Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Best Movie Screenings on a Roof:
On summer nights, God dims the overheads, and indie films play on
rooftops (and in parks and schoolyards) across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
Rooftop Films
(
718/
417-7362
) has fast become a local institution, with original, well-programmed fare.
•
Best Movie Date Night:
Friday nights the
Rubin Museum of Art
(150 W. 17th St.;
212/620-5000
) throws
open its doors. You can tour Himalayan art for free, and for $7 you can treat yourself to a martini and a movie.
The
Cabaret Cinema
series brings a selection of films, along with the occasional related celebrity, for just the
price of a tipple or a snack at the bar.
•
Best Outdoor Summer Theater: Shakespeare in the Park
(
212/539-8750
) hooks up thousands of New York-
ers with two great shows each summer (with top actors and directors). The Delacorte Theater in Central Park
seems enchanted.
•
Best Outdoor Summer Theater That Isn't Shakespeare in the Park:
Energetic performances substitute for
big names and big budgets in downtown's
Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot
(
212/873-9050
). The setting
couldn't be less formal, but somehow the troupe manages to cast its spell.
•
Best Free Dance:
Modern and experimental dance has a home during
Movement Research
at the Judson
Church (55 Washington Sq. S.;
212/598-0551
). Dancers and choreographers vary, but the talent level stays
high. The series seems to be getting better, especially now that the Judson Church has installed a new dance
floor.
•
Best Comedy Troupe:
The founders of the
Upright Citizens Brigade
(307 W. 26th St.;
212/366-9176
) have
gone on to movie and TV fame, but the institution's classes continue to crank out rapier wits. Improv nights
here are cheap when they're not free, and the legendary
ASSSSCAT 3000
is not to be missed.
•
Best Readings in a Bookstore:
Recent years have not been kind to neighborhood booksellers, but Brooklyn's
Greenlight Bookstore
(686 Fulton St.;
718/246-0200
) is thriving. Their reading calendar is packed, with the
likes of Jhumpa Lahiri, Matthew Modine, and Jeffrey Eugenides reading from their work.
•
Best Readings Outside of a Bookstore:
The great writerly look of
KGB Bar
(85 E. 4th St.;
212/505-3360
) is
well matched by the great writers almost every night of the week. Enough quality words have been spilled
beneath the Soviet-kitsch furnishings to publish KGB anthologies and a literary journal.
•
Best Bivalve and Brew Combo:
The charming West Village is not exactly cheap date territory. One exception
is
Fish
(280 Bleecker St.;
212/727-2879
) where you can belly up to the bar for a half-dozen clams or oysters
along with a PBR or glass of house wine. It's available at all times, and it's only $8.
•
Best Mix of Beautification and Intoxication:
Kitsch classic
Beauty Bar
(231 E. 14th St.;
212/539-1389
) has
kicked off many a bachelorette party with their Martinis & Manicures happy hour. Just $10 (plus tip) covers
both cocktails and cuticles.
2 Best Cheap Eats
•
Best Investment of $1 (Bagel):
New York exported the bagel to the four corners of America, but still has the
best, and a buck will let you sample one at
Absolute Bagel
(2788 Broadway;
212/932-2052
). You can't make
a better carb investment.
•
Best Investment of $1.95 (Hot Dog):
For cheap protein and quick bursts of patriotic fervor, New York's dogs
can't be beat.
Gray's Papaya
(2090 Broadway;
212/799-0243;
other locations) is the best of the fruit-drink-
and-wiener outlets, with flavorful grilled dogs that'll set you back less than $2.
•
Best Investment of $2.25 (Sesame Pancake):
The dumplings at
Vanessa's Dumpling House
(118a Eldridge St.;
212/625-8008
) are famous and a steal at four for $1. Less hyped but equally delicious are the sandwiches,
which go gourmet by packing a big wedge of sesame pancake with fresh cilantro, carrot, and roast pork or
beef. Upgrade to Peking duck for just 25¢ more.
