Black Oak Nights – New York

All good things…

“Black Oak Nights: New York City” is back at Opus for the last time. So for all of you sexy, young, black professionals who have been coming out all these weeks, it is time to celebrate it coming to an end.

This Friday, September 28, 2007, show up at Opus 22 (located at 559 W. 22^nd Street, New York, NY, on the corner of 11^th Avenue, New York, NY) to commemorate our last time there!

It has been a fun summer at Opus, and we hope to be back again, but for now, we’re going out like rock stars and we want you to be there.

OPUS IS LOCATED AT: 559 W. 22nd St, New York, NY
FREE ADMISSION IF YOU SAY BLACK OAK NIGHTS AT THE DOOR
FREE OPEN VODKA BAR FOR LADIES FROM 10-11:30!

Come on ladies, you know you cannot pass up on free alcohol! And guys, you know you don’t want to miss out on the ladies!

So come out this Friday, September 28, 2007, and bring all of your friends!

If you have any questions, please call us at 228-265-2365.

It is sure to be a good time at Opus this week, so I hope to see you there!

~Black Oak Nights: New York City

Looking for a little fun and games with your drinks? Well, you could go all the way to Atlantic City, but you are not trying to arrange that right now. There are the obvious choices like Dave & Busters, Chuck-E-Cheeses and the ESPN Zone, but those a trendy chains and you could go without the parents and children while you’re getting wasted after a long work week. So where do you turn to?

Well, there are few places in New York where fun, games, and alcohol can be done among young professionals like yourselves!…Just like it was designed to be!

Freddy’s
485 Dean Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Okay, so this first one might turn you off as a rudimentary and sophomoric, but you have to give it chance. So go to Freddy’s in Prospect Heights Brooklyn on a Wednesday night and take part in their weekly spelling bee. It is a lot more fun then you might think, and it contributes to the new movement at Black Oak Nights, Intellidating. There is also live music just about every night of the week, and you can check the schedule for open mic nights and karaoke as well.

Crocodile Lounge
325 E. 14^th Street, New York, NY 10003

The Crocodile Lounge is full of bar games that everyone can enjoy. There’s no X-box or Playstation 3, but there is plenty of stuff to peak your drunken interests. They have Whack-a-Mole, Skee Ball, and a deer hunting game. There is also a photo booth for you girls and guys out on dates, as well as for any record of your incohesiveness that you would like to keep. Why do I keep referring to how out of it you will be when you come to Crocodile Lounge? Well that’s because the place is quite cheap. They also have trivia contest every Wednesday night, and the winner gets a free $40 bar tab. In addition, not only will you get quite a bit of alcohol at this joint, but also with every beer you order, you get a free personal pizza. Yeah, I know! It’s unbelievable! Somebody in New York wants to give away something!

Hip Hop Karaoke at the Knitting Factory
New York, NY

While not everybody loves Karaoke because of the fact that it usually requires you to sing in some high-pitched melody that was no doubt intended to embarrass you, the Knitting Factory offers you an alternative. For the inner hip-hop in all of us young black professionals, the Knitting Factory provides its guest with hip-hop karaoke every Monday. They bring in a DJ just for this event, and you can rap the lyrics of your favorite lyricist, from Jay-Z and 50 Cent to Biggy Smalls and 2-Pac.

Remember those days when a simple night that included dinner and a movie was all you need to entertain a date or a significant other? Alternatively, how about you singles, who just needed to go to the hottest bar or club to meet another single?

Well, those days are over! At least for the intellectually inclined daters. Young professionals, artists, young cosmopolitans, and recent Ivy-League graduates are taking dating to a new level. A level of dating where pure physical attraction and alcohol are no longer the primary factors in dating and/or meeting new people. A level of dating that is more about the stimulation of the mind than it is about anything else. A level called “intellidating.”

Young professionals of all kinds are noticing the fact that going to a rave, club or house party is not the most rewarding when it comes meeting new people and garnering new relationships. Instead, they are electing to go to events where stimulating the mind is the objective, and where the sexiest person in the room is the one with the most to intelligence on display.

It is a strong northeastern phenomenon due to the abundance of Ivy-League and upper tier universities that can be found in the colonial states. One hot spot for young singles and couples is the New York Public Library, where intellectually inclined daters are paying $15 covers to take part in intellectual debates and lectures over some of society’s most controversial issues.

Then there is the Museum of Modern Art. There you can find a host of museum crawls and discussions over social issues that are very enticing and are the stirrers of commotion and fiery debate. These events offered by MoMa center around some of their new exhibitions and can be as entertaining, if not more so, than any blockbuster movie.

The website TheRightStuff.com caters only to Ivy-League and upper-tier college graduates and provides an online matchmaking service that puts singles interested in meeting people with “the right stuff.” The right stuff being an educated mind, a love for academics, and an intellectually stimulating presence. The site requires that you provide documentation of your attendance at your stated alma mater with proof of graduation requirements as strict as providing a copy of your diploma. The site then conjures up inquiries for singles and the rest is down hill.

Many more intellidating opportunities can be found online and in New York City. Some include spelling bees, where the word categories include scandalous topics such as “sexual performance,” “sex related medical conditions,” and “modern dating.” There are also book readings that have drawn young sexy crowds out to listen to divisive readings with cocktails on the side. Then there are a series of debates over issues like “Monogamy is Bad for the Soul,” “Let me Holler at You Girl,” and “Do the Right Thing,” are also running ramped in New York City.

Black Oak Nights: NYC wants to get young black professionals more involved in intellidating. So look for a series of upcoming events and activities for the young black cosmopolitan crowd to start getting involved in, right here at newyork.blackoaknights.com!

In New York City, people love to eat. And New York is a great place for it. New Yorker’s enjoy everything from pizza to hot dogs and everything in between, because New York City is a Mecca of food.

At the bar, people love to eat while drinking. And one of the ultimate bar foods in this city is the buffalo wing! Or more generally speaking, the chicken wing! Therefore, to help find some of the better deals for chicken and Buffalo wings in New York City, I have outlined some of the better bars and restaurants in Manhattan.

Lions’s Den

995 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY

Mondays – You can head over to the Lion’s Head, a trendy bar destination for Columbia University students, and get 25-cent wings all night long. They offer several different levels of spiciness, and you can get $3 well drinks from 5-8pm.

Saturdays – Receive all you can eat wings for $15. A little on the upside for this article, but it is all you can eat. Not to mention, you can get all you can drink beer for the night as well. Moreover, if you are not a beer drinker, just kindly ask the servers for refills of Lemonade and I am sure that she will oblige you.

Blondies’

212 West 79^th Street, New York, NY

Mondays – Blondies is one of the most fashionable bars in the city, if not the country. The wait staff is nice, the bartenders are cool, and the clientele is usually pretty sociable and eager to be entertained. And on Mondays you can get all you can eat wings for $11.95. Blondies has every kind of wings from BBQ, Honey BBQ, Fried, Buffalo (of course) and many more. I suggest you get some of their fries to go with your wings, because they are every bit as good.

Croxley Ales

28 Avenue B, New York, NY

Mondays & Wednesdays – Back to the prices you like to see! On these days, you can get 10-cent wings from 5 until close from Croxley Ales. They have both buffalo and BBQ wings, and it is beauty. You have to order a drink with your wings, but those come at prices as low as $2 and $4. Croxley Ales’ wings are some of the best in the city, and I definitely recommend trying them as soon as possible.

Town Tavern

134 West 3^rd Street, New York, NY

All Week – They used to have a great 10-cent special on Saturday’s as well, but people began taking real advantage of it. Thus, you are left with 50-cent wings, but there is no specific day you have to come in order to get them. You can buy the 50-cent wings in sets of 12, and for as good as these chicken wings are, they may indeed be worth the price.

No, this is not an article about how to pick up a girl or a guy at the bar. This is more about going out a budget. And while you may not want to skimp on your first date with that special person, this date could still work out for even the most novice of acquaintances. But obviously, use it with caution. Because being cheap on a date is best reserved for that significant other who understands your financial situation. However, if you are desperate, this date can be used on a first date…just dress very nicely.

12:30: Walk Across the Brooklyn Bridge (Located Near City Hall)

Start the day off with a little exercise. You could both probably use it, and besides, it is a very romantic stroll. You can see the entire skyline of Manhattan as you walk away, and you can look onto the emerging skyline of Brooklyn. This is good opportunity to talk and get to know one another. If it’s summer time, you can enjoy the cool breeze off the water. And even if it’s dead winter, bundling up in jackets for a brisk walk into Brooklyn; well, there is just something romantic about that.

2:30: Now Replenish Yourself at Grimaldi’s (18 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY)

The two of you are no doubt hungry after a nice brisk walk. So why not get off the bridge and head right over to Grimaldi’s which is not but a short stroll away. Enjoy their brick oven made pizza with fresh toppings, decent prices and a good time all around. It’s a wonderful Italian atmosphere, so it is a good place to talk loud, maybe enjoy a good bottle of wine, and be in the presence of your significant other.

5:00: Catch an Independent Movie at the Angelica Theatre (18 Houston St, New York)

Make sure you check the times so that you are not waiting around to see a movie! Once you get that out of the way though, you will be sure to find something different and unique at the Angelica. Yeah, you could go to some major theatre and see your everyday blockbuster movie, but that’s nothing special! Why not catch an astonishing indy film with loads of meaning, artistic design, and film intelligence? Moreover, indy flicks can be a lot more thought provoking than your average movie and it will leave you and your date with something to talk about for the rest of night.

7:45: Light Dinner at Mercer Kitchen (99 Prince Street, New York, NY)

Since you probably can still feel a little bit of the pizza you ate earlier, why not just have a light dinner? The Mercer Kitchen is dimly lit and very romantic. Buzzing with an internationally diverse crowed with a number of upscale New Yorkers, you will feel just as prominent as you want to be! And while the Mercer Kitchen is not lenient on your wallet, if you just come for the appetizers, you will definitely be able to afford it with out breaking your piggy bank and you will still get relatively full. And if you’re lucky, you can turn dining at the Mercer Kitchen into a celebrity-spotting venture, as many a silver screen star has been known to come though.

9:30: Drinks Anyone? Head to O’Neal’s (49 W. 64^th St, New York, NY)

Finish the night off with a few drinks at O’Neal’s. You can get bottle of wine for as low as $25, and that is a much better price than a night of drinks at the bar. You can also order a few samplers and bar food items if you didn’t get full at the Mercer Kitchen. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sipping the night away with your date, and a bank account that has not been depleted.

While everyone else heads home after a long day of work, you, the modern day young black professional, prefer to get rid of your stress by socializing and flirting, not laying down on the couch. And that’s the way a New Yorker is supposed to think. After all, all work and no play makes for a bad nightlife, and that is not what Black Oak Nights is about. So check out some of our favorite spots to attend with the clock strikes five!

Jean-Luc

507 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY

Go here for a truly diverse time. You can find a multitude of different professionals braving this bar during the after-work hours. From actors and dancers, to investment bankers and broadcasters, jean-Luck has been the trendy destination for some of the Upper Westside’s most notable companies. You can see the shining star of celebrodum running through the establishment every once in a while, especially soap opera actors who film their shows not too far from Jean-Luc. The male to female ration is also fairly balanced, providing for a very festive atmosphere that never ceases to amazes its attendees, even on the most unlikely nights. You may come here during the daytime of the after work hours, but you will end up staying for the nightlife.

Ava Lounge

210 W. 55^th Street, New York, NY

This wonderful bar sits atop of the Dream Hotel just north of Times Square. You can see the magnificence that is the Broadway Avenue view of Times Square from the roof of Ava, and it is just an amazing site even in the twighlight of the after work hours. Ava Lounge is a bi-level penthouse looking bar. The downstairs is seductive and offers a full bar and scenic window views. The upstairs has an array of seating that puts you at eye-level with rooftop views of Midtown West. Ava Lounge is flooded with people who work in the hustle and bustle of midtown, mainly singles who are dressed in their stunning office suits and dresses. And while it is easy to think that the everyone there is so dressed up because they’re coming to work, their fashionable duds just might suggest that work was nothing but an after thought in their choice of attire.

Pazza Notte

1375 6^th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

How about a little Italian after-work? Pazza Notte has an extremely friendly environment, and much like its Italian name would denote it is a great place to spend the evening and night hours after a long day of work. There are plenty of great people and groups who come here on the daily basis. Even though it is primarily a restaurant, the atmosphere of the bar will remind you a chatty lounge, full of conversing business men and women, and hungry after-workers enjoying an array of Italian wine and dishes. Some people who go there cannot handle the noise of the Pazza Notte at these hours, but if you are truly looking for an entertaining way to spend your nightlife, then a little talking will not bother you.

Not everybody fits in the same mold. Some people love to go to a place for music, while others are more interested in the art of love. Some people love to socialize, while others are lot less interested in moving their lips than they are in grooving their hips. No matter what you are looking for, Black Oak Nights has something for everyone as it slowly begins is takeover of the New York City nightlife. In the meantime, here are a few places you can check out, no matter what you’re all about.

For the Dancer in You

Fat Black Pussycat

130 West 3^rd Street, New York, NY 10012

If Bob Dylan started out here, than that means you should go! Okay, maybe it does not, but still, it is definitely worth checking out this live entertainment venue. It was voted the #1 Friendly Hotspot among bars and lounges in New York City. Upstairs you can play pool, drink until you want no more and socialize with the eclecticism that is the Village. That is just the upstairs. Their downstairs counterpart, The Village Underground, is host to dancing and the occasional live band, and there is no live performance when you go, then you are most likely to hear hip-hop playing on the 1’s and 2’s.

For Those Interested in a Wealthy, I mean Healthy Relationship

Fizz

137 E. 55^th Street, New York, NY

Interested in a meeting singles with a little money in their pockets? Well, Fizz certainly can fulfill your desires. Once upon a time, the acclaimed East Side bar once required membership, but now that no longer exist as a requirement (Although, if you’re interested it will only cost $1000 a year- and of course that comes with perks). As the availability of membership would suggest, Fizz is full of deep-pocketed clientele that are no strangers to the nightlife of the East Side. Plenty of singles flock here looking for the attention of a well-to-do mate, and they rarely have trouble finding them. It is a very friendly place, so feel free to take part in a festive and social environment that is very welcoming to socialites and young professionals.

Want to Give it the Old College Try?

Phebe’s Tavern & Grill

359 Bowery Street, New York, NY

A great place for recent college graduates, especially Ivy Leaguers as your fellow alumni tend to flock to this hide out in the Lower East Side. This is just your class, college-style lounge, with a full-service bar and menu items like the Black Jack Burger and Buffalo wings. They have 16 different tap beers and a few homemade appetizers. They are notorious for lighting the place up with trivia events and special DJ appearances. So if you are just feeling lonely, or if you feel like taking the boys or girls out for a good time, head over to Phebe is a trendy, social scene that is sure to have any social “opportunities” that you are looking for.

So you’re in New York City and the only place where you have been able to get out and run is in the corner of Equinox on treadmill. Well, here are some places where you can partake in your favorite athletic events and get outside to at least take in fresh air when your out-of-shape-behind starts sucking wind! So take some friends to these Black Oak Nights’ favorites so that the next time you decide to partake in the nightlife, those pants and dresses fit just a little bit better!

Golf
La Tourette
1001 Richmond Hill Road, Staten Island, NY

If you are looking for somewhere to brush up on your golf game with that next outing with your boss, than why not take it to La Tourette, a public course where any one can come play golf on this beautiful 18-hole, Par 72 course. That’s right, you don’t have to leave New York City to get your golf game on, and it is much better than your average public golf course.

Soccer Field
Prospect Park
Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY

If you have not been to Prospect Park because you think the buck stops with Central Park, you are very mistaken. You can come to Prospect to enjoy a multitude of activities including, picnics, bicycling, ice-skating, fishing and boating. But of course, sports are also a big part of the activity going on here, and soccer is one of the favorites. You can easily set up an organized game of soccer, or you can just as well go out and take part in pick-up game on any weekend during the summer months.

Baseball
Chelsea Park
West 27^th Street & 9^th Avenue, New York, NY

You could go to the crowded, and often accounted for, fields of Central Park for a game of baseball, but it is unlikely you will even touch the dirt with out proper reservations or belonging to an organized team of some sort. At Chelsea Park, you can join in on an abundance of after-work pick-up softball games, or you can bring your own crew and play a nice game of ball with your close friends and family.

Basketball
Aviator Sports and Recreation
Hangar 5, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, NY

While it may look like a long ride to get here, it is only a 50 minute Q-train subway ride to get to Aviator Sports and Recreation. It makes for a nice Saturday afternoon trip, and believe me, it is worth your time if you are a dying to play basketball. You can get in for $10, but that includes full locker room access, and indoor court time. The competition is pretty fierce, especially on the weekends, so bring your “A” game if you’re coming out this Saturday.