D'Or - 204 W. 55th Street, Manhattan
Okay, so we are getting off to a late start, so we’re going to focus on late night life in this post. Enjoy the bright and sunny weather, and get ready for a night full of activity. Here is the Saturday Nightlife Rundown for April 24, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
Griffin - 50 Gansevoort St, Manhattan
It’s the last day of March, so to make sure your entire month was not a waste; why not make this Wednesday one hell of a hump-day celebration? From afterwork parties to bacon bashes, there is a ton of stuff to do in New York City today. So without further adieu, here is your Wednesday Nightlife Rundown for March 31, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m sure you have a case of the Mondays, especially after having one of the best weekends, weather-wise, that we have had in New York City in a while. Unfortunately, the forecast calls for a return to snowy days on Tuesday, so you better get out while you can. Here’s the Monday Nightlife Rundown: Read the rest of this entry »
Tired of same old work during the day go to the bar at night routine? Well, here are a couple of alternatives to get you outside this season. These three places are not only unique to the usual New York City experience, but they keep you out in the sun—while you still have it!
Sushi Samba
With two locations to choose from, you don’t want to mess this up! If you’re going to go to Sushi Samba, you could go to the less frequented option in midtown and have a less crowded experience. But if you’re truly looking to embrace this “Sex and the City” hot spot, then you must check out the West Village location, where you can join the company of financial analysts, lawyers actors and rich kids as you sit on top of a roof staring out at the downtown Manhattan skyline. I didn’t even bring up the food, which is a cultural blend of Brazilian, Asian and Latin foods and spices that combine to give your taste buds a run for their money. I’m pretty sure there’s nowhere else in New York City where you can eat sashimi and churrasco on top of a roof. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Water Taxi Beach
Now with 3 New York City locations to choose from Water Taxi Beach is the place to be for fun and cheap food! You could check out the Long Island City location in Queens, where you can play beach volleyball and peer out at the Midtown Manhattan skyline. Then there is the South Street Seaport location, where there is tons of sand and a miniature golf course to take advantage of. And at the new Governors Island location, you can bask in the beauty of the island and go to independent movie screenings, all the while taking in both the Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfronts. Plus, the Governors Island location is boasting a series of musical performances throughout the warm-weather season, so you can enjoy performances from an onslaught of musicians set to perform this year, including Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Turntables on the Hudson.
Brooklyn Promenade
As if there was actually another promenade worth naming? The Brooklyn Promenade rest high above sea level, giving you a fantastic view of Manhattan and its waterfront. Of course, during the night, you can take your significant other out to the promenade, where you can enjoy gazing at the water as the moon and lights reflect off the water, and the glistening boats whiz by the harbor. And you can make an entire date of this location alone. Right alongside the Promenade on Montague Street, you have a plethora of Brooklyn Heights’ finest restaurants, with everything from Indian food to Greek. And after you walk off those tantalizing meals at the promenade, you can stroll over to the nearby Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Shop, where they give you plenty of cream for your cash.
The economy is hitting everyone’s wallets, but that doesn’t mean you have to have a void in your life. There are plenty of things for New Yorkers to do that don’t cost more that what you want pay—which is nothing! In fact, Brooklyn is full of budget-friendly venues and parks, so why not start there?
“Target First Saturdays”
Saturday nights at the Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York), or Target First Saturdays, are unlike anything I have ever seen happen in a government building. On the first Saturday of every month, this place, full of culture, art and sophistication, turns into a madhouse, full of drinking socialites, music lovers and naturally cool people. You would be hard pressed to go anywhere else on a Saturday night in New York City and find a more eclectic, yet cultured, group of young black professionals than the ones roaming around this place on the first Saturday of every month.
The night features an arrangement of specially laid out art displays. The last time I went, there was a collection of portraits of black, historical figures; all the way from Martin Luther King to Oprah. Those who gathered around the collection talked intimately about what some of the people featured in the portraits meant to them, and the cups of beer in their hands made the conversations even more lively.
Outside of still art, there are plenty of live performances that occur every month. Often, there will be a band playing right by the entrance way, where you can hear some of the best underground and cultural music there is in New York City. There have been plenty of spoken word performances, including the upcoming performances of Urban Word NYC and Alexis Marie. And you can even catch the occasional independent film, which is generally shown in the Museum’s Cantor Auditorium on the 3rd floor.
On the upper level, there is a dance floor created out of a staging area. It was absolutely ridiculous. It was the equivalent of throwing a toga party in the 16th Chapel. People were dancing, shouting, mingling and just acting a fool—in sophisticated way though! With the lights dimmed and the cocktails flowing, peopled danced to a mix of hip-hop and some more culturally diverse tunes, right there on the pristine floor of the Brooklyn Museum. There were at least 500 people on the dance floor alone, and some people even came dressed to impress, as if they thought they were going to a club in Manhattan.
Downstairs though, it was much more relaxed, with a ranging mixture of different personalities and professions kicking back in seats that had exquisite views of artwork and/or the grounds of the Museum. The Museum Café is open throughout the event, so you can have a sandwich or salad while you sip your cocktail and wonder the museum—it’s like Starbucks, only with art and it’s actually fun.
However, it’s not like Starbucks, in that it’s 100% free every first Saturday of the month. The event goes from 5pm to 11pm, but often, it takes the Museum a lot longer to get everyone out of the building. Once again, the event is completely free with the help of their sponsors, Target, the New York Times, and WNYC Radio. There is a suggested contribution, but believe me, if you do not have it, or just don’t want to contribute, there is absolutely no pressure to do so.
