Free entertainment brought to you by Apple

If you are like me and try to avoid the Apple Store for fear of spending too much money, well this post is going to make it harder. The Apple Stores are now offering some pretty sweet entertainment promotions which will have people flocking to the stores.

The Apple Store in Soho offers some fabulous FREE entertainment. With a built in theater space, the store often hosts musicians, directors, actors and other famous faces for in-store performances and meet and greets.

Apple Store Soho
103 Prince Street
New York City, NY 10012
(212) 226-3126

You can check out the calendar of upcoming events on the Web site. The key if you want to grab a seat is to arrive about an hour early for popular events, which most of them are.

Some pretty cool appearances are in store for March -

- March 5 - Meet "Watchman" Actors: Patrick Wilson & Jeffrey Dean Morgan, 7 p.m.
- March 10 - Meet "Knowing" Director: Alex Proyas, 7 p.m.
- March 17 - Meet the Actor and Filmmaker: Clive Owen and Tony Gilroy for "Duplicity," 4 p.m.

These events can be pretty spontaneous and you never know what surprises might be in store.


I went to the Joss Whedon event in February and was surprised by special guest Eliza Dushku arriving to participate in the talk. Even better, Joss signed autographs afterward and I was able to meet the man himself. Check it out!

$5 meal, yes please!

On 34th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues) Sandwiched between a Burger King and a Wendy's is an even cheaper food option: The Lunch Box.

A Chinese buffet and bakery this little venue offers a great $5 meal deal. For $5 you can choose 5 options from more than 20 different selections, including sesame chicken, broccoli in garlic sauce, three different fried rices and much, much more.

You will leave with a heaping to-go box of your selections!

The place does have a slightly questionable ambiance and I am sure its sketchy appearance has turned many away, but don't be deterred. Most of the selections are quite tasty. You'll get the occasional misfire and may have to experiment a bit to find your favorite dish, but at $5 it is well worth it.

Figuring out B'way's student rush and lottery system

Playbill keeps an updated list of all current Broadway shows that offer general rush, lottery and student rush tickets. If you have some time to wait in line than you can get Broadway tickets for as little as $20.

Check out the current offerings at Playbill.com.

General Rush typically begins when the box office opens (usually around 10 a.m., but it depends on the theater). This allows anyone to purchase day-off tickets usually costing $26.50.

Student Rush works the same as general rush. Supposedly it is only for students with ID, but I haven't yet been asked to show it. This can be kind of competitive and many will line up before the box office opens for really popular shows. However, I was able to get a student rush ticket to Guys and Dolls just a few hours before the show. It's hit and miss, and it never hurts to just go in and ask the box office if they have any rush tickets left. (Be warned that these tickets are often for partial view seats, which for some productions can cause a lot of the action to be blocked from your view. Some theaters get really uppity if you change seat, but I've found that scoping out an empty seat and then switching during intermission is usually a safe bet.)

Several shows like In The Heights, Shrek and Wicked are so popular that they only offer a lottery system for day-of tickets. Typically the lottery begins three hours before a performance. All you have to do is fill out a slip of paper and put it in the bucket. A half-hour later they draw names. Usually about 20 tickets are given away for good orchestra seats. These lotteries can get really popular, so like the TKTS booth try going on a Tuesday or Wednesday for a better chance of winning. However, you will likely need to keep trying. I've done the In The Heights lottery four times already and haven't won yet! Tickets cost $26.50 and you must have cash.

There is also the option of purchasing standing room tickets. I haven't yet had the need to do this, but assume it works much like the other methods. Standing room tickets are only sold for "sold-out" performances and are typically available two hours before a show. Only select shows are able to sell standing room tickets because of theater designs.

Small venues offer cheap concerts

The Highline Ballroom is a fun venue to see a band. With a full restaurant, two bars and a dance/crowd floor, the concerts feel intimate and grand at the same time.

The acts range from comedic impressionist MacHomer to pop rocker Tyrone Wells to Desilicious Hai Hai Holi Party! - there is something offered for everyone. Prices for the lesser known acts average around $15 dollars, which is a pretty good deal. Some of the pricer acts can reach $70+ dollars. Age limits also range from act to act. Beers ($7) and food are typically pricey, so eat/drink before hand if your on a budget.

Highline Ballroom
431 W 16th St
New York, NY 10011
between 9th and 10th Ave
(212) 414-5994
A, C, E or L lines will get you closest

I saw singer/songwriter Matt Wertz with opener the Alternate Routes there Feb. 5 for $12. It was a really good concert and easy to connect with the artists in the small space. Could see how it could easily get pretty rowdy with the right band.

These photos are from standing in the second row on the right side of the stage.