Sunday Funday!

It's Sunday! This looks like a good day to me: ). Too bad I will probably only be able to do one of these things (must do laundry: ), but hopefully you can go to more! 


NOTE: These are only suggested times to maximize your day, but feel free to go whenever you'd like: ).

• 11am Brunch: Dine in Brooklyn Brunch for 2 - only $20.12! (like Madiba, in Fort Greene). Click the link for $20.12 lunch + $25 dinner options (for one).
• 1pm Outdoors: Thru 4/7 - FREE Macy's Flower Show starts today (Herald Sq) - "Gardens in Paradise", inspired by Brasil, located inside the tent on Broadway Plaza.
• 3pm Concert: FREE Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert: Jack Quartet [Abrons Arts Center, LES - 466 Grand Street]
• This concert is part of American Mavericks, a citywide celebration of the pioneers of the American sound, presented by Carnegie Hall and San Francisco Symphony.
• Only if you are in the area (Astoria, Queens): 2-4pm - Come up with an original pledge to dingles + be rewarded with a free WAFEL + DINGLES @ 31st + Ditmars Blvd for Int'l Wafel Day! 
• OR stop by any other cart for Buy 1 Get 1!
• And for the PM - go to your fave sushi restaurant for dinner + end the night with this beautiful documentary (thru 3/27), $13 @ IFC: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
• JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar.

Enjoy!

Quick 2AM FRI Picks: )

A GA friend is in town this weekend (hi Chris B.!: ), and he wanted to know a few fun things to do today Fri 3/23, of course!  It's past 2am, so here's a few quick picks that I pulled from newyorkology.com, The Skint, and TimeOut NY:

FRI 3/23

• Free Central Park walking tour at 12:30 p.m.
• Free 3 p.m. screening of “A River Runs Through It” at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab
• Viva and her Power Trio play a free BAMcafé Live show at 9 p.m.
• Thru 3/24 - 1st Annual NYC Improv Festival - featuring troupes from around the country, free-$15
• Just FYI: ) - Empire State Building lights up white, red and white for the New York Red Bulls’ Opening Day (through March 25)
• Walk the High Line if you haven't already - love doing that any day!
• Stop by Jamba Juice for a $2 smoothie (coupon)
• ...and then make a new friend and get Buy 1 Cone Get 1 for 99 cents @ Baskin Robbins (coupon)!
• Dine In Brooklyn - $20.12 for 3 course Lunch, $25 for 3 course dinner - we went to Cadagues last night, it was yummy: )

Hope to have more to post, but here are two more things to put on your calendar for now:

SAT 3/24 - Harry Houdini's Birthday!

SUN 3/25 - Opening of Macy's Flower Show @ Herald Sq, featuring the beauty of Brazil!  Free and beautiful (for a new FB profile pic hehe: ).

Spring Freebies!

Happy First Day of Spring  (and Nat'l Wildlife Week)!

What better way to kick off this new season with some freebies (most deals are today Tues 3/20 only; click on the names for more details)?

• Free RITA'S ITALIAN ICE - Only one location in NY, any flavor of your choice! [12pm - 10pm | 2486 broadway, bet. 92 + 93 Streets]
• MACARON DAY - Stop by one of 16 locations around the city to get your free macaron (say you're there for Macaron Day!).  All pretty convenient locations (see link for more):

• Bouchon Bakery - Rockefeller and Time Warner
• Dominique Ansel Bakery - Soho, near work, yes!
  
• Macaron Cafe - St. Mark's
• Mad Mac Macaron - 59th and Park Ave S.
• Free CHILI's - App or Dessert with Entree (exp. 3/21) - looks like closest is in Jersey City?
• Free OUTBACK - bloomin' onion w/ any purchase! 
• 2 NYC locs: 6th and 23rd, 3rd Ave and 56th St
• Free TWO BOOTS Earth Mother Pizza [4-6pm | many locs - Bleeker St, UWS, W. Village, see here)
• Free GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES from the new Soho loc.  Check the Twitter for the daily secret flavor! [Mercer b/t Spring and Prince]
• Free SKEEBALL  (plus free hot dogs or pretzels w/ every drink) - Tues and Thurs @ Full Circle Bar [318 Grand St, Williamsburg]

I predict a sweet day tomorrow!  ENJOY!

It's the Weekend!

YES - new month, another weekend!  Don't let the rain get you down - get out there and play:

• SAT 3/3

• Ends Today: Japan Week!  Celebrate Japanese food and culture @ Grand Central Terminal.  Yum! [website]
• 5-11pm: BK Museum Target Free Saturday, "Fierce, Phenomenal Women".  Enjoy live music, art, dance, FREE! [website].
• DATE IDEA: Watch 5 Oscar-winning movie The Artist at Nitehawk Cinema in W'burg with food and drink in hand [website] : )

• ALL WEEKEND

• Renttherunway.com sample sale = dress heaven!  I love dressing up...so I'm going back for more tomorrow.  Up to 95% off designer dresses.  Seriously. [250 5th Ave bet 28 and 29th; Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 11am-3pm] - stop by Ktown after for a meal: )
• Jim Henson's Fantastic World @ Museum of Moving Image in Queens, $12 - Oh Kermy! [website]
• 10a-5pm: NYC Vegetarian Food Festival - veggies deserve some lovin' too!  And we like free samples! [$5 gen admission tix at the door, Metropolitan Pavilion - 125 W 18th St.  website]

psst. party themes on my mind: sock hop, ice cream social, black tie - yay: )

Have fun!

Winter JazzFest NYC: 1/6-1/7

I've been on the fence about going - not because of the event itself because I love jazz, but just because of scheduling.  In the end I decided to get a 2 day pass - and mostly because I think I'd regret it more if I didn't go!  

Thanks to Melanie C. for the heads up and for organizing a group to go.  In her words: "I went last year, and it was awesome. You pay one fee for the night and then get unlimited entry to multiple jazz venues in the west village area.  It's a lot of fun, and the music is good."

ABOUT: "The 2012 NYC WINTER JAZZFEST will continue to redeem the rich jazz heritage of the Village and again will bring jazz fans back to Bleecker Street.  The 2012 NYC WINTER JAZZFEST includes over 60 of today's most interesting jazz groups from New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Switzerland, Israel, Cuba, Morocco, Turkey, and Italy."

 

Thankfully, I know an insider to the jazz world (an accomplished musician himself!) Victor L. who gave us the following recos for sets to see tonight, most of them his friends:

• 745p @ Sullivan Hall - Julian Lage Group  (I've met and heard him before - seriously amazing).
• 845pm @ Zinc Bar - saxophonist Miguel Zenon 
• 945p @ Le Poisson Rouge - violinist Jenny Scheinman has a great band called Mischief and Mayhem
  
• 1200am @ Kenny's Castaways - saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa
• ...and if you're REALLY up for it, go check out Big Sam's Funky Nation at 200am @ Sullivan Hall.

For the full schedule, click HERE.
To buy a 1 day or 2 day pass, click HERE - and use discount code CAAL to get $10 off (NOTE: consider getting a 2 day, it comes out cheaper than just getting a 1 day!)

Have a great, jazzy weekend!

Happy 12th Day of Christmas!

Interesting fact of the day - it's the 12th Day of Christmas aka Three Kings Day/El Dia de los Tres Reyes!

Contrary to popular belief, or at least what I knew, the 12 days of Christmas are actually after Christmas, from the day after (Dec. 26, 1st day) to Epiphany or Three King's Day (Jan 6, 12th day).

Epiphany is celebrated as the day that the 3 wise men came to Jesus and presented gifts (Matthew 2: 1-12) and is for some the true day that gifts are given (so the bf and I were not too off by giving each other gifts after the holidays: ).  And as with any celebration, the King's Cake is often had on this day as well.

Of course, there are differences on how and when to celebrate, but I think what's most important is that we do - and also to take the time to reflect and be thankful for all of God's blessings in our lives, for that in itself is a gift.

Read more about the history and a breakdown of what "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song means: HERE.

Here are a few events you can go to commemorate this day (see more details here):

1. Three Kings Day Parade – East Harlem
Friday, January 6 at 10:30am
Begins at 106th Street and Madison Avenue and ends at 115th Street and Park Avenue
FREE

2. Three Kings Day Celebration – Lower East Side
Teatro SEA, 107 Suffolk Street between Delancey and Rivington Streets
Friday, January 6 3-5pm
FREE 

3. Three Kings Day Parade in Brooklyn – Williamsburg
Sunday, January 8 at 2pm
Starts at Meeker and Graham Avenues
FREE 

--> 3 Kings and live camels...and as the parade "godfather" - Tito Nieves , who sang an old fave cha-cha "I Like it Like That" - cool: )

4. Three Kings Day Festival – Williamsburg
El Puente Center for Arts & Culture, 211 S 4th Street between Roebling and Havemeyer Streets
Sunday, January 15 at 1 and 5pm
FREE

Eddie on Cooking Channel!

So cool - Eddie Huang from my Tugboat trip (i.e. the other Love Boat - aka the summer camp in Taiwan for American Born Chinese - yeh yeh!) just kicked off his new show CHEAP BITES, which I randomly came across and am watching now on Cooking Channel.  Super entertaining, and he takes you to check out some good cheap eats around the country.  My kind of show!

Here's an interview he did with Food Republic: "Eddie Huang Got A TV Show.  Earned It" and see the promo vid on his blog The Pop Chef.

You should also check out his NYC spot Baohaus, which the bf and I frequent quite often: ).  I like the Chairman Bao the best - made with pork belly (pictured @ right) - or the Haus Bao with braised beef cheek. Very yummy!

Congrats, Eddie!