In a country where Netflix offers endless in-home entertainment, often replacing movie-going and…leaving the apartment, many get their fix of “live” comedy by watching stand-up on TV. I’ll tell you right now, it may be funny, and it may be comfortable, but it’s not the same as attending a stand-up show.
There’s something very special that happens with any sort of live performance: the lights are bright and the audience plays an active role in the show, fueling the performer with its collective energy. The camaraderie of shared experience brings the room together. At a comedy show in particular, the way a joke lands changes every show with every crowd.
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2 Comments | Posted on August 8, 2012 | Categories: Dining, Entertainment, From the Blog, Nightlife, Only in New York, Upper West Side
tags: Bob Dibuono, Comedy, drinks, Elon Gold, entertainment, Hannah Kloepfer, laugh, live comedy, live entertainment, Nightlife, not leaving your apartment, NYC comedy, stand up, Stand Up NY, Upper West Side
Hey, New York!
Instead of just a recap, this week I want to give you options! It’s a Thursday; I hope you’re either pumping up for your weekend or starting it early. Last Thursday I ventured to Bourbon Street for $1 beers. Yes, $1 beers. This seemed to be a weekly tradition for many of the patrons–they seemed to bogart the beer pong table, picking up their tourney from last Thursday. They were excited to say the least, and gained fans by the minute, as those passing by to reach the restrooms stopped to cheer them on.
At 11PM, however, the magic $1 fairy disappeared, and we decided to leave. In our discussion of what to do next, I got in the inspiration for this post: what should you do in the city at 11PM? It’s post-dinner, with few happy hours to be found, too early to go home, and too late to hit up a movie, play, and most concerts. So what’s good? Read the complete post »
1 Comment | Posted on July 26, 2012 | Categories: Dos and Don'ts, Entertainment, From the Blog, Nightlife
tags: barcade, Dance, Drink Specials, Hannah Kloepfer, Late Night, le poisson rouge, Nightlife
It’s time for a classic: dinner and a movie!
It sounds like a clichéd evening, but there’s a “New York way” to do this classic date night. And it doesn’t even have to be a date night! Treat yourself! Take your mom! Bring a friend! Read the complete post »
No Comments | Posted on July 19, 2012 | Categories: Dating and Romance, Dining, Editor's Pick, From the Blog, Nightlife, Only in New York
tags: Hannah Kloepfer, movies under the stars, Nightlife
Just who is Linda Simpson? She’s sassy, classy, stylish, hysterical, and the host of Le Bingo! at Le Poisson Rouge. Every Saturday evening, this drag queen extraordinaire calls out numbers, teases the audience, and leaves everyone at LPR with a smile. Not knowing what to expect from bingo at a nightclub, we were welcomed with open arms and presented with Bingo cards by the Le Bingo! spokesmodel, Natasha. Her duties also included the presentation of the prizes—which consisted of items that could be nothing but garage sale finds like ceramic puppy statues, hologram placemats, and spinning monkey toys—and the spinning of the “Wheel of Chance,” which makes the price of whatever beverage it lands on just $4. Read the complete post »
1 Comment | Posted on July 17, 2012 | Categories: Editor's Pick, Entertainment, From the Blog, Nightlife
tags: Dining, Hannah Kloepfer, LGBTQ, Nightlife
This weekend I attended perhaps the best pre-game of all time: a tasting at the Brooklyn Brewery. The hours vary from day to day–for example, on Friday evening, it’s open from 6-11pM, but on Saturdays they close their doors at 8PM–but any time is time well spent here. Read the complete post »
No Comments | Posted on June 28, 2012 | Categories: Brooklyn, From the Blog, Only in New York
tags: Brooklyn Brewery, Hannah Kloepfer, Nightlife
stormlarge.com
It isn’t every day that you hear a song proclaiming, “my vagina/it’s universal/like a penis/but reversible.” Yet those were the exact lyrics that my friend and I found ourselves singing along to at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Thursday night while watching the Massachusetts-born singer Storm Large perform part of her raunchy set, a song dubbed “Eight Miles Wide.”
Taking the stage amid a flurry of applause and whistles from her dedicated fans — who accompanied her word-for-word in the majority of her own songs—Storm dominated the small stage, alternately shattering the room with her powerful voice, singing in sugar-coated falsetto, tousling her ice-blonde hair, gyrating against the microphone, and telling salacious stories in between songs. “Love is so fucking twisted—when it’s good,” Large proclaimed, introducing a love song that she’d written. “When the cops aren’t called, you just aren’t that invested.”
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No Comments | Posted on January 29, 2012 | Categories: Entertainment, Event-Related, From the Blog, Greenwich Village, Nightlife
tags: cheeky humor, concerts, le poisson rouge, Luna Adler, Nightlife, Storm Large
Warhol can step aside – there’s a new pop art taking over. This one features a rainbow of colors, patterns, and textures, with a flavor for every shade on the spectrum. At Pop-Bar on Carmine Street, it’s easy to see why the Popsicle has become iconic.
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No Comments | Posted on August 10, 2011 | Categories: Dining, From the Blog, Greenwich Village, Nightlife
tags: Dining, gelato, Greenwich Village, Nightlife, Pop-Bar, Popsicles, Shira Laucharoen, Sorbetto
Although it’s almost taboo to admit, I’m not a big fan of live music. It’s not that I don’t love music; it’s just that so much can go wrong on any given night – a crummy band, terrible sound, overpriced drinks, or a dance floor crammed with assholes trying to look cool and get laid. So it was with skepticism that I descended into the basement showroom of the Village Underground.
Apparently, I should lighten up. The vibe, at least on this Friday night, was warm, rather than hot – and I mean that in the best way possible. The eponymous band was impeccable, cruising through upbeat numbers like a Jamaican-infused “I’m Yours” and a mash up of “MacArthur Park” and Nate Dogg’s “Till The Wheels Fall Off.” Rapping “Juicy” with my table mates broke the ice, and pineapple-infused vodka (made at the club) did the rest.
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No Comments | Posted on August 2, 2011 | Categories: Entertainment, From the Blog, Greenwich Village, Nightlife
tags: Greenwich Village, Jon Edelman, Nightlife, Village Underground
This place was a little bit hard to find, only because there were three buildings marked “20 Prince Street.” After passing by an apartment building and a restaurant that had a Hawaiian theme decor, I was relieved to come upon the third, non-descript door with a little sign that read “1534.” From the entrance, I knew to expect the same speakeasy criteria as the exterior.
Upon entering the swinging glass doors, one look at the bar, and I knew that the drinks were going to be of the same caliber as those you would expect to find around the speakeasy-scene. The menu included the traditional list of rules and regulations, my favorites included: rule number 2: Do not sit quietly at the bar. You must engage in conversation, and rule number 8: Finally, bad decisions are made here, not condemned… No judging. The following pages off the menu were divided into four regional varieties: Americas, Africa, Asia, and French Polynesian/Pacific. The menu also included an intriguing set of appetizers, but since we had just arrived from dinner, we didn’t order any. I scanned the menu to find the most original drink, and decided upon a drink from the “Africa” category, the Zanzibar, a mixture of Jamaican rum, coco milk, Demerara syrup, tahini paste, coffee tincture, and grated nutmeg. The drink arrived in a nearly foot-tall glass, and we happily slurped it down in a few minutes because the majority of the glass was consumed by ice. Besides the deceiving quantity, the drink was distinct and fit into the colonial vibe.
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1 Comment | Posted on August 2, 2011 | Categories: From the Blog, Nightlife, SoHo
tags: 1534, Nightlife, Serena Piol, SoHo
On a quiet side street near the theater district, one can hear the faint sound of Lady Gaga playing down the street… Vlada, a gay lounge in (surprise!) Hell’s Kitchen, with an unusual flair for original tasting cocktails. The bar is open every day from 4pm-4am, with a DJ spinning Lady Gaga most nights. The two-floor venue has more of a lounge/bar feel downstairs, and a club feel upstairs. With the music loud enough to enhance any conversation to somewhat yelling, people feel at ease getting up to dance whenever they feel like it – no judgment. Every night, starting around 11pm, they have a drag show upstairs, each day with a slightly different twist. On Sundays they have the musical theater drag show, and on another night they have a Lady Gaga drag show. On most Fridays and Saturdays they host themed parties such as a superhero party.
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1 Comment | Posted on August 2, 2011 | Categories: Entertainment, From the Blog, Midtown West, Nightlife
tags: Hell's Kitchen, Nightlife, Serena Piol, Vlada
