12/20/12

AWESOME ALERT: Phantom Turns 25 and Gives Away Awesome Prizes

The longest running show on Broadway is turning 25 next month! Phantom of the Opera, one of my favorite shows ever (see this post), is celebrating its quarter-century of existence in a big way that you don't want to miss!


100 lucky winners will receive a pair of tickets to the Anniversary performance, and two grand prize winners, in addition to the performance, will also receive additional passes to the exclusive post-performance party, as well as a one-night stay at the Algonquin Hotel and air transportation from American Airlines (make sure you tell all of your out-of-town friends and family about this!) for two during the weekend of the event.

The cast of Phantom recorded a video with a special message on how to enter for a chance to win.

To enter the contest, click here and then share the sweepstakes on all your social media sites! Good luck!

12/14/12

Getting Cultured with Marriott

Last night I had the honor of attending Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Wired’s Collective ReMix event at the Wired Concept Store in Soho.

Photo courtesy of Marriott

The evening was curated to celebrate art, music and innovation. Comedian Mark Normand hosted the event and throughout the night, guests had the chance to have their mood read through Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ Aura Cam, an interactive installation, to determine where they should travel to next. I was told that I was epic (obvi) and should visit the Jordan Valley Marriott Dead Sea Resort and Spa, and the camera even transported me there!


In addition, critically acclaimed photographer and artist Todd McLellan showcased pieces from his latest series entitled, “Disassembled.” Also select pieces by renowned brick artist Nathan Sawaya were on display. Well-known DJ and television personality, DJ KISS kept the celebration going with high energy beats and mash-ups while video art served as the backdrop of her DJ booth.

Photo courtesy of Marriott

Samplings from Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ new 5-10-20 menu, which is made up of simple, fresh, chef-crafted food that can be delivered in approximately 5, 10 or 20 minutes, were served. I personally loved the mini lobster rolls and sliders.

If you haven't been to the Wired store, I'd definitely check it out. They have the coolest, but most expensive litter box I've ever seen in addition to some awesome Lego sculpture (see below), and a bunch of other awesome random pieces of technology.

Photo courtesy of www.leeabbamonte.com

Can I Borrow That?

If you're anything like me, your closet is full of items that you buy for special events, love, and end up wearing only once or twice. It seems like such a shame, which is why I love lending out clothes to friends for their various special occasions. Still, something seems wrong with this picture.


New Year's Eve is coming up, an occasion for which I have often taken a trip to the Bloomie's sale rack for, but this year I'm doing something different. I recently discovered the new website Borrowed Closet. Think of it as a Netflix for clothes. The way it works is you pay a flat $29.95 per month and in return you get to borrow up to 100 credits of clothes and accessories at a time. Brands include Alice + Olivia, BCBG, Asos, Michael Kors, Free People, and Helmut Lang. All items are delivered right to your doorstep, and you simply mail back the pieces whenever you're done with them. You can keep the items for as long or as little as you want, and Borrowed Closet takes care of all the dry cleaning bills. Pretty great huh?

Now this is where you, my glorious, fashionable readers, come in. I need your help picking out a NYE outfit from Borrowed Closet as my first rental with the site. I'll report back on how the experience goes so that you can in turn sign up and try it out for yourself. There are so many great options and I honestly can't decide which to go with. Here are the dress options I've narrowed down. I would really appreciate your help and suggestions in the comments of this post and next we'll pick the accessories. Thanks in advance!

Option #1: Black Open Back Crochet Dress (45 Credits - $100 Retail Price)

Black crochet 3/4 sleeve minidress falls above knee-length. Outer layer is crew neck with black sweetheart neck tube lining.




Option #2: Michael Kors Sequin Tank Dress (65 Credits - $250 Retail Price)

Brown tank dress completely covered in sequin embellishment.  Hanging chain detail along front neckline.  Knee-length.



Option #3: Sequin Stripe Dress (45 Credits - $120 Retail Price)

Fitted bandage style shirt dress with black and copper colored sequin stripes all along front and back of dress.



Option #4: Lace Crew Neck Dress (45 Credits - $120 Retail Price)

Off white sleeveless dress with zipper up the back. High neckline and loose-fitted around the waist.



So what say you? What dress should I rent from Borrowed Closet for New Year's Eve?

12/13/12

Holiday Markets and Beyond!

It's the time of the year where everyone is scrambling to check off names on their gift lists (or if they're anything like me, embody the one for you, one for me ethos we all know and love). Thankfully NYC will never leave you hanging as there is a plethora of different holiday markets you can choose from. Here are some suggestions for this weekend. Happy shopping!

Union Square Holiday Market


The tried and true Union Square Holiday Market is one of my NYC traditions--a December is not complete without at least one visit (and a slice of crack pie from the Milk Bar booth). I did a walk through last weekend and bought my first real piece of art from The Raw Art, and would highly recommend you check them out. (Through December 24. Monday – Friday, 11:00am to 8:00pm; Saturday, 10:00am to 8:00pm
Sunday, 11:00am to 7:00pm; Monday, December 24th closes at 4:00pm)

Refinery 29's Magical Pop-Up Holiday Shop

Refinery29 is one of my favorite websites with fabulous style advice, so why wouldn't they have a rad holiday pop-up shop? Featuring designers like Glossybox, Rebecca Minkoff, and White + Warren, this market is definitely where you want to go to find duds for your more fashionable friends. (201 Mulberry Street. December 14-16 noon to 6 pm, 7 on Saturday)

Sweet Afton Holiday Mini-Market


As a new Astorian, I'm super excited to check out my new neighborhood and I'm definitely starting this Sunday at Sweet Afton's Holiday Mini-Market. There's nothing like discovering local designers while drinking alcoholic beverages indoors, with indoors being the key word. I've heard so many great things about this bar, and I'm sure they will put on an excellent event. (30-09 34th Street, Astoria. December 16. 12-5)

11/29/12

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to The Heiress


Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain makes her Broadway debut alongside Academy Award nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck), Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey) and two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey in the Tony Award-winning masterpiece, The Heiress. Written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz and directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Moisés Kaufman, this star-studded production invites you to immerse yourself in its timeless New York story of society, status and the true cost of love.

Caught between the demands of a controlling father and the attentions of a passionate young suitor, a shy and sheltered woman must navigate the terrain of love and regret, desire and duty, a chance for happiness and the burden of fortune... as only an heiress can. Check out The Heiress on Broadway to discover the path she ultimately chooses.



All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to The Heiress! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know your favorite Jessica Chastain movie (she's been in a lot lately!) and why.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to @theheiressbway on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/RlPhyF" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Wednesday 12/5. You have until Wednesday 12/5 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!


Congratulations Kelly! She was the 11th commenter and wins 2 tickets to The Heiress! Thanks to everyone for playing!

11/16/12

AWESOME Giveaway: 2 Tickets to Scandalous

In the new Broadway musical Scandalous, set in 1920s Los Angeles, holiness collides with Hollywood in the extraordinary tale of one woman's charismatic rise to fame. Two-time Tony Award® nominee Carolee Carmello stars as Aimee Semple McPherson, the trailblazing media superstar whose passion for saving souls was matched by her passion for making headlines.

But as her popularity grows, so do her enemies, until her sermons, her celebrity and her past combine to put everything she believes in on trial. Two-time Tony Award® winner George Hearn leads a remarkable cast of 20 in this new musical about one woman's incredible rise to glory…and fall from grace.




All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to Scandalous! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know your favorite Hollywood scandal and why.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to @scandalousbway on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/RZxQCj" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Wednesday 11/20. You have until Wednesday 11/20 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!


A winner has been chosen! Congratulations @kohenda for being the 21st commenter and winning 2 tickets to Scandalous! Thanks to all who entered!

10/19/12

Dance Your Awesome Off

Want to dance like this?

Dance Your Way to Health

Well, I can't make you any promises, but there's a free dance event going on tomorrow from 2-6 pm at The Ritz Park Plaza (235 W 48th St.) that may help you discover your left from your right feet. The New Yorker Social Dance Club hosts "Dance Your Way to Health" and will offer group classes, performances, local healthy vendors, live music, dance fashion, and face painting! Admission is free and it looks like a great way to spend an afternoon!

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Chaplin the Musical

If there's one man who invented and then re-invented the movie business, it was the late, great Charlie Chaplin. His most well known character, the Little Tramp, has warmed his way into many a family's memories and hearts, but the little-known story behind the character is perhaps more intriguing, and ultimately more heartwarming than I ever could have thought.


The new show Chaplin: The Musical stars Rob McClure as the legendary silent film star and features a book by three-time Tony Award® winner Thomas Meehan (Hairspray, The Producers, Annie) and Christopher Curtis, and music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis. Everything from the costumes and make-up, to the set and the brilliant choreography contributes to one of the best new musicals I've seen in a while. The show had such an effect on me that when the curtain fell, I immediately went and added at least 10 Chaplin movies to my Netflix queue.

All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to Chaplin: The Musical! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know your favorite Charlie Chaplin movie and why.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to @ChaplinBway on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/S3dsO5" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Friday 10/26. You have until Friday 10/26 at 4 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!


Congratulations Elizabeth! She was the 17th commenter and wins 2 tickets to Chaplin! Thanks to everyone for entering! Better luck next time.

If you don't want to take any chances, you can purchase tickets for as low as $49 by visiting BroadwayOffers.com and entering code CLSCD925. You can also call (212) 239-6200 and use the code CLSCD925.

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 5 Pairs of Tickets to the 17th Annual 2nd Avenue Halloween Bar Crawl

Everyone loves a good bar crawl, especially when they are Halloween themed (or really anything themed is good when alcohol and wandering around the city is involved). Lindy Promotions is planning their 8-hour marathon 17th annual 2nd Avenue Halloween Bar Tour on Saturday October 27th, and it promises to be a good time.


Here are the deets:


  • A Ton Midtown East Bars All w/in 2 Blocks!
  • $2 Domestic Draft Pints
  • $4 Mixed Drinks
  • Various Food & Shot Specials
  • FREE Souvenir Pint Cup (first 700pp)
  • Beads, Giveaways and More!

Advance discount tickets start at only $7 online, and advanced ticket holders are guaranteed a souvenir cup. Use the promo code AWESOME for an additional $2 OFF!

Walk-up tickets will be available from 1-6pm at TG Whitney's (53rd St. btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave.). Prices are $10 with costume and $15 without.

But wait! All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away 5 pairs of tickets to the 2nd Avenue Halloween Bar Crawl! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know your favorite happy hour deal and where I can find it.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to the @lindypromo 2nd Avenue Halloween Bar Crawl on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/TyqiCU" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Wednesday 10/24. You have until Wednesday 10/24 at 4 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

Don't Be Scrooge, Drink At Le Poisson Rouge!

(Le) Poisson Rouge is an awesome venue. Don't be put off by the smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-NYU-territory location, because LPR features everything from classical to rock, folk to Thrillist parties.


In light of their mantra "serving alcohol and art," LPR invited me to sample their brand, spanking new cocktail menu on a recent Friday night. Mixologists Laura Smith, Amy Wilkinson, and Renee Rogoff spent significant amounts of time at the bar concocting recipes with one-of-a-kind alcohols and mixers, not a bad job if you ask me. The result is a new menu of 10 drinks ($14 each) ranging from the crisp Cool Hand Cuke to the woodsy Distillery Gibson to the inside-warming Sticki Hot Lemonade.


I'm a fruity-drink lover, so I started out with the Slow Jam. This drink was practically made for me. With cachaca, lemon juice, and ginger beer mixed with a dollop of apricot jam and garnished with dried apricot, the drink made me feel warm and fuzzy with out too much of a sweet kick. My guest decided to start off adventurous and tried the Distillery Gibson. This drink will probably grow hair on your chest, but the good kind, if you know what I mean. The pickled onions were an amazing addition to this gin, dry vermouth, and balsamic and sherry vinegar mixture.


The LPR Bar
Slow Jam and Distillery Gibson (left to right)

While sipping our first drinks, I perused the food menu and it looks killer! Truffled mac n' cheese anyone? How about grilled chicken sliders with caramelized onions or a spicy tuna roll? They also serve milk and cookies for dessert...how oddly quaint!

Next up, I opted for the other jam drink, the Purple Haze. This was another drink made for me with gin, green chartreuse, lime juice, and blackberry jam garnished with mint. My guest went lighter and sampled the Rhuby Slip, with rhubarb liquer, Aperol, and prosecco. Definitely refreshing.

Purple Haze
Rhuby Slip
(Le) Poisson Rouge is located at 158 Bleecker Street in the village.

Le Poisson Rouge on Urbanspoon

10/18/12

The First Brewery In Queens Since Prohibition--Opening Soon!

New York is a beer town. Despite all of the buzz you've heard about wine, whiskey, tequila, rum, vodka, cachaca, etcetera, if you lived in this town about a hundred years ago, you couldn't walk 10 blocks without coming across at least one brewery (you would know this especially if you came across the NY Historical Society's Beer Here exhibition this past summer).

In the last decade or so, brewing has made a comeback here, especially in Brooklyn with Brooklyn Brewery and Greenpoint, among others. However, the creation of beer has been lacking in pretty much every other borough. So you can imagine why there's so much anticipation for the opening of SingleCut Brewery in Astoria, the first to open in Queens in more than a generation.


Advertising exec turned home-brewer turned professional brewer Rich Buceta named the brewery for a body-style of electric guitar he's played for much of his life. He decided to open the brewery in Queens to fill a gap in the community. All beer will be 100% brewed on-site and they will also self-distribute, ensuring freshness.

Now for the beers. SingleCut's focus will be on lagers (or as they like to call them, "Lagrrrs!"). They even have 2 specialized lager tanks that are only really found in Germany. Their launch beers will be:
  • 19-33 Lagrrr!: a pilsner-style but given a "SingleCut injection of awesome," according to Rich. The name "19-33" comes from their address, the year Prohibition ended, and the fact that SingleCut is only operating brewery in Queens since Prohibition. 
  • Bob Sunburst Finish Lagrrr!: a hoppy, malty, smooth lager
  • Dean Pacific NW Mahogany Ale: a red-hued hoppy ale influenced by beers Rich tasted in Oregon
  • Billy Half-Stack IPA: SingleCut's flagship IPA

The brewery will also feature a Tap Room where you can sample two beers gratis and purchase and refill growlers (prices and hours are still TBD). Because of local laws, they will not be operating as a bar or eatery, but will be hosting community events 4-5 times a year. The brewery features a stage (along with Rich, most other employees of SingleCut seem to play an instrument) for live music. Rich said they hope to partner with local business in creating these events.

Lastly, in furthering the community connection even more, SingleCut will be available at Queens restaurants like Queens Kickshaw, Sweet Afton, Sunswick, Crescent and Vine, AleWife, and MexiBBQ, as well as many craft beer bars throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The day I went for a visit, the brewery was very much still under construction, but Rich gave me a tour and I can't wait to go back and see the final product. Brewing should be going on right now with the first batch ready for business sometime after the second week in November.


Rich Buceta and a Lager Tank
The future Tap Room - love that wood!
Tap Room into the brewery

Before I left, Rich gave me a bottle of Sunburst Lagrr! to take home and man was it good. Stay tuned in the coming months for another post after I return to the finished brewery!


SingleCut is located about a 15 minute walk from the Ditmars stop on the N/Q train (19-33 37th Street, Astoria).

10/17/12

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Dead Accounts


Whether you really love Broadway, especially family dramas, or whether you just want to catch the Ex-Mrs. Cruise (AKA: Katie Holmes) in her first performance since the big splitaroo (we won't judge), Dead Accounts is definitely a show you want to see. In addition to Katie, the show stars two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz and is written by Pulitzer prize finalist Theresa Rebeck (Seminar) and directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien.


The cast also features Judy Greer (in her Broadway debut!), Jayne Houdyshell (Tony Award winner, last seen in the 2011 revival of Follies), and Josh Hamilton (Proof, Coast of Utopia). Here's a couple videos that provide a closer look at the play and the story behind it.



All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to Dead Accounts! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner. The winner will be given tickets to performances on November 5, 7 (matinee), 8, 9, or 10 (matinee).

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know you're favorite Katie Holmes movie/TV show/Broadway show and why.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to @DeadAcctsBway on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/T14Bz4" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Friday 10/19. You have until Friday 10/19 at 4 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!


A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Brad! He was the 13th commenter and wins 2 tickets to Dead Accounts on Broadway! Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more contests from Awesome In New York!

10/11/12

When All You Want Is A Doughnut...Or Ten

When all I want is a doughnut, or 10, I think a doughnut party would be the best place to be. I just found out about this awesome sounding doughnut party happening TONIGHT at Project No. 8 at the Ace Hotel. It's to celebrate the launch of All You Can Eat Now's New York Doughnut Map and to celebrate National Doughnut Month (frankly that should be every month). They will have donuts from Peter Pan, Dough, Doughnut Plant, Pies-n-Thighs, Dun-Well, and Van Leeuwen with Stumptown Coffee and drinks from Caledonia Spirits and Winery. It all goes down from 6-8, get excited!


10/10/12

AWESOME ALERT: Free Lipgloss at American Apparel

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Thought I'd share!




















To find a store near you, click here!

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Before you get too excited, I must tell you Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a doozy of a show. At 3 hours long with not one but two intermissions, it basically details a family in decline, touching on infidelity and insanity all at the same time. If I've still got you, listen to me when I say you must go see this show.


The show stars Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts (of August: Osage County fame) and Tony® nominee Amy Morton as America's infamous sparring couple, George and Martha, in the Steppenwolf production. Directed by Tony® nominee Pam Mackinnon (Clybourne Park)—Virginia Woolf celebrates its 50th Broadway anniversary with a spectacularly moving performance that will pretty much make you question every relationship you've ever encountered, insightfully of course.

All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know you're favorite way to get free or cheap theater tickets.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to @WoolfOnBroadway on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/Rfwm3r" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Monday 10/15. You have until Monday 10/15 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck! The show plays at the Booth Theatre (222 W. 45th Street) and the winner will receive tickets good through November 4.

For Performances before October 22, save 35% on tickets by calling 212-947-8844 and using code VWNFP831. Also,visit BroadwayOffers.com and use code VWNFP831.


A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Sarah! You are the winner of 2 tickets to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I hope you enjoy the show! Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more contests from Awesome in New York!

10/4/12

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to The Accidental Pervert

Pornography. See you're perked up already! (Ba dum bum...sssssssh!) No, I'm not advertising a strip club or anything like that. However, the new off-Broadway comedy The Accidental Pervert is sure to tickle your fancy.


Based on a true coming-of-age story, the show tells the tale of one boy’s odyssey to manhood via a childhood dominated by pornography, an addiction accumulated after the boy happens upon his father’s collection of XXX-Rated video tapes in a bedroom closet, just to the right of his golf clubs, above the cowboy boots, behind the sweatshirts, all the way up in the top left hand corner. Andrew Goffman takes his audience on a hilarious and self-deprecating journey into a world of video vixens, X-Rated fantasies, and really DIRTY movies with no redeeming value whatsoever. He found the tapes at 11 years-of-age. The addiction controlled him until he was 26. THE YEAR HE MET HIS WIFE.

I'm giving away a pair of tickets to The Accidental Pervert! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment letting me know why you want to see this show.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to The Accidental Pervert on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/VB4bA1" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Tuesday 10/9. You have until Tuesday 10/9 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

Congrats to JC! You've won 2 tickets to The Accidental Pervert. Enjoy the show!

The show plays at The 13th Street Repertory (50 West 13th Street, NYC) and the winner will receive tickets good through November.

9/28/12

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: Two More Tickets to Old Jews Telling Jokes

Fall is here and I have a lot of Broadway and Off-Broadway show ticket giveaways coming at ya!

First up is a repeat, but a hilarious one. Old Jews Telling Jokes, if you recall from my first giveaway a while back, showcases five actors in a revue that pays tribute to and reinvents classic jokes of the past and present. You've never heard these jokes this way before. The show also features comic songs—brand-new and satisfyingly old—as well as tributes to some of the giants of the comedy world and to the Old Jews Telling Jokes website, which inspired the show. Basically, you'll laugh 'til you plotz.



I'm giving away a pair of tickets to Old Jews Telling Jokes! There are 4 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to leave your email in each comment so that I can contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment with your favorite old person story.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet about this contest "I just entered to win 2 tix to Old Jews Telling Jokes on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/Pew1wi" and let me know with a link to your tweet.

Winners will be chosen using Random.org on Tuesday 10/2. You have until Tuesday 10/2 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

A winner has been chosen! Congrats Jerry! You've won 2 tickets to Old Jews Telling Jokes! Check your email for more information.

Here's another way to win tickets:  The show is hosting a Facebook contest for the Ultimate Old Jews… Prize Package.  Fans can enter for a chance to win 4 tickets to OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES, dinner at 54 Below, an exclusive selection of OLD JEWS merchandise, and an opportunity to meet the cast after the show and get their picture taken with them!  The contest runs until October 1 so get on it!

Also check out a great video of the show's Audrey Lynn Weston interviewing people in Times Square about the elusive Gefilte Fish!

9/14/12

Spiffed Up Comfort Food With A Side of Surprise

Walking around the now swankified triangle of Lafayette St, Kenmare St. and Cleveland Place in Soho on a warm but crisp September evening, the dinner choices are endless, especially if you want a restaurant with windows wide open and tables spilling onto the sidewalk. It's cool, yet classy--the place to see and be seen, but also to chill and enjoy quality food. The vibe remains the same however if you walk a few blocks east on Kenmare to the relatively new American joint Ken & Cook.


Helmed by executive chef Richard Diamonte and partner Artan Gjoni (both veterans of Jean Georges’), Ken & Cook offers a simple menu of spiffed up comfort foods with fresh ingredients, all rounded out with a raw bar and a few surprises. Last week I was invited in for dinner with a couple of blogger friends (Laura and David) and we had a great time.

Walking inside, you instantly notice the simple, yet vast bar, lit up from behind and made from what seem to be metal pipes. The ceilings are pressed tin, the walls painted original brick, and the banquettes vintage leather. The dining room isn't large, but big enough, with a few more private booths in the back. The service was wonderful from start to finish. Our waiter kept coming by to check on us and was happy to make recommendations (although he pretty much recommended 85% of the menu).

Although the cocktail menu looked amazing, it was a wine kind of night for me. I ordered the Pino Noir they had by the glass, and it was a great compliment to my meal. For starters, we ordered the beet salad with avocado, radish, and cress ($14), the squid salad with yogurt, mint, and chili ($15), and the beef tartar with egg and toast ($16). The beet salad was the kind of dish which really let the ingredients shine. The beets were well balanced with the different color radishes (that I originally mistook for tomatoes) and I pretty much love anything with avocado. The squid salad was delicious as well and very flavorful. Having never tried beef tartar before, I was a little timid, but it was tasty. I'm sure it was how it was supposed to be, but I couldn't get past the texture, and only had one bite.

Beet Salad

Squid Salad

Beef Tartar

For entrees, I chose from their wide variety of seafood and ordered the Monkfish with Romesco sauce, fennel, and thyme ($26). I love Romesco sauce, but my only criticism of the dish is that it took up most of the plate and looked a little bit like an uncooked pancake. Do people actually eat that much sauce? Otherwise, the fish was wonderful. Perfectly cooked, moist with a crisp shell, and the fennel complemented the other flavors well. I'm not sure what spice was sprinkled around the edge of the plate, but it was tasty also.

Monkfish

Laura ordered the fried chicken ($19), what the owner told us was coming to be know as a cult favorite, and I believe him. Honestly, I kind of wish I'd ordered this, if only for the homemade biscuits and honey. The way to my heart is definitely through a warm buttermilk biscuit. The chicken was no sidekick though. It was super crisp on the outside, but filled with flavor and the chicken meat was super moist.

Fried Chicken

David continued his carnivorous meal with the NY Strip Steak ($39). Served with rosemary and thin cut fries, this was as flavorful a piece of steak as I've ever tasted. It looked a little lonely on the plate and steak can often be cooked poorly at non-steak houses so I was a little weary, but one bite and I knew that someone in the kitchen knew what he/she was doing.

NY Strip Steak

We were all pretty full by this point, but really wanted to sample some of the desserts. We decided upon the Apple Pie ($8) and the Peach Cobbler ($8) both with vanilla ice cream. David commented that he liked how the apples were thin cut in the pie and I have to agree with him--makes it easier to eat. The crust on both (I'm guessing it was made from the same dough) was perfectly buttery an not too sweet. The advantage of the cobbler was that it was in a little metal dish and hence stayed warm longer. However, the apple pie was probably bigger, so depending on what you're going for...or you could always order both.

Apple Pie

Peach Cobbler

The bar scene definitely started to get more crowded when we left around 9:30 (this was on a Wednesday), and a little birdie told me that the new downstairs lounge Lil' Charlies' opened last week for dancing and general debauchery (we snuck a peak of mug shots on the wall and lots of red light beaming up).

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