1.23.2009

Free Wing Fridays (and now Thursdays)

1 comments
Boss Tweed's Saloon is a grungy, little bar with cheep drinks, beer pong and other sweet deals.

Boss Tweed's Saloon
155 Essex Street, Lower East Side
(Between Rivington and Delancey)
Accessible by the F, J, M and Z lines


The best offer by far is the free wings on Fridays (and according to the Web site now on Thursdays too!) starting at 5 p.m. The wings aren't hot or buffalo style, but rather like a blackened, jerk chicken wing. When I was there they were so tender the meat literally fell off the bone. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

They are served buffet style and you can just help yourself. (Purchasing a drink is required, but for $3 you can have a beer and a delicious meal).

1.15.2009

Lunch price is half as nice

0 comments
If you are like me, and you discovered that you couldn't make the entire trek through Central Park without needing to stop for a meal, than you are in luck.

I found this delicious little Indian restaurant at 73rd St. and Columbus Ave. (One block over from Central Park West).

Indigo Indian Bistro
283 Columbus Ave
@73rd St.
New York, NY 10024
(212) 579-3900


The best part of all - half-priced lunch. Everything on the menu is halved for the lunch special. (May be temporary so look out for the sign outside before committing).

They do also have a delivery/take-out deal that allows you to choose any lamb, chicken or veggie dish plus rice and nan for under $10. This place looks like it could get pretty pricey for dinner, so be sure to take advantage of the lunch discount.

Portions are pretty generous and I had plenty for leftovers. That's two meals for the price of half of one! Huh?

I would walk 7+ miles

0 comments
If you are looking to explore Central Park and have many hours to do so, my suggestion is to start at the top.

Take the A, C, B OR D lines to Cathedral Parkway (110 Street). Get out - go into the park and try to find your way down to midtown. It's not as easy as it sounds and you will discover a lot of cool things along the way.

The upper part of the park is very woodsy and hilly and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought of Narnia when I saw the lamp posts. Detour from the main path and try to find your way amongst the smaller trails. Don't forget the provisions: some beverages and snacks will allow you to have an impromptu picnic whenever the desire strikes.

Some definite must sees include the Alice in Wonderland statue, the large navy fountain and steps, the ice rink with city skyline in the background, and the carousel (only $2!). As you wander look around and try to name the famous movies that have been made in this very park. You will find you recognize a lot of these locations.











Now, I'm not going to tell you where to find these things, because the fun is in trying to find them yourself. Consult the maps along the way to point you in the right direction. Just be willing to get lost.

1.10.2009

Meeting the talented and famous at the Stage Door

1 comments
After you have gotten some half-price tickets from TKTS - here's another fun FREE way to entertain yourself:

THE STAGE DOOR

Hang out after the show and try to meet your favorite performer. You will have the opportunity to meet many well-known Hollywood actors, who have come to Broadway to make their stage debut, as well as veteran Broadway stars. Get your Playbill signed, snap a photo and tell the stars how much their performance meant to you.

The crowds at the stage door can very from show to show and from night to night. If you think your show might be extra popular try to duck out before the curtain call ends so you can be in the front line at the stage door. (Make sure to scout out where the stage door is before the show, so you will know exactly where to go. If you aren't sure where it is, ask!)

Above all though, remember to be courteous. Pushing, yelling and other obnoxious displays are unacceptable and will only make the actors want to leave faster. Remember there are other people in line so don't hog all the space or all of the actor's time.

Look at who I met after Equus:
Daniel Radcliffe didn't stick around long on this frigid night.

Richard Griffiths was a bit rude, but he made sure to sign autographs of everyone who remained.

1.06.2009

Getting half-price Broadway tickets

0 comments
The Broadway bug bit me my first week in New York when I saw the large TKTS booth in Times Square. TKTS sells day-of discounted Broadway tickets to many of the favorite shows.

To avoid the long lines I suggest taking advantage of the weekdays and aim to go to the TKTS booth Tuesday or Wednesday. Go with a specific show or two in mind, but be flexible. The offerings change everyday and you never know what deal you might get.
I happened to stop by on a Tuesday and paid $50 for $126 tenth row seats to see Equus. It was during the last month of the show and was totally worth it.

Later that same week, on a Thursday, my friend and I went by again to see what ticket offerings were available. The selection was bigger, but so was the line! We arrived right when the booth opened and had to wait about 45 minutes.
We were still able to get three tickets in center orchestra for Mary Poppins. We payed less than $50 per ticket, which would originally be valued at $126. So don't be discouraged by the lines, there are still plenty of tickets available.




Details on TKTS Booths: (Click on the link for detailed subway and more information).

Times Square - "under the red steps" at Broadway and 47th Street.
Hours - Monday - Saturday: 3pm - 8pm
South Street Seaport - 199 Water Street (corner of Front and John Streets).
Hours - Monday - Saturday: 11am - 6pm
Downtown Brooklyn - corner of Jay Street and Myrtle Avenue Promenade.
Hours - Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 6pm

In addition to the discounted tickets, waiting in line at the booth can be entertaining itself. Check out these photos of someone trying to work up the TKTS waiting lines.

1.05.2009

Food shopping for 99 cents

3 comments
Finding a good, inexpensive grocery store in this city may seem like an impossible task. After searching the 30 or so organic, specialty and regular food stores in my area I came up with one economic choice: Jack’s 99 Cent World (located on 32nd Street between 7th and 6th avenues).
Upon first impression Jack’s may seem like a tacky, one stop shop, but inside its walls are sweet deals and an excellent selection if you know what to look for. Go in with an open mind and prepare to be patient when dealing with the crowds.

The first floor is almost exclusively 99 cents and features a wide array of nonperishable food selections. There is also a selection of frozen and refrigerated foods for $1.29. The trick is to look for further 2 for 99 cents or even 4 for 99 cents deals that are often offered. My typical food items include anything from pop tarts and pretzels to milk, cheese, salami and bread. I also typically grab a couple of canned goods and a few bags of frozen vegetables, which are quite tasty when cooked properly. You may need to take a risk and try out a few items to find what is acceptable (I had a bad popcorn chicken experience), but at 99 cents it’s not much of a risk.

The second floor is great if you have just moved in and are looking for some apartment essentials. The 99 cents rule is out on the upper floors, but everything is still really cheap and you can find some great cooking, cleaning and other household supplies for ridiculous prices.

The third floor has a lot of name brand toiletries and specialty foods. It’s the same stuff you’ll find at the local drugstore; however, at Jack’s it is often available at half the price.

I do all of my major grocery shopping here and can get a week+ worth of food, including snacks, lunches and dinners for less than $25. If that’s not a good deal, I don’t know what is.

1.01.2009

Welcome to Novice in NYC

1 comments

I moved to NYC for an unpaid internship. I thought it would be easy to find a part-time job and I would be able to live it up in the big city. Well, the economy had a different idea. So I find myself employed, but unpaid, and struggling to live in this expensive environment.

I will document my experience as I strive to find fun and CHEAP things to do and places to eat. I hope this blog will serve as a guide to future NYC novices and help others live it up without breaking the bank.