Sites to Save

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

Still here. I apologize for being haphazard with entries...between the insanity that is currently work and not having consistent internet access, blogging had to take a backseat for a little while...

I recently ordered copies of the NYC's Entertaiment book for 2009. A ton o coupons for all your needs- food, movies, shopping etc. Proceeds go to support schools around the country (you know how I like to do good while shopping). Retail price? $30, on sale for $20 with free shipping. http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml

If you're not already sick of shopping, some more sites to help you save while you're battling the crowds for ...
clothes: http://www.retailmenot.com
groceries (because we all need to eat sometime): http://mygrocerydeals.com/
a little bit of everything: http://print.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers
, http://www.couponcabin.com/, and http://www.couponmountain.com/, www.couponseven.com

Eye on Exhibits

Target First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum
December 6th 5-11pm
FREE

Performances by Welfare poets, a discussion on women with HIV/AIDS hosted by a representative from the international organization, Madre, Born Into Brothels screening w/ director Q&A, the Black List Project key players speak about the exhibit, the president of the Hip-Hop association leads a panel of women social entrepreneurs, performances by the Brian Jackson Quartet and a dance party featuring premier DJS.
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php to check out the full schedule

While there, check out "The Black List Project" now until March 29, 2009. The Project is a documentary exhibition, which depicts the faces and voices of prominent African Americans in music, politics, academia, comedy and sports.

200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
FREE the first Saturday of every month from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM.


FIT Museum Exhibits
FIT “Gothic: Dark Glamour” exhibit
Now through February 21, 2009
Gothic is a look at the interpretation of darkness in fashion. The exhibit features work by designers like Galliano for Dior, McQueen and Anna Sui.
http://www.fitnyc.edu/aspx/Content.aspx?menu=FutureGlobal:Museum:Exhibitions

FIT “Seduction” exhibit
Opens December 9 through June 16, 2009
It is a look at sexuality in fashion over the last 150 years from the subtle to the bold. Seduction will feature work by designers such as Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein and Peter Som.
http://www.fitnyc.edu/aspx/Content.aspx?menu=FutureGlobal:Museum:Exhibitions:UpcomingExhibitions

27th and 7Th Avenue
Admission is FREE

Word of Mouth

Street Meat
1) Any variety of meat sold by a street vendor. This includes hot dogs, sausages, kebab, steak sandwiches, etc.
-Urban Dictionary

Now, the best kind?
Aissa and Ahmad serve the best halal food (trust the line!) in NYC on the corner of 53rd and 6th. You can order chicken or lamb over pita or rice for $6 and have yourself a deliciously filling meal.



And for dessert, head to one of Crumbs many locations. They’re most known for their cupcakes, but also have a yummy menu of cookies, brownies, muffins, danish, croissants, pastries, scones, strudel, cakes and pies as well as coffee and tea. You can have yourself a cupcake and coffee for about $5. To find the nearest Crumbs location: http://www.crumbsbakeshop.com/



Look out for spidey! My new favorite place to loiter is the Sony Plaza Public Arcade located at 56th and Madison. It’s cozy a.k.a heated and isn’t crowded after you put in your 9-5. Poifect.

BRB

My computer and internet has been working extra slow. I'll be back on, regularly posting, within the week. Check back soon!

To the Black Friday shoppers- godspeed!

Sites for the NYC Scene

Goldstar
https://www.goldstar.com/

Why sign up? (from the Goldstar sign up page)
* Get personalized updates just for you
* Gain access to half-price tickets
* Write reviews and give tips to other show-goers
* See what other members are going to
* Create lists of events you want to go to
* Share your lists and reviews with friends

Featured in Time magazine, The New York Times, Real Simple magazine and O mag.

You're emailed weekly digests twice a week with events and associated discounts through Goldstar. The Goldstar "prices" are def worth taking the time out to sign up for. Membership is free and available in major U.S. cities. Get to it!



Your Local
http://www.newyork.yourlocal.com/register

Membership is free. The site seems to be updated fairly frequently so that you can check back to see what's recommended, free and featured.You can create your own social calendar and give ratings/reviews.

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Event Me
http://EventMe.com?ref=pFAGiCxolfY

It's a social calendar tailored to you and your interests. Set aside 15-20 minutes to sign up for an Event Me account and to set up your profile. By checking off preferences in essentially all areas of your life, it allows them to sort out which events to invite you to. Membership is free and available in major U.S. cities.



Back in the day circa campus life, I was able to see prominent speakers and performers that were relevant and well sought out for free for about $5. Ah and followed by drinking free beer pumped from a keg (I know, classy) in which the entrance fee was either $5 or free. We may not be able to keep the beer flowing, but...

Many universities open events to the public at a fraction of the cost it would be otherwise or again, is completely FREE. My 2 favorite to visit for events: http://events.nyu.edu/ (NYU) and http://www.newschool.edu/eventlist.aspx (The New School). From seeing Tim Gunn of Project Runway and Tim Gunn's Guide to Style to award winning documentary screenings, school is in session.


FreeNYC
http://freenyc.net/

You can sign up for the occasional event emails.



Time Out New York
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/section/youre-invited

Even if you don't subscribe to Time Out New York (although ya should, it's about $20 a year with listings of affordable events coming to your door weekly), you can find events here.

'tis the Season to Shop for a Cause

Mr. Kenneth Cole is stepping into a different medium as editor of Awearness, a collection capturing the words of social innovators, which includes activists and entrepreneurs on effecting social change.

He will be signing copies of the book November 24th at 7pm at Barnes & Noble located 97 Warren St at Greenwich St in Tribeca.

Check out the Awearness blog: http://awearnessblog.com/

and some shopping for a cause events:
GenArt Shop NYC
The GenArt organization is hosting a shopping event December 1 from 5-10pm at the Metropolitan Pavillion located 125 W 18th between 6th and 7th avenue. It will feature emerging designers and will include a dj, a pampering lounge (hair touch-ups and comp massages!) and an open bar. Items will be up to 70% off retail. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the GenArt foundation.

"Gen Art is the leading arts and entertainment organization dedicated to showcasing emerging fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians and visual artists. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago Gen Art produces over 120 events annually ranging from a week-long film festival to massive star-studded fashion shows, DJ competitions & live music showcases, art exhibitions, multi-media events, product launches and much, much more." from http://www.genart.org/

You won't be able to pay for admission at the door, see link below to purchase advance tickets. VIP is $40 for non-members, which includes a giftbag and cocktail reception pre-sale. General admission is $15.

To purchase tickets: http://www.genart.org/event.view.htm?itemid=2376&cacheid=1227141536.6596&origin=&genart=c7ib4lsb9r3l9nqf68q7b9j0g7

Soho Holiday Stroll
SoHo is staying up late December 11 from 6-11 with discounts, promotions, and refreshments as you do some x-mas shopping. For "admission" to the neighborhood event, you will need to sport a SoHo Holiday Stroll bracelet.

To purchase bracelets, please visit: http://ace4homeless.org/index.php?I=82&E=187

Proceeds will go to the Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (A.C.E.). ACE is an organization serving the city's most vulnerable, homeless men and women, by providing vocational training through Project Comeback and Project Stay to so that they are able to re-enter the workforce and become self-sufficient.

For more info and to donate: http://ace4homeless.org/index.php?I=35

Upcoming Events

The Language of Trees play and After-parties
$20 tickets are available to see The Language of Trees at the Black Box Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre.

The Language of Trees is a Roundabout Underground production, an initiative of the Roundabout theater that supports emerging playwrights . Synopsis from http://roundaboutunderground.com/: "When an American translator is sent into a war zone in the Middle East, a friendly neighbor back home volunteers to help out his wife and son as they come to terms with his absence. But as the situation abroad deteriorates, their uncertainty grows. Will his wife be able to build a new life without him? Will the neighbor, frozen with her own grief, warm up to a new family? And will seven-year-old Eben, who surveys the changing world around him with an almost magical curiosity, ever see his father again?

The Language of Trees is a boldly theatrical, provocative and often poetic exploration of the fragility of language, the complexity of war and the meaning of family. Don't miss this world premiere production of playwright Steven Levenson's timely and powerful new play."

Charles Isherwood at the New York Times describes The Language of Trees as 'imaginative and engaging. Steven Levenson's sensitive drama is welcome for the imaginative sympathy it extends to the families left behind."

For more info and tickets: http://roundaboutunderground.com/

Time Out New York is hosting an after-party following the play on November 18th and December 9th with complimentary drinks. For more info and to get on the Time Out New York emailing list for event updates and discounts, go to: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/section/youre-invited.

Seaport Ice
Be there for opening day at South Street Seaport's ice rink on November 28th . Seaport trolley rides 3-6pm and holiday lighting celebration at 6pm. The rink will be open 7 days a week from 10am-10pm at Pier 17/South and Fulton Streets. Admission $5 and $7 skate rentals. http://www.thenewseaport.com/icerink



New York Shop 2008
New York magazine is hosting an event December 6 from 11am-7pm at the Altman building featuring over 40 vendors with items up to 60% off catering to the whole family.

"New York Shop will benefit Room to Grow, a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development." For more info about and/or to support this non-profit, please visit roomtogrow.org

A ticket is $20, which includes a 6-month New York magazine subscription. For more info and to purchase tickets: http://nymag.com/shop/tickets.html

Work hard, Play Harder

Tonight, I'm checking out a free class over at the Learning Annex. I've taken courses there before and have always walked away better versed on a subject I knew little of walking in.

The Annex hosts seminars, lectures, classes and workshops in major cities around the country: LA, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Fran, Toronto (even Canada) and of course, right here in NY. In one evening, you can get the nuts and bolts for pretty much everything...from public speaking and writing business plans to starting an event planning company and becoming a real estate agent. Prices are fairly affordable- from free to $49.00. From what I've seen, the real estate and computer courses are the most expensive ones.

They've had an eclectic roster of engaging, high profile guest speakers at the annex- Donald Trump, Sarah Jessica Parker, P. Diddy, Deepak Chopra, and Henry Kissinger. Time Magazine has lauded the Annex for putting" a fresh face on adult education.”

You can find Learning Annex kiosk alongside newspaper kiosks (think: village voice, am and metro). Here's the site:http://www.learningannex.com/ to find classes and to sign up for updates.

See you in class!

...And now for the play harder portion. LADIES, listen up!



Shecky's Holiday Night Out
December 18-20 at The Altman Building located 135 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.) Tickets are available for $20 (limited time only, regular price $30 ), which includes a goodie bag worth over $100, unlimited cocktails, and discounts while shopping Shecky's vendors. You can also purchase $10 tickets, which covers admission and drinks. I went to their Ladies Night Out event last October, it's def worth checking out and seriously, who can pass up goodie bags for an extra $10?!

http://www.sheckys.com/holiday/2008/default.asp?rf= to purchase tickets.

"I Slept with Mike"

...I didn't, but over the weekend, I did see Mike Birbiglia's one-man off-broadway show, Sleepwalk With Me, at the Bleeker Street Theater.

Birbiglia engages the audience with his self-deprecating humor (without overdoing it) and manages to weave a confessional story of coming to terms with a sleep disorder , love- lost and found and his life as a comedian.

At the ripe old age of 30, his stand-up has managed to build quite a following and has created mainstream buzz. Birbiglia has been described by Esquire magazine as "Jerry Seinfeld if he were remotely conversant with hip hop." He has also appeared on Comedy Central Presents, Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Late Night with Conan O' Brien, the Late Show with David Letterman, and the Late Late show with Craig Ferguson. Birbiglia's worth the hype and the show, worth the buck.

Site for Sleepwalk With Me: http://sleepwalkwithmike.com/

I was able to catch the show for $21.50 (prices without any discounts vary from $$49.50 to $101.50 depending on seating) courtesy of hiptix's membership (it's completely free to sign up). If you're 18-35, you can read more about how it works and sign up with hiptix here: http://hiptix.com/how.htm. No worries, no spam mail to follow after signing up. They only email when there are deals. Also, if you're in the area, pick up the tickets at the Bleeker Street Theater box office yourself to avoid paying surcharges. Just remember to present them with the promotional hiptix code for the discount to be validated.

FYI: In addressing the name of this entry...you can purchase a teddy bear after the show (similar to the one Mr. Birbiglia is holding in the photo to the left) wearing a shirt that airs your laundry ...that you slept with Mike.

"Frugal" Attempt

So why NYC Lookout?
An intern from my office who is a London transplant, wanted to see more of city without spending a fortune. I was born in NYC and raised in Brooklyn. However, I have yet to discover all that this city has to offer. This is our "frugal" attempt in seeing and doing everything that is NYC- all for the right price. Free and cheap at best, affordable at worst!


Time Square, travelmuse.com