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Wine in a Pouch (YouKnowCoolThings)

27 Jul

Turns out I’m not the only one who knows cool things. You do, too.  This little gem comes from my friend Jen.

The Clif Family (maker of Clif bars) also happens to own a winery. And they sell wine in little sacks. Not that little, actually: each one holds 1.5 liters (2 bottles). Perfect for hiking, camping or smuggling into a public park, Climber wine pouches are available in Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon for $17.  No heavy glass, no space-consuming, bad-for-the-environment plastic. And Jen’s source says the wine ain’t bad, either. Plus the resealable packaging supposedly keeps it fresh for a month. So if you get lost in the woods, at least you won’t be thirsty.

Order online.

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Secret BBQ Oasis in Chelsea

13 Jul

Only during the summer and only on Tuesday nights, East of Eighth transforms its back garden into an all-you-can eat BBQ fest for $25. Chef Marty serves up dry-rubbed, long-smoked brisket, lamb, chicken, ribs and salmon. Apps and sides include guac, salsa, corn relish, cucumber salad, marinated beets, coleslaw, green beans, grits and plenty more (all made in-house). Plus neverending baskets of bread and blue tortilla chips. Wine list very reasonable—since rosé goes well with BBQ, we tried the Le Petit Saint-Jacques for $30. A peaceful escape from the city, the garden also has a fountain that trickles into a pond with turtles and goldfish; awnings and fans keep things cool. This is a fun and inexpensive night out—just come with an empty stomach.

Music Heads Unite at Turntable.fm

11 Jul

Just read about this in the NYT and am already hooked. Turntable.fm is a free new music site that lets you listen to other users as they DJ, rate their mixes and communicate with them (and other listener avatars). It’s nerdy, social and hip at the same time. Choose from rooms like trance, indie, rock, ambient, etc. So far it seems like the site has more electronic rooms than other genres but anyone can create a new area. One more thing: You can only sign up if one of your Facebook friends already has an account. But if you happen to be reading this on FB right now …

 

(Photo: flickr.com/freeloosedirt)

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Seriously Impress a Date at 2nd Floor on Clinton

8 Jul

You know those ridiculously pretentious speakeasys made for the masses? This is not one. 2nd Floor on Clinton is basically an old studio apartment that has been converted into a tiny bar. The furniture is a mix of antique couches and lamps and a few chairs that look like they could be in Seinfeld’s apartment. Bookshelves make it super homey—sit by the window and look out on the LES below. There are even a few mini shutters for privacy/eavesdropping.

The bar is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Enter through the back of Barramundi (which is a pleasant place in itself with a happy hour that goes until 9). Cocktails are $14—don’t stay for too many. Next time I am trying the Topsy-Turvy: Death’s Door vodka, honey liqueur, fresh ginger, lime and club soda. And Topsy is the name of a donkey, if you must know. See if you can find the old framed photograph of him on the wall.

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Who Doesn’t Like Candy?

27 Jun

A new-ish store has opened in Manhattan. Or should I call it a shop. Or perhaps shoppe, since it’s filled with sweets from the UK. Owned by a former restauranteur from England who goes by “Jigs,” The London Candy Co. is filled to the brim with Cadbury, Thortons and Terry’s (you know—the chocolate orange), along with “digestive” biscuits and Walker’s crisps (salt to offset the sugar). When I visited, Jigs was handing out candy to kids on the street like a British Willy Wonka.

And not to worry if you find yourself on the Upper East Side at 9am without chocolate on the brain—the place also serves Stumptown coffee.

Cheerio.

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A feel-good documentary for New Yorkers, Etc.

23 Jun

A new indie doc coming out next week (July 1), Love, Etc follows a handful of New Yorkers in love or looking for it, including three couples and two single men. It’s poignant, funny and pretty damn accurate.

Meet an elderly pair from Canarsie who’ve been married for 48 years, a divorced dad with two teens living in Forest Hills, a gay play director who wants to be a father, two high school seniors enjoying their first serious relationship and a newlywed Indian couple living in Jamaica Hills.

WATCH THE TRAILER

You might appreciate this film if you have an affinity for any of the following:

-New York City

-documentaries

-people

-theater

-family

-music

-love

-life

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Not that I ever illegally downloaded music, but…

7 Jun

… a young person recently turned me onto something that has made my life a lot better since the suspension of Limewire. You can convert any online video to an MP3 for free… like, say, a music video on YouTube, perhaps? I will fully admit that I was not hip enough to discover this on my own but it comes in very, very handy.

Free. I swear. And no software to download—just the converted file.

http://www.video2mp3.net/

(Photo via flickr.com/Ferrari + caballos + fuerza = cerebro Humano )

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Banana Sculptures?

4 May

© Keisuke Yamada

You have got to check this out. Japanese artist Keisuke Yamada uses a toothpick and a spoon to create these banana sculptures!

See more photos, courtesy of the blog Crooked Brains.

Say “I Do” to Bridesmaids

28 Apr

Hate to admit it since I usually steer clear of chick flicks, but Bridesmaids is freakin’ funny! Starring Kristen Wiig (who also wrote it) and Maya Rudolph and produced by Judd Apatow, the movie had our mostly female audience laughing hysterically. There’s even some un-ladylike scatological humor thrown in for the boyfriends/husbands who get dragged along. I hope this film proves that female-driven comedy can be refreshing, relatable and raunchy—and still do well at the box office.

Let the estrogen flow!

Watch the trailer.

Did you hear? Duane Reade selling growlers of craft beer

29 Mar

The ubiquitous Duane Reade drugstore chain has opened a second Brew York City beer counter, this time on Broadway and 72nd. (The first is on Bedford in Wburg.) Buy a growler for $3.99 (or bring your own) and fill it with 64 ounces of craft brews like Brooklyn, Blue Point, Ommegang and Ithaca for $7.99. Selections will rotate; here’s what’s on tap.

See you in line (because you know there will be one).

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