for a South African vibe). The perimeter of the club, where you will find the bar as well as some tables, is elevated up higher than the middle/main area of the club. Be sure to be careful of the stairs to the recessed center of the room (if you are clumsy, like me, this is important). The club is lacking a dance floor which is the only downside. However, they do allow you to dance on the speakers and on the platform in the middle of the tables when the gogo dancers aren't there (as long as you aren't an intoxicated mess). Drink prices are around the $15 mark as are the other clubs on this street.

My personal experiences:

Friday nights, the Dj tends to play more dance/techno songs (not trance). Saturday nights, the Dj tends to play more pop/hip hop songs. So, there is a day for each of the major club music genres. There wasn't as much smoking in it as in Pink Elephant, which I loved because as a non-smoker, I think smoking indoors is rude and gross. Overall, this is on my list of favorites and I definitely recommend it... but remember to dress to impress!

A Giant Pink Elephant in the Room

2009-02-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

Pink Elephant, around 27th and 10th, is on the first string of players on the snooty, exclusive lounge team in Manhattan. If you are into dance music and being in on the "elite" club scene that New York is known for, then you may enjoy this venue.

What you need to know before you go:

The doorman is unnecessarily picky about who gets into this place, they are not kidding when they say, "dress to impress." You need to look neat and you need to not be drunk when waiting on line. Absolutely no sneakers of any kind are to be worn here. Guys should wear something with a collar, jeans are ok (but guys, you should know that light wash jeans are not so hot for going out at night). Girls have more flexibility but, looking like a skank will not work in your favor; girls, you need to look classy and pretty (heels, dresses, skirts, nice jeans or shorts but only with a stunning top, etc.). Being polite and nice to the doorman and bouncers works in your favor as well, as my friend, Tamara, points out. If you are fortunate enough to know a promoter, you can cut the line and get in for free or with a reduced admission! Otherwise, be prepared to wait and be at the doorman's mercy. Personally, I don't quite think it is worth paying the cover charge and waiting in line. Another downside to it is that there is normally a $20 cover, and drink prices are high, with mixed drinks up around the $15 mark.

When you're there:

When you walk inside, you go down a long hallway that has walls completely covered in ivy and lights. After you pay or give your comp ticket (yay promoters), you walk up the stairs to the main/only room. The inside is decorated in dark mahogany wood, red velvet, chandeliers and more greenery. It is visually appealing when it's not overcrowded and you can actually see where you are. One thing that kills it for non-smokers though was the excessive amount of cigarette smoke (gross, it was banned for a reason). The music was fun and the atmosphere can be great for dancing if you like electronic dance music. The club boasts of having guest Djs such as Paul Oakenfold, but special events like these are few and far between here. Watch out though, this place can over pack inside which leaves you with literally no room to move.

My personal experiences:

One time while I was there, film crews were recording for the new MTV show, "The City." I was quickly reminded why I never watched MTV growing up. I can tell you that, from what I saw, this looks like it is the dumbest show on television. The "characters," if you will, were just a bunch of intoxicated, poorly dressed twenty-somethings. I did not even see a single fight the entire night! What kind of trashy reality show is that? Regardless, this is the type of crowd/scene that you would get at Pink Elephant. To do this place on a budget, you need to know a promoter.

The other evenings I have spent at this club have not been so pleasant as it is always overcrowded and the Dj does not always spin the best mixes for dancing. Since this is a dance club, that has kept me from being a "regular." But, if you are not a fan of dancing and are just in for the scene, you may find this club to be enjoyable.