New York, NY

The New York Times has a bunch of events for smart people who have money and dress nicely. I consider myself a smart person; however, I am lacking in funds. Yet, when I go to these Times shindigs, people who have money THINK I have money because I’m there and they treat me nicely.

All that being said….

The New York Times is hosting The Great Literary Brunch. See? It’s a brunch. Hip, cool people go to brunch. Hip, cool people with money spend $130 on brunch. It’s worth it though. Here’s why: Alan Alda.

I love Alan Alda. I’ve been about three feet away from Alan Alda several times (at a writers’ conference and at a supermarket) and haven’t said a dang thing to him because I’m so in awe. What would I say, anyway? “Hey, Mr. Alda, I’ve loved you since the day I first watched M*A*S*H with my grandmother.”? I don’t think that’d go over too well.

Anyway, Alan Alda is going to be at The Great Literary Brunch along with some other people whom I’ve never heard of so who cares. It’s Alan Friggin Alda. The brunch is on October 14 from 11 AM to 2 PM. A book signing will follow.

Time Out New York is one of the, if not THE, best mags around about New York. They sponsor tons of fun events. This past summer, I was on rooftops across town, getting drunk and meeting boys and having an all around good time. I went home with awesome goodie bags filled to the brim with new merch and the latest trends.

While the rooftop parties are gone until next summer, Time Out is still treating us all to more fun times. Eat Out 07, A Tasting Celebration, is on its way.

Monday, September 24

6:30–9:30 PM

Skylight 275 Hudson St

Get your tickets early so you can feast on samples from 40 of Time Out’s favorite restaurants. It’s a guaranteed good time.

Time Out, NYC, New York City, dining

Times Square is the place to be for lights and lunacy. This past year brought us an unparalleled karaoke party to add to the crazy scene. Spotlight Live is the place for dinner, drinks, and a bit of singing. Supposedly, the likes of Tyra Banks and other superstars have taken the stage to sing. However, anyone sings. Everyone sings. With multiple floors and dark corners, you can hang out in the background or be in the spotlight. It’s all up to you.

Oh, and have I mentioned that you can be seen outside on their Times Square screen? Yeah, it’s that kind of karaoke.

They want you to be famous. Maybe you will be.

Crumbs
1114 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, NY 10036
212 221 1500

Scenario: You’re in Bryant Park and you’re jonesin for dessert of the sweet variety.

Get up from the Reading Room or the lawn or wherever you happen to be sitting and cross the street to Crumbs. Trust me, it’s worth the short walk.

Crumbs bakery features humongo cupcakes in flavors like pistachio and peanutbutter and birthday. The icing is supersweet and the good folks at Crumbs actually inject the icing down into the center of the cupcake. So icing is on top and inside. INSIDE!!!!

Also, Crumbs makes their own sodas, teas, and coffees. Homemade soda is supersweet and supergood and comes in all different flavors. The tea and coffee is iced or hot and also has several varieties for your choosing.

Ten bucks will get you two vanilla sodas and a pistachio cupcake (with the small amount of extra change falling in the tip jar). That may seem expensive even for New York prices, but truly, the cupcake is for two to four people. Maybe for one person who’s really hungry and chooses to eat cake instead of a meal.

Once you have your bag of goodies, you can cross back over to Bryant Park and lounge around as if you’d never left.

NYC, New York City, parks, food

The Delancey
168 Delancey Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-9920

Rooftop! Rooftop! Rooftop! The Delancey features wooden benches and huge jungle-like plants. In the middle of the jungle is a water feature. Also, if you go to the edge, you’ll view all the lights in city windows coming on as the sun sets. You’ll be mesmorized by the atmosphere that overlooks the Williamsburg Bridge.

The service here is spectacular both inside and out. However, with the summer coming to a close, don’t spend your night inside. Go up onto the roof. Any roof in New York is the place to be. The Delancey offers an extra perk with laid-back clientele who are all looking for a good time.

NYC, new york city, nightlife, bars

MECHANICAL BULL. Need I say more? Johnny Utah’s, which opened on July 27, is the only place in all of NYC that has a mechanical bull. Can you believe that the city has been bereft of one until now?

Located under the Rockefeller Center hotel, the Western-BBQ-influenced Johnny Utah’s is huge. It has two bars, a back dining area which looks like a vault, a front dining area in the round, and a ring of fire (read: wrought iron ring with votive candles here and there). In the center of it all is the bull. The bull begins to buck at 9 PM sharp. Then it goes on for about fifteen to twenty minutes and takes a break for about half an hour. Then it goes on again like that for the night.

The drinks are huge. HUGE. The beer comes in barrel mugs and the drinks are all doubles. While one mixed drink may set you back about 12 bucks, it will also set you on your ass. Throw back a Texan Punch or Texas Lemonade or Pink somethingorother. You’ll be seeing double. You may also choose from their pages and pages of tequila. Think of it all as liquid courage to climb onto that bull bareback. After all, the bull is the reason you go.

Set yourself free and dare to spend 8 seconds atop the beast.

For the best ride in town, you need to saddle up next to Tom, one of the bull masters, and Chauncey Crayton, the Keeper of the Gate of the Ring of Fire. They’ll help you get one step closer to riding in style.

nyc, nightlife, new york

Dylan’s Candy Bar
1011 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(646) 735-0078

A dentist’s worst nightmare; a sweet tooth’s best dream. Dylan’s is a sugary heaven with bins and bins of candy candy candy. Downstairs? More candy. Chocolate. Hard candy. Also, posters, shirts, and toys are lined up all over with a candy theme. Sometimes they play candy-related movies on the large tvs.

Unfortunately, the place is always always crowded and way understaffed. The lines wrap around the store all day.

If you have the time and the patience, head on over and lick it up.

NYC, New York City, candy, food

That just sounds cool. Spiegelworld! It’s kitschy. What is it? Well, I’m not sure really. It has something to do with the seaport and absinthe. I’m getting ahead of myself.

July 2 through September 30, Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport hosts live bands, Wednesday Night Fever, Turntables on the Hudson on Fridays, Raindance NYC.org on Saturdays, Absinthe The World’s Hottest Live Show, and the world premiere of La Vie, Montreal’s circus company.

That’s a whole lot happening at Pier 17.

Back to the question at hand. Spiegelworld is a traveling arts festival and fair. Two large tents filled with fun. It includes The Green Room Restaurant for dining delight. It’s a little bit clubby. It’s a little bit loungy. It’s a little bit beer gardeny.

It’s something you have to see to understand.

NYC, New York City, South Street Seaport, art, festival, entertainment

School has never been so drunkenly fun! Unless you were in that one frat house on my campus. Then you were always drunk. No matter what your study habits, if you like wine, you’re sure to enjoy Divine Bar’s Vino-Versity. These classes offer informal wine tasting educations for first timers to pros–by pros, I mean people who actually know how to taste wine, not people who down boxes of it every day for fun.

Some sessions are left in this summer semester:

8/7 You Vill Drink It and You Vill Like It: Wines of Alsace Germany and Austria
8/21 Club Med: Wines of the Mediterranean
9/11 Reds, Whites, and Blue!: Comparing whites and reds with a Fruits of the Sea (read: seafood) buffet–this one has a special $44 per person price because of the deep blue aspect
Also, Walk-Around Classes are available featuring 24-36 wines on Tuesdays from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
Advance tickets for classes are $38. At the door, $48 if available. Divine Bar East is located at 244 East 51st Street and Divine Bar West is located at 236 West 54th between Broadway and 8th. Your class will state the location.

Tastings are accompanied by cheeses, breads, and dips as to not let you get too schnockered.