Fela!

It’s the second week of March, which means we are getting ever so closer to the official beginning of spring. The weather looks like it’s going to imitate spring for the time being, so why not take advantage of that? From basketball to grinding on the dance floor, there are several options for young, black professionals this Tuesday evening. Here is your Tuesday Nightlife Rundown for March 9, 2010.

Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament – 12pm & 7pm - Madison Square Garden: With the New York Knicks playing basketball more like a bunch of unathletic hicks, the best basketball to come through the Garden this basketball season will undoubtedly be this week as the Big East Tournament comes to town for yet another year. Come get a full slate of games in either the afternoon or evening sessions, as young men try to make their young dreams come true and punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. There are sure to be close-finishes, buzzer beaters, and extreme displays of intense emotion. So take off of work, come buy a hot dog at the Garden, and enjoy the best basketball you’ll see in New York City all season long.

Fela! (Theater) – 7pm
Eugene O’Neill Theater (230 West 49th Street): Do not sleep on this great tale of African triumph and music. Bill T. Jones is the creator of this Broadway depiction of the life of Fela Kute, a groundbreaking Nigerian composer and activist. Believe me, we at Black Oak Nights went to go see this production a while ago, and it was well worth the price of admission. The story will keep you thinking, dreaming and wondering about the life of a man that changed an entire culture of music within the black Identity and the entire world. It was good enough for Shawn Carter, Jada Pinkett and Will Smith to sign on as producers, so it ought to be good enough for you to buy a ticket for Tuesday’s show.

How to Seduce Difficult Women (Movie) – 11:59pm
Village East Theaters (189 2nd Avenue): Yes. That’s right! The movie is about what the title suggests, an instruction manual on seducing the fairer sex’s less fair side. It’s an independent movie produced by Richard Temtchine, the maker of “Dummy” and “Almost Famous.” It’s an edgy film with a lot of sexual tension, all the more reason to bring a date, sit back, enjoy the movie and learn a thing or two in the process.

Luxurious Tuesdays – 6pm
Negril Village (70 West 3rd Street): Negril is at again with Luxurious Tuesdays. This week will be just like every other week, only hopefully, the weather is a lot better. DJ San will be on the 1’s and 2’s, making the speakers rain hip-hop, R&B and reggae music all night long. Admission is free, and there are plenty of drink and food specials to take advantage of, including a $7 rum punch that you will not find at another regular lounge in New York City. Once again, this is not the afterwork party to miss, as young, black professionals descend upon this place like locust, so don’t get left out of the party.

Notorious B.I.G. Tribute Party – 8pm
The Lab (1428 Fulton Street): Head out to BK and join the fervor as P. Diddy host a tribute to his fallen friend, Biggie Smalls. A plethora of well-known performers are scheduled to be in the building, which means this is going to be an extremely well-thought event with food, drink and good times all in abundance. Admission is open, but the door is going to be highly selective. And if the place gets crowded, you can rest assure they will have no problem making people stand in line. But give it a shot. As a young, black professional in New York City, you may have more pull than you think.

A-List Tuesdays – 11pm
Cain Luxe (544 West 27th Street): Ladies are free all night tonight; just let them know you are on the Black Diamonds guest list. Other than that, it’s a surefire $20 cover. Of course, your money won’t buy your way in if you aren’t dressed correctly, which means no caps, hats or flaps—keep it trendy, fellas. As for the crowd, it’s going to be hard to be this turnout, as week after week, you find a long line of eligible, black bachelors and bachelorettes outside of the club. So get here early so you can watch the sexiest young, black professionals walk in, instead of being one of the ones standing outside.

Show Me What You Got – 9pm
Harlem Lanes (2116 7th Avenue): Make your way to Harlem Lanes this Tuesday for more than just bowling. The theme is “Bury da beef,” and there will be music, socializing and a speech on display. For information, visit the Harlem Lanes website.

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Astor Center - 399 Lafayette Street, NYC

Don’t let the start of the work week be the end of your fun weekend. Keep the party going by checking out one of the many things going on in the Monday Nightlife Rundown for March 8, 2010.

New Flavor Monday’s – 10pm - Sapphire Lounge (249 Eldridge Street): Kiss FM’s DJ Chuck Chillout will be in the building this Monday spitting out the best hip-hop and R&B mashups you will hear all night. The turnout is expected to be full of young blacks expecting to turn the place out, release the stress of Monday’s and make some hey in getting even closer to the start of the next weekend. There is a $10 cover charge and there will be drink specials all night long.

Mary Poppins (Theatre) – 7pm
New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street): How about dinner and a show tonight? Well, it’s not too late to do just that. Tonight, at the New Amsterdam Theatre, an oldie-but-a-goody is taking stage as Mary Poppins comes back to life in this grand production. Tickets are still available for the Monday showing, so why not score some online or get some rush tickets and make a night out of this Monday. You can buy tickets at Ticketmaster.com.

Shelf Mondays – 6pm
Negril Village (70 West 3rd Street): The beginning of a new day is here. The Shelf Mondays is Negril’s latest afterwork party, one we hope embodies a lot of what their great Tuesday afterwork venue embodies. As per usual, the even is free and there will be drink specials to the fullest, including $5 cocktails! They also have a $5 menu for the night that includes mango barbeque wings, jerk chicken ribbettes and codfish fritters. On the 1’s and 2’s, they are playing hip-hop, reggae and R&B, exclusively. So stop by Greenwich Village to enjoy all Negril Village has to offer on a Monday.

Bottles Up Monday – 11pm
Suzie Wong’s (547 West 27th Street): Each and every Monday, Suzie Wong’s does it up right with one of the flyest weekday parties in New York City. The young, black professional turnout is almost unparalleled for a Monday night, and models, socialites and executives make their way out to this venue to take part in all of the hoopla. Come dressed sexy though, because the dress code is strict. You may even want to head home and make a change into something a little trendier than your typical 9-5 wear. But as long as you’re dressed to impress, admission is free, so there’s no need to rush your way out here. The party does get popping early on, so don’t come too late!

International Women’s Day Event – 6:30pm
Aster Center (399 Lafayette Street): I bet you didn’t know March 8th is International Women’s Day. Well, you do now! Compass Box Whisky is co-sponsoring a special event with the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails that will raise money for Dress for Success (dressforsuccess.org). The event will toast to the accomplishments of women in New York City while getting a little throwed at the same time. Tickets are $30 and you can purchase them at astorecenternyc.com.

Savor: A Culinary Experience – 7pm
Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway): The best way to taste food from all over the world, without going all over the world, is to do it all in one place. Enter “Savor.” Some of the city’s best chefs will be in attendance and behind the stove, serving up specialties from some of the best restaurants in Manhattan, including Butter, Paladar and one of our personal favorites, Scarpetta. You can get tickets at gmhc.org.

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Tillman's - 165 West 26th Street

Tillman’s Bar & Lounge
165 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
212-627-8320
tillmansnyc.com, @tillmansnyc
Categories: Afterwork, Music, Bar, Lounge, Nightlife

Unlike your typical soul food based venues, Tillman’s Bar & Lounge is more about the scene than the food. With a stone fireplace and classic jazz bumping on the speakers, the atmosphere at Tillman’s fills you up with more soul than any Southern entrée ever could.

Having said that, the menu at Tillman’s certainly has the ability to take you back to a better time when eating ribs was about comforting yourself instead of being your one diet-breaker meal of the week. Some of Tillman’s menu options include the Tilmano pork sandwich made with black forest ham, roasted marinated pork and melted taleggio, served with sweet pickles and plantain chips. They also make a great French Onion Soup and Louisiana Cajun Gumbo.

However, Tillman’s most notorious plate of food is humbling referred to as “The Mack.” It’s Tillman’s take on macaroni and cheese, made with apple smoked bacon, garden peas, sage, mascarapone cheese and bread crumbs. It’s definitely not your mother’s macaroni and cheese.

Getting past the food, Tillman’s makes for a great afterwork venue because of the sexy atmosphere, professional clientele and great live music on most evenings. They also have an array of specialized cocktails that any connoisseur of liquor would enjoy. You would be hard-pressed to find a single bad review of this place, (even the folks at NYMag.com like it) as it is one of the few havens for young, black professionals in this party of Manhattan.

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hoboken – 1pm - This isn’t for everybody, but if you’re just looking for a good time and want to be out on the scene drinking, partying, dancing and hooking up with random people then you might really enjoy this Hoboken craze. Manhattanites and the like will descend upon this popular Jersey enclave at Washington & 14th Street and enjoy a parade in honor of the most alcoholic day of the year. People will start drinking long before 1pm, and long after the parade ends at 6pm, so no matter what your agenda is on Saturday, then the Hoboken St. Patty’s Day Parade is for you.

Socialite Saturdays – 10pm
D’Or (204 West 55th Street): Socialite Saturday continues to be one of the premiere events in Manhattan. When you get to the door, let them know you are on the Joonbug guestlist and ladies will get in free till midnight, and gentleman are $15 until midnight. There is an open bar from 10pm to 11pm, as well as a spa treatment giveaway for all of you ladies in need of a little special treatment. DJ Chino and DJ Kizzy will be in charge of the music playing hip-hop and r&b music. Birthday party people with over 35 guests get a complimentary bottle of vodka.

Wyatt Cenac Standup Routine
Comix (353 W. 14th Street): Black comedians on television are a dying breed, but Cenac is representing an even smaller contingent as a member of the fake newscast on The Daily Show. Yes, that’s right; Cenac is a fake, black, newscaster. Not many of those, huh? Well, on Saturday night he will be taking on another role, that of standup comedian. He’ll be performing at the Comix club tonight, offering two shows for everyone to see. Tickets are $25 and there is a two-drink minimum. Enjoy the laughter.

Metropolitan Industry Networking Event – 9:30pm
Revel (10 Little West 12th Street): This networking/socialite party is pulling out all of the stops, and it wants you dressed accordingly. So leave the designer jeans at home and the halter tops aren’t going to work. It’s jackets and ties for the guys, and dresses for the ladies. Now that we have the clothing out of the way, let’s get to the party. First of all, it’s free to get in, as sponsors Belvedere, Johnnie Walker and others fit the bill. Secondly, the party and the atmosphere are going to be off the chain. Sure, it may not be an all black-contingent, but it will be one heck of a contingent nonetheless, and you will want to be a part of it.

True Saturdays – 10pm
Suzie Wong (547 W. 27th Street): Suzie Wong’s is doing it up this Saturday with its regular True Saturdays promotion. The truest thing about it is that everyone is free until 12am and you better pull out your wallet if you reach the door a second later. Once you get inside, you have the ability to purchase 2-for-1 drinks from 10:30 to midnight and enjoy the sounds of DJ Tony Touch, who will be playing nothing but hip-hop, r&b and reggae music. So come through, enjoy the music, sip on the half-priced drinks and enjoy the first Saturday of the month with one of best scenes in Manhattan this Saturday.

Throwback – 11pm
Union Square Lounge (30 E. 16th Street): This intimate little venue located at the bottom of the Coffee Shop is one of the best well-kept secrets in New York City. This Saturday, DJ Tony Smith will be throwing it back to the 90’s, offering a selection of his own homemade mashups and hip-hop mixes to make you feel like it’s 1994 all over again. Any true fan of the 90’s won’t want to miss this.

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Room Service - 35 East 21st Street, Manhattan

It’s Friday night and the mood is right to party. The weather for tonight, and for the rest of this weekend, is supposed to be great, so you better enjoy it while it last. Here is the Friday Nightlife Rundown for March 5, 2010.

Hookah Stress-Free Fridays – 6pm - Katra Lounge (217 Bowery Street): The only thing better than a Friday is a Friday with a hookah. While what you fill the hookah with is limited by the laws of society, you can still have a good time passing the hookah around, throwing back a few cocktails and dancing it up with your friends at Katra Lounge. It’s free to get in, and the party starts right after work. DJ Jay will be on the 1’s and 2’s playing nothing but hip-hop, r&b and old school music, so your flow won’t be stopped by anything you’re not trying to hear.

Dirty Talk Fridays – 10pm
Room Service (35 East 21st Street): Room service is a chic, trendy place on the East side that is home to one of Friday’s best weekly parties. Hip-hop and r&b will dominate the speakers all night long as DJ Jonathan Lopez keeps the party poppin into the wee hours of the a.m.. So be ready to dance, and bring your friends, because groups of 15 or more get a free bottle of champagne. Guys are free until 11pm, and ladies are free until 1am; just let them know you are on the 5 Star Events list.

Latin Fridays – 10pm
Providence (311 West 57th Street): One of the longest running parties in New York, Latin Fridays at Providence continues to go strong, bringing out the Latino contingent with absurd regularity. If you’re down for some Reggaeton or Soca, then this is the place to be tonight. And even if you are not planning on salsa dancing, you can still head downstairs where DJ Worldwide will play nothing but hip-hop and r&b on the 1’s and 2’s. And trust me; this is one of the sexiest venues of the night with everybody attempting to show everyone else up. So coming out dressed to impressed is a severe understatement of what’s required to fit in at Providence NYC.

Wyatt Cenac – 8pm & 10:30pm
Comix (353 W. 14th Street): You know the black guy on The Daily Show, right? Well, that guy’s name is Wyatt Cenac and he will be on the microphone tonight and tomorrow at the Comix comedy club, doing a rare, but extremely funny, standup routine. Tickets are $25 and there is the obligatory two-drink minimum. The only problem with the required drink purchase is that Wyatt is so funny, half of your alcohol is probably going to come out of your nose.

Fabulous Fridays – 11pm
Alphabet Lounge (104 Avenue C): Head down to Alphabet City to take part in one heck of a party. Alphabet Lounge is free tonight if you get there before 11:30, and if you RSVP you will get even more great value. Ladies can take part in a free open bar from 10pm to 11pm. Groups of 10 or more get a free bottle of champagne. And groups of 20 or more get two free bottles of champagne. And until 11:30pm, 3 for 2 drinks, $3 domestic beers, $4 house shots and $6 cosmos. So hurry there and don’t be the only that’s sober!

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Marquee - 289 10th Avenue, NYC

No more Monday Blues, and Hump Day is long gone. Thursday is here, which means it’s basically time to start your weekend. To get you off on the right foot, we have a few ideas you can skim over in our Thursday Nightlife Rundown for March 4, 2010.

Girl’s Night Out – 10pm
Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street): As the title suggests, ladies are free all night. Dudes, you get the infamous “reduced” tag yet again. As for the party itself, you can’t do much better on a Thursday night. For the ladies, the drink specials are off the chain, so you won’t have to break the bank to have a good time at both the club and the bar. As for the fellas, the price of admission may be somewhat costly, but you won’t find a better female to male ratio anywhere else in New York City.
Note: You may be able to avoid the likely $20+ cover charge by going here.

Intimate Sessions – 10pm
Hotel on Rivington (107 Rivington Street): DJ Finesse is in control of the 1’s and 2’s this Thursday, so you can expect nothing but the best in hip-hop, R&B and old school music all night long. As you can imagine, Hotel Rivington does things nice and classy; thus, you should be dressed accordingly. So make sure you’re in your double-take gear so that you do not have any problems at the door. Besides, you don’t want to feel like a fish out of water when you enter the grandiose LEVANTeast room at the Rivington. This place is absolutely gorgeous, and usually, the people who come there don’t fray far from that description. So do your best not to mess up the atmosphere!

Black Speed Dating – 7pm
People Lounge (163 Allen Street): If you think the market does not serve the needs of single, black professionals—think again! New York Minute Dating is doing their best to service the African American community with a speed dating session catered to people like you. This event will be held at People Lounge, a beautiful lounge and bar with the grandeur and trendiness befitting of a young, black, up-and-coming professional. The cost is $35. The organizer recommends women be between the ages of 21 and 35 and that men be between the ages of 23 and 38. For your $35 you get one free drink; it’s up to you to get 7 free digits. http://www.nyminutedating.com/events.aspx

Rooftop Opening
Kimberly Hotel Rooftop (145 East 50th Street): If you are looking for a new place to call your own, try out the recently opened rooftop at the Kimberly Hotel. Talk about unbelievable views, the rooftop at the Kimberly is certainly nothing to scoff at. The view of midtown Manhattan will take your breath away, as will the décor of the rooftop itself. The rooftop has a full service bar, which should take care of any cold weather issues that may concern you during the month of March. Of course, if alcohol isn’t enough to keep you warm, they have a controlled fire burning for your viewing and warming pleasure.

High Life Thursdays Afterwork – 6pm
Taj (48 W. 21st Street): Get your evening started early with a trip to Taj after work. There is a 2 for 1 happy hour from 6-8pm, but the door is tight so make sure clothes are too. There is also no cover if you get there before 8pm, so I suggest you make your way there right after work. Besides, you don’t want to have to wait in line for this one if the weather gets ugly as the weather forecasts have predicted.

Honey Afterwork Thursdays – 6pm
Honey Lounge (243 West 14th Street): I have given Honey a hard time, but they usually do afterwork parties right. They have a great atmosphere for chilling after work, having a few nice drinks, and chowing down on a nice selection of appetizers and entrees. This is a great spot to bring your co-workers if all you want is a place to sit and the ability to hear yourself think. Naturally, there is no cover, and you’ll only hear the music you want to hear all night long.

Our House Thursdays – 10pm
Marquee (289 10th Avenue): The famous and infamous Marquee Lounge continues to get your weekend started right with Mike Chach handling the music on the main floor of the club. Couple that great music with a fashion preview, and what you have is one of the more upscale parties of the week. Sure, the place will be a lot more diverse than just young, black professionals in the building, but it is sure to be entertaining, and I am told that the fashion preview is something no fashion aficionado would want to miss.

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Griffin NYC - 50 Gansevoort Street, New York

Well, the weather forecast for Wednesday, March 3, 2010 is not exactly the best thing going for New Yorkers. However, our position continues to be that the weather can’t stop us from doing what we do. So with rain, snow, wind and whatever else may be in the forecast for this evening, keep the party going with one of these many events in our Wednesday Nightlife Rundown.

X’s and O’s – 6pm – 64 Rogue (64 East 1st Street): It’s going down at Rogue, where the music is great and the people are even better. The young, black professional contingent will definitely be in the building, sporting taste, style and dancing to nothing but R&B and hip-hop music. There is a $20 cover charge, and there are drink and food specials all night long.

Classic Salsa Wednesdays – 6pm
LQ Nightclub (511 Lexington Avenue): What says happy hour better than going to the very place where Plaxico Burress got himself put in jail for two years? Okay, bad joke. Still, LQ’s Salsa Wednesday is a great venue to break out those salsa moves of yours and enjoy some great Latin music. There is a complimentary buffet, as well as drinks specials from 6-8pm. They are also giving away free salsa dance lessons to those willing to learn. And for you high-rollers, put your extra wad of cash away. LQ is offering a discount of $100 on bottles of Finlandia, Jack Daniels and Bacardi.

Soul Food
The Pink Tea Cup (88 7th Avenue): We haven’t tried this place out ourselves, but we are hoping you all will be the first to give us a few reviews. The reviews we’ve read thus far have been positive, as The Pink Tea Cup recently re-opened and is now serving up some of the most nuanced Soul Food you will find south of SOHA. With entrees like baked chicken and shrimp-n-grits, this place could be the first bastion of Soul Food in the Village. So try out the food, enjoy the music, and let us know if you think this place is worthy of a Black Oak party in the near future.

Tim Burton Exhibit at the MMA
Museum of Modern Art (11 W. 53rd Street): Whether you like it or not, you are probably a fan of Tim Burton’s work. The talented filmmaker and contributor to such movies as Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Batman Forever and the recently released Alice in Wonderland is now sharing his work with the museum-going crowd. In this exhibit at the MOMA, Burton shares the childhood drawings, photographs, storyboards and maquettes that have helped develop the visionary’s view of the world and art.

Griffin Wednesdays – 11:45pm
Griffin (50 Gansevoort Street): Come out dressed to impress and ready to dance at this very informal, yet formal, party. There is no cover and service is going to be extra special with Free VIP table service all night long. The house is playing nothing but hip-hop and Top 40 music. When you’re at the door, just let them know you’re on Ibrahim’s VIP list to make sure your admission is free.

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Ayza - 11 West 31st Street, New York City

Given the weather we have had over the last couple of weeks, you could not ask for a better day. So make sure you get out and enjoy the sunshine and 40-degree weather, because it’s supposed to get ugly on Wednesday. Here is the Tuesday Nightlife Rundown for March 2, 2010.

Movie Premiere – “Brooklyn’s Finest” – 7pm - AMC Lincoln Center Theater – Can’t wait for the movie “Brooklyn’s Finest” to come out on Friday? Well, if you’re lucky and can conjure up a ticket from one of the many giveaways going on today, then you may be able to see the premiere of the movie at the AMC Lincoln Center Theater tonight. The movie features Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes and Richard Gere. They are all expected to be in attendance, so if you’re lucky enough to go, get us an autograph so I can appropriately turn it around and sell it.

American Idol Viewing Party – 8pm
Southern Hospitality (1460 2nd Avenue): If you are an American Idol fanatic, then perhaps you would enjoy some company while listening to the unearthed tunes of amateur singers performing to better their lives. Southern Hospitality wants you to join them as they watch the famed singing show with $3 shots, $4 Southern Hospitalities and a ton of other Idol fans. Most importantly, there will be a drawing for a 40-inch flat screen television.

Jay-Z Concert – 8pm
Madison Square Garden (7th Avenue & 32nd Street): Get out tonight and enjoy your boy Hova tonight as he takes on the crowd at Madison Square Garden—for the one-millionth time. He’s getting the crowd rocking starting at 8pm and you can still get decent tickets, so why not take advantage of it and make the best of a Tuesday night?

Luxurious Tuesdays – 5pm
Negril Village (70 West 3rd Street): This absolutely free event is one of the best afterwork parties in Manhattan. Negril Village not only has some of the best Caribbean food in New York City, but they are serving up music and dancing as well. Young, black professionals from all over the city show up to this event, dressed to impress and ready to have a heck of a time. There’s nothing but hip-hop, R&B, and reggae music on the speakers, as DJ Snap keeps the party lively all night long.

A-List Tuesdays – 10pm
Cain Luxe (544 27th Street): About $20 is the price of admission, but supposedly if you let them know you’re on the Keino guestlist, it should be free. That said, you ought to be prepared to pay the $20, but it will probably be worth it. Cain Luxe’s brings out one of the sexiest, young, black professional crowds you will find in New York City on a Tuesday night. This event is known for its live performances, as well as the slew of popular musicians that often frequent this club. So check it out, and get there early, because there is sure to be a long, long line.

Tuesday Girls Night Out – 7pm
Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar (11 West 31st Street): Okay, ladies! Black Oak Nights is trying its damndest to look out for the single ladies, and here is one event we think you all will like. While the music the music selection at this wine bar may not exactly bring down the house, the rest of the atmosphere will be very supportive of a ladies night out. There will be plenty of single, professional women in the building, and all of them will be taking advantage of wine and chocolate specials. You can go to OpenTable.com and enter “Girls Night Out” to receiver a complimentary chocolate shot and a Belgian Chocolate Covered Strawberry.

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