DRINKS
If you've been on the New York City nightlife scene for a while, you'll know that every other week is dedicated to celebrating something mundane yet special that affects our everyday lives. Alas, this week is no different as it is Internet Week. This celebration of everything media has been in existence since 2008, as a city wide festival that hosts an array of events honoring different areas of the web and the digital world.
The first event I attended was a laid back yet event at the W Hotel in Times Square for an exhibit celebrating Instagram photos. Yes, that free photography app that IPhone and Android users were arguing about a few weeks ago on Twitter. And although, the displayed photos failed to be the highlight of the night (the complimentary drinks were, especially a fruity-flavored one: Lo-Fi, and a 6 foot drag queen who wore a dress made out of Instagram pictures and a purse constructed with used metrocards), it was a nice kick-off for the celebratory week.
By now everyone has heard of the Knicks’ new star player, Jeremy Lin, and if you haven’t, he may pop up at your favorite eatery very soon in the form of a special. Lin has revived the Knicks fan base with his ever growing popularity by both his story and skill. Now New York City restaurants have joined in the support of their hometown team and their new favorite point guard by dedicating dishes and other menu items to Lin.
City-wide Linsanity has taken hold, at Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack grab a Lintastic take on the classic mint chocolate chip cookie, the Jeremy Lin-mint Shake for $5.75. As the promotional sign clearly states, the shake “is Lin it to win it.”
Sometimes, you want to do more than just drink at bar. Say hello to Chalk, Sobe's latest nightlife endeavor by managing partners Robert Chalk, Sayra Moto and Joseph Blount. A Grand Opening celebration will kick off this Thursday, January 5th with a private, invitation-only ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Miami Beach Vice-Mayor Michael Gongora at 9PM. The party continues all night, opening doors to the public at 10 PM. (RSVP: RSVP@chalkmiami.com.)
It’s that time again. The credits have rolled on another weekend and it feels like the next one is light years away. Mondays don’t have to be so gloomy though. Here are some fun and inexpensive ways to get through work week day one and start sailing to next weekend.
Lunch Time Pampering
Surely there must have been something that happened over the weekend that needs to be told in person. Skip the take-out and actually leave the office. Schedule a lunch time manicure with a friend. This will this cut your endless Monday into two manageable parts. If you make this a weekly ritual, you may actually look forward to Mondays.
Wear a New Outfit
Plan out an amazing set of threads to dress in on Monday. The excitement and feeling of looking spectacular will leave you buzzed with energy all day. By the time you realize it, the day will be over and you will be thinking of when you can wear it again, not how many more hours you need to work.
Happy Hour
Most after work watering holes are empty Monday nights since people just want to get home and put the first day behind them. As a result, a lot of bars and restaurants have great Monday specials. Make a plan with some friends to try a new place every Monday evening. If it happens to be football season, pick a place that is showing the game, and maybe you’ll even score a date for Tuesday.
Go On a Lunch Date
Make a plan to meet that awesome guy from Friday night for lunch on Monday. Lunch dates are the perfect first date.They are shorter than dinner, so you won’t feel trapped if your memory was playing tricks on you. Since they are longer than coffee, you will have enough time to decide on date two. Even if the date is bad, you can still have fun emailing your friends about it Monday afternoon.
Take a Fun Class
The gym routine can get old. Rather than the usual cardio kickboxing class on Mondays, sign up for a fun class. Salsa dancing can be exciting and help burn off those late night Saturday drinks. If dancing isn’t your forte, try art or join a book club. There are classes and groups for anything you can imagine. Stop procrastinating and sign up for something today.
Mondays are always around the corner. Rather than dreading them, use the opportunity to do something fun. There are numerous of activities you can do to get through the day. Always remember, the faster Monday ends, the sooner Friday comes.
A modern Speakeasy in Downtown Miami celebrates its Grand Opening this weekend, November 10th, 11th& 12th. Situated at 139 NE 1st Street in the historic Dade Commonwealth Building, The Bank Vault Lounge & Gallery takes us back to the roaring twenties with flappers behind the bar serving Capone-era cocktails and a VIP area inside a real, recycled bank vault. Drinks courtesy of Ketel One Vodka, Zacapa Rum and Johnnie Walker will be served while you sway to the sounds of Ralph Good, DJ Obscene, Paul E, Damaged Goods and Paul Arthur. Art installations by Leonardo Hidalgo complement the ‘Prohibiffic’ décor that spills into four different rooms and surrounds you with marble walls, vaulted ceilings and Roman columns. RSVP for this weekend’s festivities by phone or email: 305.373.1515 or RSVP@thebankmiami.com.
Strap on your lederhosen and head over to Shake Shack October 7th-16th for their annual Shacktoberfest. Feast upon special menu items like Polish-style Garlic Sausage and Currywurst with Fries. A list of exotic brews will also be available, which are best enjoyed in the Shack's traditional glass steins. After downing a beer or two, finish up with one of their special Bavarian-inspired concretes including German Chocolate and Cranberry Almond Streussel. Prost!
Click here for full Shacktoberfest menu.
Shake Shack is popular burger boutique from New York that opened it's first Florida location just off Lincoln Road in Miami Beach about two years ago. Their most famous menu items include a variety of burgers, flat-top hotdogs, handspun shakes and sweet custards.
It seems "The City That Never Sleeps" finally got a few hours of rest last night but awoke today with a sudden urge to brunch. In the wake of Hurricane (Tropical Storm) Irene, we have a list of all New York City venues that re-opened their doors today, currently taking orders for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
13th Step - 149 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003
5 Napkin Burger - 630 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 *Opening by 5pm
5 Napkin Burger - 2315 Broadway, New York, NY 10024 *Opening by 5pm
Asellina - 420 Park Ave South, New York, NY 10016
With Spring Break 2011 approaching, both SB veterans and virgins prepare for a week of sun, sand, and sipping. This year’s Spring Break is even more welcome as the long, harsh winter is coming to an end.
When approaching SB, we can easily place our cast of characters into three groups: the party animals, the sophisticated scholars and, of course, the sorority girls. Here are cocktail suggestions and recipes for each of these SB crews. Here’s to a week filled with hookups and hopefully no throw-ups.
With over 25 years of experience in hotel management, German-born Klaus Ortleib's success in the business seems limitless. After he founded KO Hospitality in 2002, he moved past being just the general manager of various hotels (including the Mercer in SoHo). He opened the Hotel on Rivington in Manhattan's Lower East Side in 2005 and has been thriving in New York ever since. The Cooper Square Hotel celebrated its opening a couple of years ago and the Gotham Hotel in midtown did the same just last fall. Ortlieb makes sure to emphasize that the two are very different from one another style-wise, though, as are the newly-opened restaurants within them.
Mardi Gras springs a lot of different images to mind, whether it be who can accrue the most plastic beads or who gets the prize in the King’s Cake. Most importantly, Fat Tuesday is a day to overindulge. It doesn’t matter if you plan on starting your fast the following day, anyone can participate.
Mardi Gras has a long-standing tradition of great drinks. Here are just a few different recipes to entertain you and your friends.
Hurricane
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces passion fruit syrup or juice (whichever is available)
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