Its been kind of a slow news day today, and that being said, its allowed me plenty of time to think about my weekend plans. Monday is Presidents day, hence no work, and with a solid four day of fun ahead of me, I need some suggestions on fun things to do to keep me occupied. I'm compiling ideas and have a solid list below, but any more ideas, please send my way! In the meantime, Ive begun compiling a list of fun activities (compliments of timeoutny.com).
FridayRoll a bocce ball at Union Hall
The spacious main floor of this Brooklyn bar has a garden, food service and a bocce court. Tucked in the basement is a comfortable space dominated by the more delicate side of indie rock, interspersed with burlesque, comedy and other forms of entertainment. 702 Union St between Fifth and Sixth Aves, Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-638-4400, unionhallny.com) 4pm-4am.
Take a free 90-minute Grand Central tour with Justin Ferate
Acclaimed guide Justin Ferate not only dissects the lore and legends of Grand Central Terminal’s history, but places them within the context of its lesser-known neighborhood. Meet inside the lobby of the Altria Building, Park Ave at 42nd St (212-697-1245, grandcentralpartnership.org). 12:30pm; free.
Play beer pong at Down the Hatch
Relive your dorm days at this fratboy-meets-yuppie bar with a game of beer pong. Loser has to eat the spicy (but tasty) buffalo wings labeled “suicidal.” 179 W 4th St at Jones St (212-627-9747, nycbestbars.com). Noon–4am; free.
This dark dive boasts one of the best regular specials in the city—$10 for five shots of anything, anytime. Chase ‘em down with a cold one while surveying vintage rust-belt beer signs. Continental Bar, 25 Third Ave between St. Marks Pl and E 9th St (212-529-6924, continentalnyc.com). 4pm–4am.
An anomaly on a tourist-trap street, this small, nautically decorated restaurant delivers what it promises: $2 oysters (especially the Japanese varieties) that are reliably good. 280 Bleecker St at Jones St (212-727-2879). Noon–midnight.
Hit up a Mexican food cart in Soho
When aptly named brothers Dave, Jesse and Brian Vendley opened a Mexican-food cart in June 2006, their so-called gourmet Cal-Mex street food developed a fast and loyal following. A 2008 Vendy Award cemented their place in the pantheon of next-generation street-food vendors. The devil’s in the details: thoughtful seasoning (courtesy of a rub Jesse developed with a Queens-based spice company), flavorful meat cooked to order, and portions that combine both quantity and quality. Try the Calexico carne asada burrito ($8) and the chipotle pork taco ($3). Full menu served at the corner of Prince and Wooster Sts (Mon–Fri 11:30am–3:30pm); burrito menu served at the corner of Broadway and Broome St (Mon–Fri 11:30am–3:30pm); calexicocart.com, twitter.com/calexicocart.
Listen to jazz at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle
Choice acts keep New York’s most dapper nightspot on the map, while the steep cover charge and white-jacketed service make sure riffraff doesn’t scuff up the bar’s most valued draw: original Ludwig Bemelmans murals. Mixologist Brian Van Flandern’s spiffy (and pricey) potions preserve the bar’s classic character. Try the popular Paradise cocktail (pear vodka, Aneri and prosecco with lime and bitters), or a rum, lime, tonic and Martell cognac concoction named for the spot’s longtime barkeep, Tommy Rowles. The Carlyle, 35 E 76th St at Madison Ave (212-744-1600, thecarlyle.com). 5:30–8:30pm; free.
Visit the Brooklyn Brewery
The name of the game at one of New York’s most successful breweries is beer. The name of the game in the Tasting Room is cheap beer. For four bucks, you get one token, good for a glass of the brewed-on-site suds of your choice. Settle at one of the picnic tables and sip a smooth Brooklyn Pilsner or seasonal Black Stout Chocolate. Don’t hold back. The more you drink, the more you support a clean environment: The brewery is now 100 percent wind-powered. 79 North 11th St between Berry St and Wythe Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-486-7422, brooklynbrewery.com). Fri 6–11pm. Free.
Witness superb panoramas of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry, made all the more sweet by the onboard snack bar’s very un-cruiselike beer prices ($3–$5). Board at Whitehall Ferry Terminal, 4 South St at Whitehall St (718-727-2508, siferry.com)
Free Friday hours at the Whitney Museum of American Art
From 6 to 9pm, admission is whatever you want it to be. Which is a bargain considering that you can spend those hours staring at new exhibitions or the excellent permanent collection of modern art. 945 Madison Ave at 75th St (212-570-3600, whitney.org).
Pay what you wish at the International Center of Photography
On Fridays, we recommend heading to ICP, where entry is based on a voluntary contribution and you can take in two floors’ worth of photos and video exhibitions on the cheap (5–8pm). 1133 Sixth Ave at 43rd St (212-857-0000, icp.org)
Have a drink and listen to live music at the Met
On Fridays from 4 to 8pm, sip wine ($12), beer ($7) or a mojito ($12) at the second-floor Great Hall Balcony Bar, which peers onto the stately foyer. Live classical music courtesy of a piano player or a string quartet adds to the sophisticated atmosphere. 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, (212-535-7710, metmuseum.org) 4–8:30pm.
Every Saturday from 10am to noon, go and smell the flowers for free. This 52-acre park is home to the climate-controlled Steinhardt Conservatory (which houses plant life from three different temperate zones), as well as gardens devoted to fragrances and plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays. If you want some fauna to go with your flora, check out the ducks in the picturesque Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. 900 Washington Ave at Eastern Pkwy, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-623-7200, bbg.org). 10am–noon; free.
Tour the Plaza HotelTake a 45-minute guided peek into the luxurious Plaza (including some areas normally off-limits to tourists) on this tour led by art and architecture critic-cum-author Francis Morrone. (Call ahead; reservations are required.) The Plaza Hotel, 768 Fifth Ave at Central Park South (212-546-5477, fairmont.com/theplaza). Sat 3pm; $15, seniors and students $10.
Check out Hell's Kitchen Flea Market
Secondhand items reign at this market, which features more than 50 vendors shilling designer clothing, vintage vases and plates, and everything in between. It gets crowded quickly, so come early for a first pass at the vendors’ wares. W 39th St between Ninth and Tenth Aves (212-243-5343, hellskitchenfleamarket.com). Sat, Sun 9am–6pm.
Try Capoeira
Step into the roda (circle) at a beginner’s capoeira class with Brazilian professor Tiba. With the percussionists and singers accompanying the class, you might actually think you’re in Brazil. The Ailey School, 405 W 55th St at Ninth Ave (212-405-9500). 2:30–4pm; $17.
Drink during the day at the Sunburnt Cow and Bondi Road
This convivial Down Under duo provides the perfect excuse to get the party started early: $18 all-you-can-drink brunch. The Sunburnt Cow (137 Ave C between 8th and 9th Sts; 212-529-0005, thesunburntcow.com) caters to Alphabet City lushes, and Bondi Beach (153 Rivington St between Clinton and Suffolk Sts; 212-253-5311, bondiroad.com) keeps the Fosters flowing on the LES.Fill up on free samples at Union Square Greenmarket
At this outdoor produce mart, you’ll find yourself shopping elbow to elbow with top chefs, perusing regionally grown culinary pleasures from more than 140 different producers each week. You'll want to keep coming back until you’ve sampled them all. Union Square between 16th and 17th Sts (212-788-7476, cenyc.org/greenmarket)
Head to the High Line for a free guided walking tour of the first section of the park. The walk passes through the Gansevoort woodland, Washington and Chelsea grasslands and the Diller–Von Furstenberg water feature. Meet at Gansevoort St stairs, Gansevoort St at Washington St (thehighline.org). Sat 11am; free, limited to first 20 people.
Take it back to the ‘80s at Canal Room
If your idea of heaven is a place on earth incorporating Pat Benatar, neon headbands and spandex, you’ll love this weekly party featuring spirited ‘80s cover band Rubix Cube. The crowd gets into the action, helped along by $5 Buds and $3 Pretty in Pinks shots. Check out backtotheeightiesshow.com for more details. 285 West Broadway at Canal St (212-941-8100).
Thursday Headlines
TV Parties Tonight: Colbert Report Shoots At Bar Coastal, Man V Food At Rack & Soul
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2011/02/tv_parties_tonight_colbert_rep.html
See Lady Gaga's Condom Inspired Suit: Good Morning America
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/02/lady_gaga_condom_outfit.html?imw=Y&f=most-viewed-24h10
Media: Another Misstep in Aftermath of Lara Logan's Sexual Assault
http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/02/media-another-misstep-in-aftermath-of-lara-logans-sexual-assault.html
The 6 Ways CBS's Crime Dramas Kill Everything Else On TV
http://www.businessinsider.com/criminal-minds-forest-whitaker-csi-ncis-cbs-2011-2
Top Chef: Cookie Monster and A Salty Fiasco
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/b226697_top_chef_cookie_monster_salty_fiasco.html
The King's Speech: TV Movie or Cinematic Achievement
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/17/the-kings-speech-tv-movie-cinematic-achievement/
Queens Of The Stone Age To Headline Rolling Stone South By Southwest
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/queens-of-the-stone-age-to-headline-rolling-stone-south-by-southwest-concert-20110217
Aretha Franklin Will Return To The Stage And Release New Album
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/aretha-franklin-will-return-to-the-stage-and-release-new-album-20110217
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