Free: McCafe Iced Cafe Mocha Samples
My least favorite purveyor of junk food, McDonald’s, will be serving up free sample of its new McCafe line iced cafe mocha today and next Monday, August 3rd from 7am-7pm. McDonald’s is notorious for being gross, but their new iced coffees do look tasty. It is a huge question, however, whether the staff, who is generally incompetent, can put together a decent Cafe Mocha. To Be Determined.
Free/Cheap: BoCoCa Arts Festival
One of the great things about living in New York is stumbling upon something you didn’t even know was happening. That’s exactly what happened to me tonight. I went to Brooklyn (I know, I know) to accompany my friend Marci on a bar crawl of sorts to gather information for an article she’s writing for her Media Bistro writing class. While we were in Ceol Irish Pub (191 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY; 347.643.9911), we discovered that there was a play going on in the back room and live music later that night as part of the BoCoCa Arts Festival. The festival, produced by Husky Dog Productions, seeks to bring together the Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill communities through music and art. Sounds pretty good to me!
The bad news is that the festival has been going on since July 17th. The very good news, however, is that its still going on, and will be until Sunday July 26th. I am out of commission for the rest of the weekend since the New York City Triathlon is this Sunday and I will be engaging in lots of sleeping and various other activities until then, but that doesn’t mean you have to be!
Many of the live music offerings are free, but admission is required for everything everything else, and costs a uniform price of $16. When you consider how much it costs to see a Broadway play, this is essentially peanuts. Tickets can be purchased in cash at the door, or by going to the Brown Paper Tickets website.
Here’s the schedule for the rest of the week:
Friday, July 24th
5:00 pm – The Border Project ($16), KMBS (Archip Gallery Theater, 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710)
7:30 pm – One Night the Rain ($16), Slick Fillings of Aches & Cavities ($16), Jazzpolution (Deity Bar & Lounge, 368 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY; 718.222.3692)
8:00 pm – Twelfth Night (Brooklyn Heights Montessori School, 185 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 718.858 5100; $16)
9:00 pm – The Divine Will of Ryan Morgan (Archip Gallery Theater, 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710; $16)
Saturday, July 25th
1:00pm – She Stoops to Conquer (Archip Gallery Theater, 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710; $16)
4:00 pm – The Divine Will of Ryan Morgan (Archip Gallery Theater, 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710; $16)
6:00 pm - Twelfth Night (Brooklyn Heights Montessori School,185 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 718.858 5100; $16)
7:00 pm – Iris, I Oboe You Nothing Duo (Fiona & Ryan’s Art Exchange, 362 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY; 718.422-7982; $16)
8:00 pm – The Border Project ($16), Aprille Goodman (Archip Gallery Theater, 498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710)
Sunday, July 26th
2:00 pm – Twelfth Night (Brooklyn Heights Montessori School,185 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 718.858 5100; $16)
4:00 pm – The Border Project ($16), PROJECT Trio (Archip Gallery Theater,498 Court Street, Brooklyn, NY; 917.862.8710)
6:00 pm – Iris, Bill Rozar (Fiona & Ryan’s Art Exchange,362 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY; 718.422-7982; $16)
7:00 pm – Festival Closing Party (Bell House, 149 7th Street; 718.643.6510; $16) – Featuring five bands: Spanish Channel, BR & Timebomb, Loud Apt, Diet Kong, and Morning Code.
Review: Restless Legs Reading Series
Last night, my friend Marci from my travel writing class at Gotham Writer’s Workshop and I went to the Restless Legs Reading Series at Lolita Bar (266 Broome Street at Allen Street). The series is run by David Farley, an author and travel writer based in Manhattan. Farley usually emcees the series, but gave the audience a treat by doing a reading from his new book An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town ($25; Penguin/Gotham Books). The book chronicles his search for answers about what happened to Jesus’ foreskin, which was stolen from a small medieval Italian village, Calcata, 25 years ago.
I wasn’t initially sure what to expect from a book about Jesus’ foreskin (except that I was pretty sure given my love of reading anything marginally having to do with religion that I would at a minimum find it interesting), but I was pleasantly surprised. The portion of the book that he read lampoons his own attempts to communicate with the residents of this village in bad Italian and the typical foibles and embarrassments that ensue. Upon a reading of the first few chapters of the book, it appears to do an excellent job of balancing Italian and Catholic history relating to the relic with Farley’s tales of the hilarious and histrionic individuals that he meets along the way. I’m excited to continue reading and I will report back on my impressions.
A second reading was done by New Yorker staff writer David Grann, who read from his book The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon ($27.50; Doubleday). The concept of the book reminds me a lot of In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick ($15; Penguin), which is also a tale of terror and tragedy encountered by individuals in deadly pursuit of something fiercely protected by nature. In The Lost City of Z, that object is an ancient civilization in the Amazon. In In the Heart of the Sea, that object was the valuable blubber and oil harvested from sperm whales in the Atlantic. In each book, men are driven to seek out their objects despite the threat of death. From the excerpt read by Grann, which was suspenseful and left me wanting to know more about what happened to Fawcett and his men, I expect that this book will be more captivating as In the Heart of the Sea which truly did not start to become a page turner until the second half of the book.
Marci and I will be putting Restless Legs on our rotation. I’m looking forward to future readings, and I will report back on my impressions of both An Irreverent Curiosity and The Lost City of Z.
Restless Legs is held at Lolita Bar (266 Broome Street @ Allen Street) on the Lower East Side. No cover charge. There will be no readings in August, readings will resume in September. I’ll post the schedule when I get my hands on it.
NYC Museums: Free and Suggested Admission
So every since I started my plan to see one museum a week, I’ve noticed that I simply cannot find a reliable, comprehensive list of museums in New York that are free/suggested admission. This makes it especially hard when your plans to go to the Whitney go awry (grrrr!) and you can’t find a replacement museum, so you just end up going to the same old places over and over.
Well Alaina to the rescue! I’ve put together such a list, and because I am so sweet and helpful, I’m sharing it with you! Enjoy!
I’m also putting together a list of museums that are free/pay-as-you-wish on specific days of the week. I will post it later this week.
Museums that are Always Free
- American Numismatic Society (Broadway at West 155th Street, New York, NY, 212.234.3130; Hours: Tu-F 9am-4:30pm) – exhibiting coins, medals and related objects, including Hellenistic artifacts, as well as Roman Republican, Islamic, Far Eastern, United States, and Latin American coinage.
- Artists Space (38 Greene Street, 3rd Floor, 212.226.3970; Hours: Tu-Sat 11am-6pm) – providing an exhibiting space for unknown art and artists.
- Drawing Center (35 Wooster Street b/n Broome and Grand Streets, 212.219.2166; Hours: Tu-F 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-6pm) – a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary and historic drawings.
- Forbes Galleries (62 Fifth Avenue, 212.206.5548; Hours: Tu-Sat 10am-4pm) – The home of Malcolm Forbes’ personal collection, housed within the Forbes Magazine building.
- Goethe Institut (1014 Fifth Avenue, 212.439.8700; Hours: M, W, F 9am-5pm, Tu, Th 9am-7pm, Sat 12pm-5pm) – Exhibiting German language and culture.
- Hispanic Society of America (613 W. 155th Street at Broadway, 212.926.2234; Hours: Tu-Sat 10am-4:30pm, Su 1pm-4pm ) – offers a survey in Spanish painting and drawing from the Middle Ages to the present.
- Municipal Art Society (Urban Society, 457 Madison Avenue @ 51st Street, 212.935.3965; Hours: M-W, F-Sat 11am-5pm) – The mission of the Municipal Art Society is to promote intelligent urban design and architecture. Its exhibits focus on New York City architecture.
- Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (Seventh Avenue at 27th Street, 212.217.4558; Hours: Tu-Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat 10am-5pm) – The museum is dedicated to advancing knowledge of fashion and fashion studies. The museum’s permanent collection consists of more than 50,000 garments and accessories, some dating back to the 18th century.
- National Museum of the American Indian (1 Bowling Green, 212.514.3700; Hours: Su-W 10am-5pm, Th 10am-8pm, F-Sat 10am-5pm) – This Smithsonian Institution museum is dedicated to the culture and diversity of the native people of America. Exhibits include native fashion, modern mixed media art by Native American artists, and carvings.
- New York Public Library – The New York Public Library hosts exhibitions at its main library in Bryant Park, as well as its branches throughout the city. There are multiple locations in all boroughs. Check here for times/locations/areas of interest.
- Sony Wonder Technology Labs (550 Madison Avenue at 56th Street, 212.833.8100; Hours: Tu-Sat 10am-5pm, Su 12pm-5pm) – The museum is dedicated to science and technology, and provides a hands on experience that is directed towards children, but that adults who are really just big kids will enjoy as well. The Lab boasts a personalized experience for each visitor by having each person log in and create a profile upon entering.
Museums that have Suggested Admission
- American Museum of Natural History (Central Park West and West 79th Street, 212.769.5100; Hours: Su-Sat 10am-5:45pm, Space Show M, Th-F 10:30am-4:30pm, W 11am-4:30pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $16, Students/Seniors: $12) – The museum is one of the world’s pre-eminent science and research institutions. There are 42 permanent exhibits, and many temporary ones relating to biology, anthropology climatology, astronomy, and geology. Adjacent to the original museum building is the Rose Center for Earth and Space. If you wish to see any of the temporary exhibits or the space show, and additional (non-negotiable)) fee must be paid. You can still pay as you wish for the general admission portion.
- Bronx Museum of Arts (1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street, Bronx, NY, 718.681.6000; Hours: Th, Sat-Su 11am-6pm, F 11am-8pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $5, Students/Seniors: $3) – The art of the museum focuses on the diversity of the area, in particular the African American and Latino populations with an emphasis on twentieth century and contemporary works.
- The Cloisters (Fort Tryton Park, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, 212.923.3700; Hours: Mar-Oct Tu-Su 9:30am-5:15pm, Nov-Feb Tu-Sun 9:30am-4:45pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $20, Seniors: $15, Students: $10) – The museum, which displays medieval art and artifacts, is housed in five medieval cloisters from France. The gardens are also impressive.
- Dia Center for the Arts (545 and 548 W. 22nd Street, 212.989.5566; Hours: W-Su 12pm-6pm; Suggested Contribution: Adults: $4, Students/Seniors: $3) – The center is located at the Hispanic Society of America. Dia is a non-profit institution whose mission is to initiate, support, and present art projects. The New York City location presents projects by contemporary artists.
- El Museo del Barrio (1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street, 212.813.7272; Hours: W-Su 11am-5pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $6, Students/Seniors: $4) – The museum is New York City’s only museum dedicated to Latino art and culture.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue, 212.535.7710; Hours: Tu-Th 9:30am-5:30pm, F-Sat 9:30am-9pm, Su 9am-5:30pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $20, Seniors: $15, Students: $10) – One of the largest art galleries in the world, the permanent collection includes an eclectic mix of works, including a sizeable Ancient Egyptian art gallery, and paintings and sculptures from almost all of the European masters.
- Museum of Biblical Art (1865 Broadway at West 61st Street, 212.408.1500; Hours: Tu-W 10am-6pm, Th 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-6pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $7, Students/Seniors: $4) – MoBIA exhibit religious art related to the Bible and the Christian and Jewish traditions.
- Museum of the City of New York (1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, 212.534.1672; Hours: Tu-Su 10am-5pm (Free Su 10am-12pm); Suggested Admission: Adults: $10, Seniors/Students: $6; Free for residents of East Harlem) – The museum explores New York City’s history and investigates current and future City trends.
- New York City Fire Museum (278 Spring Street, 212.691.1303; Hours: Tu-Sat 10am-5pm, Su 10am-4pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $5, Seniors/Students: $2) – Located in a renovated firehouse, the museum houses an extensive collection of fire related art and artifacts, some dating back to the 18th century.
- P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center (22-25 Jackson Avenue @ 46th Avenue, Long Island City, NY, 718.784.2084; Hours: Th-M 12pm-6pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $5, Students/Seniors: $2) – A non-profit institution associated with the MoMA, P.S. 1 is more of a site specific exhibiting space than a collecting gallery. It displays mostly experimental art and installations.
- Queens Museum of Arts (New York City Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY, 718.592.9700; Hours: W-F 10am-5pm, Sat-Su 12pm-5pm (Summer Hours: W-Su 12pm-6pm, F 12pm-8pm); Suggested Admission: Adults: $5, Seniors/Students: $2.50) – This museum and educational center in Flushing Meadows Park is located in the New York City building, hich was constructed for the 1939 World’s Fair. The museum focuses on contemporary art exhibits reflecting the diversity of the area.
- Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences (75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY, 718.727.1135; Hours: M-F 12pm-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Su 12pm-5pm; Suggested Admission: Adults: $2, Seniors/Students: $1) – New York City’s only general interest museum, the Staten Island Museum focuses on the scientific and cultural heritage of Staten Island.
Free/Cheap: Outdoor Concerts this Weekend and Next Week (June 27-July 2)
Now I don’t want to jinx myself, but I think the weather has turned. And that means one thing — I want to ditch the inside of my shoe box apartment for the great outdoors. And while I’m in the great outdoors, I want to listen to some great music. I was riding my bike past SummerStage last night. Ziggy Marley was playing on my first loop of the park, and 45 minutes later, 311 was playing on my third. It was a small taste of what is only to come for the rest of the summer.
I don’t know about you, but I want more outdoor concerts. So here are the offerings in NYC for this weekend and next week (Saturday, June 27th – Thursday, July 2nd). All concerts are free unless otherwise noted:
- Summerstage (Rumsey Playfield, Central Park. East side between 69th and 72nd Streets)
- Saturday, June 27 – 3-7 pm - Istanbul Live: The Sounds and Colors of Turkey featuring Mazhal-Fuat-Ozkan, Painted on Water featuring Sertab Everer & Demir Demirkhan, and the NY Gypsy All-Stars with Hushru Serilendrici and Special Guests. I have been obsessed with Turkish music ever since I visited Istanbul and Central Anatolia last fall. I suspect Sharon and I might be the only people on the lawn, but that’s okay. More space for me! And there will be Turkish food and art in addition to music.
- Sunday, June 28 – 3-7pm – Ledis/Esperanza Spalding and Jonathan Batiste. For the jazz lovers out there.
- Tuesday, June 30 – 5:30-10:00pm – Explosions in the Sky, the Constantines and Castanets. This is a benefit concert to support SummerStage this summer, so tickets to this event cost $25.
- Celebrate Brooklyn Concert Series (Prospect Park Bandshellm, Prospect Park W and 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY)
- Saturday, June 27 – 7pm – Dr. Dog, Phosphorescent, and these United States will be mixing up a folk, blues, indie rock, soul and bluegrass fusion. $3.
- Harlem Meer Performance Festival (Charles A. Dana Discovery Center @ 110th Street between 5th and Lenox Avenues, inside Central Park)
- Sunday, June 28 - 2-4pm - Jazz Museum in Harlem All Star Big Band. More for the jazz lovers this week!
- Madison Square Music (Madison Square Park Oval Lawn, East 24th Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway)
- Wednesday, July 1 – 6pm – Madison Square Park’s Bluegrass and Blues Night. The Claire Lynch Band, and Missy Raines & The New Hip will be rocking for the bluegrass portion. For the BBQ portion, Hill Country BBQ will have an in-park BBQ pit.
- BAM’s R&B Festival at Metrotech (Metrotech Commons, Corner of Flatbush & Myrtle Avenues, Brooklyn, NY)
- Thursday, July 2 – 12:00pm – Toshi Reagon will be performing what has been described as a blend of gospel, funk, and R&B. 12:00pm is a wonky time, but if you have a flexible schedule or are unemployed, its worth an appearance.
- Summer in the Square (Union Square Park)
- Thursday, July 2 – 6:00pm - Elissa Peimer will perform an indie pop rock fusion.
Free: Small Pinkberry from 5-9 tonight!
I go through phases where I can’t get enough of one thing, and then three weeks later its ancient history. I had one of these incidents with Pinkberry last summer, where my friend Juan and I would go there every night after I had been released from my jail cell office. Recently I’ve been in love with 40 Carrots frozen yogurt, which I have been enjoying after oogling the goodies after my weekly trip to the allergist. Its not cheap, but its one of my worth it weekly indulgences.
Well I might change my tune tonight because Pinkberry is releasing their new summer flavors, Coconut and Passionfruit AND to celebrate, will be giving away a free small serving tonight, Friday, June 26th from 5-9pm. I can’t get enough of frozen confections so if the line is not around the block I might swing by.
Pinkberry locations can be found here.
Free: I Don’t Think You’re Ready for This Jell-O
This strikes me as something that would be a competition on Top Chef, but right here in New York, the Gowanus Studio Space (119 8th Street; Suite 202 (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues), Brooklyn, New York), normally a workshop space for designers and artists, will host a Jell-O mold competition this Saturday, June 20, 2009. Jell-O molds will be set up between 4-5pm with judging by a “crack panel” (whatever that means) between 6-8pm. The winners will be announced at 8pm.
This is just absurdity. But seems like fun absurdity, and I’m sure people will come up with some amazing designs (I mean, crazy things can be done with food, have you seen the Ace of Cakes?).
If I weren’t headed to Belmar, New Jersey for the weekend to attend my High School reunion I would probably sneak over and see what was going on over there. But alas, I will be oogling beer bellies and the loose stomachs of those who have given birth, and seeing who is pumping gas at the local Sunoco.
Head’s Up: Things Left Behind Part II (did I mention there will be wine?)
My good friend, and favorite artist, Kelly Murphy’s show Things Left Behind is tomorrow. I’ve posted on this about a hundred times in the past week or so, (see here and here) and a full review awaits next week, so I won’t say anything more except that I will be there, and you should be going as well.
I know your fingers are tired, so here’s the info again.
Things Left Behind with the G-Train Salon
Urban Alchemist Design Collective
343 Fifth Street @ Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
7-8 pm – cocktails
8:00-8:30 – discussion and Q & A with the artist
Free-ing your Mind: Free Yoga in New York City
Living in New York, between weaving through tourists staring blankly at the Empire State Buiding, cabs almost running you over on a regular basis, and everyone trying to sell you something, even just to get from point A to point B, it can become easy to lose a connection between your mind and body.
The natural, trendy, and obvious solution is yoga. But, of course, these days, even regaining your sanity costs money (ask any New Yorker’s therapist). Even cutting out the fluff — you don’t really need those fancy Lululemon yoga pants, do you? — you’re still stuck with the cost of paying either per class at a yoga studio, or buying a pricey membership, and hoping that six months from now you’re still going to be as enthusiastic about that Yin Yoga class as you are today.
Fortunately, re-balancing your mind and body connection doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it doesn’t have to cost anything at all. Here are two free yoga options, one ongoing, and one temporary.
1. Lululemon Athletica (yes, they of the adorable yoga pant) offers complimentary open level yoga classes in varying styles on either Saturday or Sunday mornings depending on their location:
- Upper East Side (1127 Third Avenue @ 66th Street)- The series is (very adorably) called Sun(day) Salutations, and takes place (guess when), every Sunday from 9:30-10:30 am
- Lincoln Square (1928 Broadway @ 64th Street)- This store has Lulunights which take place from 8:00 -9:00 pm every Sunday night.
- Union Square (15 Union Square West)- Their series takes place on Saturdays and is called Sunshine Yoga. It takes place from 9:00 – 10:00 am.
On Tuesdays (9:30-10:30 am) and Thursdays (6-7 pm) all of the Lululemon New York City stores offer open level outdoor yoga classes in Bryant Park (40th-42nd Streets b/n 5th and 6th Avenues). For all of these classes you can bring your own mat or borrow one of theirs.
2. PURE Yoga, which recently opened its first United States branch on the Upper East Side (203 E. 86th Street, between 3rd and 2nd Avenues), is offering complimentary yoga classes for the week of June 14 only to celebrate their One Year Anniversary. The schedule is here, and there are classes and special events going on every day from Sunday, June 14 until Friday, June 19.
Pure Yoga is AMAZING. I had a free pass to go here once, and I was almost convinced to sign on for $150 a month. I thankfully came to my senses (I couldn’t afford that and my gym membership), but it will woo you. Be warned. And they will probably try to make a sale, but stay strong. Do the yoga, which is done in well-built, sound-proof rooms with new, clean, sturdy equipment, and only give in if you want to.
I, personally, will be going to the Sun(day) Salutations class at Lululemon, and the Tuesday morning yoga in Bryant park on a regular basis. I’m also going to be taking advantage of the classes at Pure, although I haven’t decided which best fit into my schedule (with all of the scouting I’m doing for you guys!)
I will report back on Sun(day) Salutations next time I go, which I am anticipating will be this Sunday.
Head’s Up/Free: Kiss My Face Give-Away at Whole Foods Union Square
This hardly falls into the cultural realm, but while you are traipsing the city, educating yourself on art, listening to music, and sipping glasses of wine, your lips might get a bit dry. You can hardly let yourself be expected to go to hell just because you’re a worldly human being. So listen up…
On Monday, June 15th from 3:00-7:00 PM, Kiss My Face will be doing a promotion at Whole Foods in Union Square (4 Union Square South, 212.673.5388), where they will swap your current lip balm for their all natural version for free. I am not 100% certain which of their lip balms will be available, but here’s their entire line.
I don’t promote anything I don’t like, and I’m a big fan of Kiss My Face. A lot of their products don’t contain parabens, which are used as preservatives in most commercial cosmetics and toiletries (many, not all, check the labels before buying if you are concerned). Parabens are chemicals which mimic estrogen and which studies have recently found may be linked to breast cancer in women. For the record, the lip balms are paraben free. Kiss My Face also does not test on animals, and has otherwise eco-friendly and socially responsible corporate values, which I actively seek out in a product.
Good bye Aveeno SPF 15 Lip Balm, Helloooooo Kiss My Face. See you guys in Union Square. Oh, and don’t get greedy. One per customer, and the promotion goes on only as long as supplies last.
