Black Oak Nights – New York

Elevate - 390 8th Avenue, New York, NY

The Weekend is finally here, the weather ain’t so bad, and there is plenty to talk about on the Friday Nightlife Rundown for February 19, 2010. From fashionably late Mardi Gras parties to some of New York’s best weekly events, this weekend’s agenda is full of entertaining, cultural and intellectual events befitting the taste of all of New York City’s young, black professionals.

Tonight’s party agenda for young, black professionals does not have to start at the line to get into the club. Why not begin your night with drinks at a jazz event, a little poetry, and then find your way to the beauty of clubbing in Manhattan? Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 97%

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Today already looks as if it’s going to start off better than yesterday, so why not take advantage of it and celebrate a break (no matter how brief it is) from all of the snowfall? There’s plenty going on this evening and tonight; so without further adieu, here is the Nightlife Rundown for Wednesday, February 17, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 85%

Have you been stuck inside your office all day, only to spend the little bit of free time you have in some bar or club?

Get outside!

Enjoy the summer! You know you will be cursing the weather out come November, so take advantage of the heat while you can. Here are a few things to do before fall weather arrives in New York City.

Governors Island
Going to Governors Island has to be one of the most underrated activities in New York City. Why more people do not frequent these lush, open grounds more often is amazing. Nevertheless, take advantage of the crowd-less paths, the newly constructed promenade and the impressive lawns and enjoy being in the mist of New York Harbor without having to bother yourself with the smell, sites and people of Manhattan. Governors Island boast great picnic grounds, several art displays and a new Water Beach Taxi location fresh with an array of summer events. You can even catch an independent movie or two at the island’s theater. The island is only open to the public on the weekends, but for 3 days out of the week, it is yours to take advantage of.

Movies in Bryant Park
If you want to truly enjoy a film festival without all of the hype, why not take advantage of a casual Monday evening in Bryant Park and attend the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival! It is one of the most popular events in New York City every summer, and yet there are so many people who haven’t attended it. You have to get there early (let’s say 4:30 at the latest) if you want to get a good spot on the grass, but by 5 o’clock (when they’re on time), you’ll be presented with a tribute to the movies of yesteryear. Some of the upcoming showings are The Defiant Ones (July 27), Kramer vs. Kramer (August 3) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (August 17).

Coney Island
You have not truly experienced Summer in the City until you have spent a day at Coney Island. Yeah, you thought it was for kids, but there is no doubt that young and elderly adults alike can enjoy the one place in New York City where childish behavior isn’t admonished (outside of Wall Street that is). Coney Island is not your father’s fair grounds anymore either. With burlesque entertainment, Coney Island Museum exhibits on Sundays, and film showings on Fridays, Coney Island is your one-stop shop to divert your city-centric mind. Of course, there’s nothing like the brisk breeze off the water, walking the boardwalk, and the infinitely famous Coney Island Hot Dog. If you haven’t been already this summer, I recommend going on Labor Day. It’s not as packed as some of the other big days of the summer since the tourists have generally left for the season, and Coney Island is certainly a good place to find some barbeque if you can’t find a cookout to attend in the city.

Prospect Park
While most Manhattanites are overly zealous with Central Park, its neighbor to the South gets very little love. But maybe those who attend Prospect Park on the regular basis don’t have a problem with that. With all of the hassles that come with going to Central Park, such as a permit for this, a permit for that, limited space and one too many rules and regulations, Prospect Park is essentially like throwing caution to the wind. Want to barbeque? Go ahead! Want to play ball in an open area of the grass? Go ahead! They’re not as strict in the park of Brooklyn, which is why those who have been once tend to make a return visit!

Popularity: 5%

Living in New York, you are fortunate enough to be surrounded by a constantly moving media and entertainment industry that is at your complete disposal. So why not take advantage of it?

There aren’t many cities in the United States that have even one film festival, but New Yorkers are fortunate enough to have a wide range of film festivals to choose from throughout the year. So get off the couch, forget the movie theater, and appreciate film in about as raw a form as there is.

Here are a few of New York’s best film festivals:

Gotham Screen Film Festival & Screenplay Contest
Debuting in 2007, and generally held in lower Manhattan during the month of October, the Gotham Screen Film Festival and Screenplay Contest is one of the newest film festivals in town, and naturally, it has a more free-flowing vibe than all of the rest. The Gotham Screen, as it is know, seeks to give exposure to first and second-time directors, as well as independent directors. Last year’s feature film winner, L’autre moitie, directed by Rolando Colla, has been featured in several other film festivals and has received good reviews from its Indy peers. This year, the film festival will be held at Tribeca Cinemas, and it will continue to showcase a plethora of international filmmaking talent as it has done in the past.

New York International Latino Film Festival
Sponsored in part by HBO, the Latino Film Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year as it host its festival at the Clearview Cinemas in the Chelsea part of Manhattan from late July to early August, just as it does every year. The Latino Film Festival has brought a lot of good films to light over the years, including Malta Con Huevo, which won the Heineken Red Star Award for pushing the boundaries of creativity in filmmaking. Outside of the flagship festival, the event also incorporates art and musical showcases, as well as community gatherings and scholarships for future filmmakers. The Latino Film Festival is known for drawing out New York’s Latin Latino film stars! John Leguizamo, Ray Liotta, Vin Diesel, Chritina Milian and Benjamin Bratt all walked the Red Carpet at least year’s event.

New York Film Festival
The New York Film Festival might be one of the most important film festivals for independent artists. A non-competitive event, the New York Film Festival has been running since 1963. The festival is ran by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, which focuses on the endorsement and unveiling of independent filmmaking in America and across the world, and they have also introduced new directors, such as Martin Scorsese, to the rest of the world. Just over the past couple of years, the New York Film Festival has introduced movies such as The Wrestler, Changeling and The Queen to the world. One of this festival’s most popular asides is the “Views from the Avant-Garde” showcase, which runs several experimental film pieces known to be a little more than controversial.

Tribeca Film Festival
Created in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Tribeca Film Festival is one of the most lively and growing festivals in the city and in the country. Really, it’s hard to find a more complete film festival than this one, as it often boast hundreds of screenings, spanning the triangle below Canal street (and above it as well) with independent films and movie connoisseurs alike. The festival originally opened with debuts of tremendous studio films such as Star Wars Episode II, Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood and The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. The festival is extremely popular among young folks for its Hollywood appeal, numerous and vigorous panel discussions, and its popular avant-garde section of the festival which has featured the likes of Brad Pitt and Isabelle Huppert.

Popularity: 1%