Awesome in New York

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Nice Work If You Can Get It

2012-02-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

No decade will ever be able to compare to the roaring 20's. From flappers to bootleggers, playboys to corrupt politicians (oh wait, we have those), the 20's were a time of extravagance and revelry. However, almost a century later, heavy hitters Matthew Broderick (The Producers) and Kelli O'Hara (South Pacific) along with director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes) and writer Joe DiPietro (Memphis) are taking on the 20's with the Gershwin's Nice Work If You Can Get It.

Having seen Mr. Broderick on Broadway before, I'm super excited for this show as he's an amazing performer. Also, by the list of tall names on the rest of the cast and the crew, it seems this show is sure to be a smash. Previews begin March 29th with an opening night of April 24.

All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away 2 pairs of tickets to see Nice Work If You Can Get It on Broadway! The tickets must be picked up at the box office the day of the show. There are 4 easy ways to win and each comment counts as an entry. Please include your email in any and all comments so I know how to 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 below letting me know why you want to see this show and who you will bring if you win.

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

4) Tweet about this event "I just entered to win 2 tix to see Matthew Broderick on Broadway in Nice Work if You Can Get It on Awesome In New York! http://bit.ly/w1yyms" and let me know with a link to your tweet in a comment below.

Two winners will be chosen using Random.org on Friday 3/2. You have until Friday 3/2 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

If you can't wait and want to order tickets ASAP, here's a deal for you for shows through April 23. To get Orch/Fr. Mezz, Rear Mezz A-C for $79-89 (reg. $121.50 - $136.50) and Rear Mezz D-F, Side Rows A-C for $69 (reg. $86.50) visit BroadwayOffers.com or call 212-947-8844 and use code NWPR220. You can also use the code at the box office beginning March 1.

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 3 Tickets to An Epic Concert

2012-02-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

So this awesome concert I piqued your interest about on Friday...you've probably spent all weekend wondering what it's all about (or you haven't, that's cool too). I can now officially release some of the details!

First, the concert will be this Thursday night 3/1 beginning at 9pm with the doors opening at 8pm at a location near midtown Manhattan. You will need a ticket to get in, and although they are free, tickets are extremely limited. Tickets officially go "on sale" ~~today 2/27~~ tomorrow 2/28 at 9:00 am EST by going to this website. I'm also giving away 3 general admission tickets (see below).

As for the headliners, this is going to take you back to the 90s, although these 2 artists have sustained their careers well into the present and future. One recently gave birth to twins nicknamed Rock n' Ro and the other has gone by so many variations of his name in the last several years that I don't always know what to call him other than something that rhymes with "me giddy." The MC is also someone who many of you will recognize from the music/reality TV world - Pussycat Dolls anyone?

While I can't confirm or deny any other rumors swirling about the concert, I'm pretty positive there will be other celebrities present as well because the sponsor of this event is a big name in the entertainment world.

Here's how the giveaway is going to work. I'm giving away a total of 3 general admission tickets to 3 lucky readers. Winners' names will be on a list at will-call at the concert. There are 4 easy ways to win and each comment counts as an entry. Please include your email in any comments so I know how to 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 below letting me know who you think the 2 headlining artists are as well as the MC. Also, any guesses as to who the sponsor of this event is?

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

4) Tweet or blog about this event and let me know with a link to your tweet or blog in a comment below.

Three winners will be chosen and notified on Wednesday morning 2/29. You have until Tuesday 2/28 at 8 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

Cheap Drinkin'

2012-02-24T15:38:00.000-05:00

There are numerous reasons to love Yelp. My top reason for next week is the 2nd Annual Yelp Drinks! Basically a week-long happy hour across the city (even in Jersey!), Yelp Drinks includes some of my favorite bars (ie: Hotel Chantelle), some bars I've been dying to try (ie: Lani Kai), and some fancy bars too (ie: David Burke Kitchen). Each venue is offering 3 drinks for half off from Monday February 27th to Sunday March 4th.

The great thing about this promotion is that there are no coupons, secret codes, etc. -- just a plain ole' special menu and some awesome cocktails. Check out the list of participating bars in Manhattan here and let me know which cocktail you are most excited to try.

AWESOME ALERT: Free Awesome Concert Thursday 3/1

2012-02-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

Attention readers! You may have seen me allude to the fact that big things were going to happen on the blog this month on Twitter. Well, now's the time you need to pay attention.

I can't give away too many details, but if I were you I'd clear your calendars on Thursday evening March 1 for the most epic concert of the year, happening right here in NYC. There will be some big names you will all recognize, and best of all, you can get in for free!

Stay tuned next week and I'll reveal more details. I will say this, while tickets are free, you still have to snag one. In addition to the 3 I'll be giving away next week, tickets will go "on sale" here on ~~Monday morning 2/27~~ Tuesday morning 2/28 at 9:00 am EST (The link won't work until then but I thought I'd give you the heads up). Who's excited?

AWESOME DEAL: 15% Off at Pure Barre

2012-02-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

I have never been a "fitness" person. When I work out, I want to have fun and not think about how much I'd rather be watching re-runs of Project Runway at home while snacking on Reese's Pieces (well, that's an exaggeration, but a girl can dream).

One thing I've loved about living in NYC is the vast availability of new "hip" workouts for me to try. A few months ago I stumbled upon an amazing offer on Gilt City for a 2-month unlimited class package at the newly opened Pure Barre in Columbus Circle. Having tried a sample class at The Bar Method last summer and totally trusting Gilt City because their recommendations are awesome, I roped a coworker into purchasing the package with me and we started classes after the first of the year.

The premise of Pure Barre (a national chain started by dancer Carrie Rezabek Dorr in 2001 with locations currently in 25 states) is using small isometric movements at the ballet barre to the beat of motivating music to lift your seat, tone your thighs, abs and arms, and burn fat. Hence their mantra: lift, tone, burn!

The first few classes, I'm not going to lie, were hard. Each class follows a rigid structure. First, you warm up your entire body using small weights, your own body weight, and the dreaded 90-second forearm plank. Next you move into thighs and then seat. Using only the barre and a small rubber ball, when you do the exercises correctly, your legs shake almost uncontrollably, but that's how you know "your muscles are changing," the bubbly instructors always say. From there, the class focuses on firming your core through a series of exercises at the bar and then on a mat. Lastly, you finish up with some funky "back dancing" to give one final push to the seat and thighs and then some relaxing stretching.

Six weeks in, and I can see a change in my body. My arms have more definition, my core is stronger than it's ever been, and I can do way more full (non on-your-knees) push-ups than I have ever been able to do before. My goal was to go 4-5 times a week, and this has been super easy because they offer plenty of classes at all sorts of convenient times throughout the day. The teachers are all very friendly and down-to-earth, the studio is clean (though it does get a bit hot and crowded sometimes), and the general vibe is very open and not snooty like I thought it might be.

The only real negative for me is the cost, and while I got an amazing deal on Gilt City (keyword: amazing), I have no idea if they plan to run another one any time soon. However, Pure Barre has generously provided me with a 15% off discount code for my readers good through the end of February: AWESOME. To use it visit their online store here, select the package you want and enter code AWESOME in the promotional code box. You should see the discount reflected before you purchase. After that, just sign up for the classes you want and have fun! Keep in mind that some of the busier classes end up with a waiting list, so it's best to sign up as early as possible.

Disclosure: Although Pure Barre gave me a free class for writing this post, I really and truly have become addicted to this workout and just renewed for another month of unlimited classes! The discount code AWESOME is good for all packages except the new client, baby bounce back and bridal specials and is good through 2/29/12.

The Namesake of Falafel

2012-02-16T13:30:00.000-05:00

One thing any New Yorker can tell you is that there is NO shortage of falafel options in this city. Sometimes I look around and think I'm in Tel Aviv or something. From street carts, to hole-in-the-wall joints, chains to fancy $10 pita sandwiches, how's a girl to choose? While I'm all for the street cart (as long as you don't see any little critters crawling on it), I was recently invited to Chickpea to see what they are all about.

Chickpea in the CitiCorp Building is PACKED at lunch time

A NYC mini-chain, Chickpea has 7 locations throughout Manhattan with an 8th opening soon on the Upper East Side and potentially a site in Brooklyn in the future. Named for the main ingredient in both falafel and hummus, Chickpea was born from the concept that food should be healthy, fresh and innovative. Sure you can get your standard falafel and hummus on a pita, but if you're in the mood for spinach broccoli falafel with jalapeno garlic hummus on a whole wheat pita, they can hook you up too. Another thing that makes them different is that all their falafel is baked, not fried like it usually is. The salad bar is also one of my favorite parts because you can load up your pita or platter with fresh veggies and tahini.

Falafel choices

Hummus choices

In addition to falafel, Chickpea offers meat options like chicken schwarma, lamb kebab, grillled steak and the inventive schwafel (the best of both worlds!).

Chickpea workers

For my lunch, I ordered a schwafel sandwich on whole wheat pita with red pepper hummus. It came in this little cute box that seems like it would make eating falafel on the run an easier task.

When I took it out of the box, it looked like a much more manageable sandwich than some other's I've eaten before. The pita is cooked in a way that makes it more like a taco than a blorb of a meal (I don't know if blorb is a word, but you know exactly what I mean).

One thing I was concerned with was the fact that the falafel was baked, and I thought that might make it really dry. However, I was wrong. The entire sandwich was moist (and not in a soggy pita kind of way) and tasty. The salad that came with it was constantly surprising me with new veggies and the red pepper hummus gave a nice flavor kick.

Moist falafel

The sandwich was the perfect size for a lunchtime meal, not too filling, but the guys at chickpea threw in a piece of their homemade honeycake which I saved for later. I don't usually buy things like honeycake, or any dessert for that matter, with lunch. However, if you find yourself at Chickpea, do yourself a favor and ORDER THE HONEYCAKE!

I'll admit it doesn't look that impressive all wrapped in cellophane, but this moist concoction was jam-packed with so much honey, yet it wasn't sticky. The coconut on top played to another one of my favorite flavors and the texture was cakey and bready at the same time. I guess what I'm saying is Chickpea's honey cake is like the love child of corn bread and tres leches cake, and at only $3.25 it's a steal.

Honey cake close up shot

What I once though was just a standard lunch option is now definitely in my top 10. Not only was the food tasty, healthy, and wholesome, but the philosophy behind the company and the workers really struck a chord with me. If you have a Chickpea near you, I would highly recommend a schwafel and a honey cake for your next lunch, and if you don't have one near you, I would highly recommend finding one for dinner.

Don't Be a Square, Go Cuban

2012-02-16T12:54:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'll admit the title is a little cheesy, but with the breadth of different flavors present throughout the NYC cuisine scene, I find good, authentic Cuban to be underrepresented. Good thing I found Cafecito in the East Village to quench my craving for fried plantains, mojitos and bistec empanizado.

Owner Manny Garcia invited me and a guest to check out his menu, all recipes crafted by his mother and slightly updated for modern times, on a recent Tuesday night. A tell-tale sign that a restaurant is good is obviously a wait. When we arrived, not only were people waiting for tables at 8:30 pm, but the bar area was packed with folks sipping mojitos and other concoctions. The only thing missing was the live music, although this place is tiny even by NYC standards, and I have no idea where a band would even go.

We were welcomed with mojitos (yum!) and seated once the crowd died down a bit. For an appetizer, we sampled the Saboricito De Cuba (which I'm assuming means "taste of Cuba") that came with a papa rellena, 2 empanadas, a frita cubana and 2 croquettas de jamon mariquitas. There was a lot of fried happening on this plate, but it was all delicioso. The papa rellena was my favorite, but honestly everything was superb.

Saborocito de Cuba

For entrees, I ordered the cod special with yellow rice and fried plantains and my guest had the house special Churrasco with chimichurri sauce, lime cured onions, yellow rice and black beans. Though slightly oily, the cod was tasty and light. The rice was moist and who can dislike fried plantains? Really? These were amazeballs. The churrasco was slightly overcooked and chewy, but also tasty. The beans and rice together were a classic combo and I kept stealing beans because they were so yummy.

Cod Special with Yellow Rice and Fried Plantains

Churrasco

At this point we were already on round 2 of mojitos and our stomachs were verging on way-too-full. However, Manny would not let us leave without dessert (a man after my own heart!). He brought out both the Flourless Chocolate Cake and the Flan. I used to have a thing with flan; didn't like the jiggle. However, it's come to grow on me, and this was a prime example of great flan. The caramel glaze on top was a nice touch--not too sugary. While not Cuban per se, the chocolate cake was our favorite. It was served with ice cream and dulce de leche and was so light that it just melted as soon as the fork touched my lips.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flan

To top everything off, Manny sent over two small glasses of tres leches liqueur. The milky drink was the perfect digestif to end this meal; it was like drinking cake. I'm going to have to find me a bottle of that sometime very soon.

From the substantial crowd and relatively affordable prices (apps. $5-$14, entrees $14-$20), to the wonderful selection of Cuban sandwiches and the fried plantains, I'd give this joint 2 thumbs up. You can catch them on Scoutmob for a $10 discount through June (check the coupon on the app for details). For the negatives, expect to wait a while for a table even if you make a reservation, and be weary of consuming a lot of grease and fried foods.

If you're really feeling like you need some more Cuban in your life, Manny wants to share his Cuban Bread Pudding recipe with all my awesome readers. If any of you make it, be sure to come back and let everyone know how it came out!

Cuban Bread Pudding

The raisins should be soaked in the rum overnight, or at least for several hours. You

can use individual ramekins or a single taking dish.

1 cinnamon stick, ground

6 tb raisins

1/4 c aged anejo rum

1 c sugar

1 vanilla bean, split in 1/2 lengthwise

1 qt heavy cream

1 whole nutmeg ground

10 egg yolks

2 c cubed slightly stale Cuban or fresh bread

3 tablespoons sugar

To prepare the bread pudding: Soak the raising in the rum overnight. Place 1

tablespoon of the sugar on the work surface. Scrape out the vanilla bean seeds onto

the sugar and smear around to coat the seeds. Place this sugar-vanilla mixture in the

saucepan and add the cream, vanilla bean, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1/2 c of sugar.

Bring the mixture to just under a boil. Remove immediately from the heat and let steep

for 20 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until

thick and pale. Slowly whisk in a small amount of the hot cream mixture to temper the

egg mixture, stirring continuously to prevent the eggs from cooking. Add a little more

at a time until the egg mixture is warm. Slowly pour the tempered mixture into the

remaining hot cream and whisk until smooth. Pass through a fine strainer.

Strain the rum from the raisins, reserving the rum. Sprinkle the raisins in the bottom

of (whichever container you are using) add the bread cubes on top of the raisins, and

sprinkle the bread with reserved rum. Allow to sit for 15-20 minutes before baking.

While resting occasionally push down the bread lightly with the back of a spoon so it

absorbs more of the custard.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the mixture in a baking pan lined

with a towel (to prevent the pan from sliding). Add enough boiling water to the pan to

come about halfway up the sides. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.

To serve, sprinkle the top with about 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Using a handheld propane

torch, caramelize the sugar all over the surface (alternatively, place under a very hot

broiler).

Remove the pan or ramekins and allow the tops to harden for a minute.

Want an Extra Fifty Bucks?

2012-02-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

Buy your groceries at Citarella? Frequent the make-up counters at Bloomingdale's or Macy's? Fancy a bagel with lox from Russ and Daughters? If you do any of these things and/or enjoy Broadway shows, shop at H&M, visit The Museum of the City of New York or The Met, dine at Dos Caminos or Plein Sud, you best pay attention.

American Express has launched their Get More NYC statement credit promotion and it's pretty simple. You spend $200 at at least 2 participating NYC merchants during the month of February and you get a $50 statement credit! They have limited the promotion to only 20,000 registrations so I'd highly recommend registering today. Once that's done, you can start planning what damage you are going to do at Banana Republic, Anthropologie, Ricky's NYC, etcetra, etcetra. Now the only question is, what will you do with that extra $50 in your pocket?

It's Baaaaaaaaack

2012-02-01T10:49:00.000-05:00

It's February 1st and that can only mean one thing. Time for the 20th annual Hot Chocolate Festival from City Bakery! It may be pushing 60 degrees today, but that's certainly not going to stop me from salivating over delicious flavors planned for the month like caramel hot chocolate (2/11), beer hot chocolate (Brooklyn style 2/17 and Dublin style 2/24) and the mysterious leap year hot chocolate (2/29), all with a giant, fluffy, homemade marshmallow of course.

Check out the full calendar of flavors here and comment on which one you can't wait to try. Also don't forget to sample their peanut butter cookies (my favorite for only 75 cents!). Happy sipping!

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: Two Tickets to How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

2012-01-30T10:50:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since the hit revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying opened on Broadway (and a year since we held a ticket giveaway for the show). ~~Harry Potter~~ Daniel Radcliffe has vacated his role as J. Pierrepont Finch for bigger and better things (an upcoming creepy looking motion picture it seems) and teeny-bopper heartthrob Nick Jonas has taken over the reins of the lead part, much to the excitement of thirteen-year-olds everywhere.

Rounding out the rest of the cast is Beau Bridges as J. B. Biggley and Rose Hemingway as Rosemary Pilkington. Michael Urie, of Ugly Betty fame, plays the scheming Bud Frump, and Anderson Cooper still narrates (prerecorded unfortunately).

All my readers are in luck! I'm giving away another pair of tickets to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway! The tickets must be picked up at the box office the day of the show. There are 4 easy ways to win and each comment counts as an entry. Please include your email in any comments so I know how to 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 below letting me know why you want to see this show and who you will bring if you win.

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

4) Tweet or blog about this event and let me know with a link to your tweet or blog in a comment below.

~~One winner will be chosen using Random.org on Friday 2/3. You have until Friday 2/3 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!~~

I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of entries in this contest - a record breaker for sure! With that said, there can only be one winner. Congratulations Kristin! She was the 95th commenter and wins two tickets to see Nick Jonas in How to Succeed! Kristin, please check your email for details.

For those of you who did not win, THANK YOU for entering and STAY AWESOME! You can still save 40% on tickets through Feb. 29 using the discount code HSFAN105 at broadwayoffers.com (restrictions and black out dates apply).

Love Me Some Cheap Theater

2012-01-27T16:23:00.001-05:00

I don't know if you've noticed, but there are some AWESOME Off-Broadway shows out there right now. I have so many on my want-to-see list, it's ridiculous. From Rent to Million Dollar Quartet, The Fantasticks to Traces, there's something for everybody!

While we await the big spring Broadway openings, I would highly recommend taking advantage of a current promotion available at more than three dozen shows called 20 at 20. Basically, you have 20 days to see amazing shows like the aforementioned for just $20. The 20 days started Jan. 18th (sorry for the late notice!) and goes until Feb. 6th. The way to get your $20 tickets is to show up to the box office 20 minutes before curtain and say you want your 20 at 20 tickets. It's that easy!

Plus, if you manage to see 7 shows over the course of the promotion, you get a free dinner for 2! Whatcha waitin' for?

Wining and, Well, Wining

2012-01-27T15:47:00.003-05:00

Day drinking is a New Yorker's treasured pastime, but day drinking classy wines from all regions of the world in the humongous Javit's Center is an experience not to be missed. I attended the New York Wine Expo last year, and this vino-fest was beyond awesome. This year, the grand tasting will feature wines from 175 wineries and a renowned lineup of seminar speakers. The event will take place Friday March 2 - Sunday March 4, with Sunday being for trade only.

Good news! All of my readers are entitled to a $15 off discount on tickets for Friday night using the promotional code: AWESOME. But hurry, this code expires March 1! You won't want to miss an afternoon of day drinking and insightful seminars like "Wine 101: Taste Like a Pro with Wine Spectator," "Wine Spectator Presents...Portugal – Discover a World of Difference" or "The Rhône Valley: A River Runs Through It…with Mark Oldman." Cheers! Hope to see you there!

Tiramisu! Get Your Tiramisu!

2012-01-10T09:50:00.000-05:00

It's not secret that I love the NYC food scene, but when I get to partake in it for no charge is when I get excited. Savoia Restaurant in Caroll Gardens, is new to me but certainly not new to serving up classic Italian Cuisine in the big apple. After moving to Brooklyn from Chambers Street after 9/11, Savoia is family run and emphasizes the Italian experience, offering rustic decor and even waiters with true Italian accents. Most of their ingredients are imported direct from Italy, with perishable items locally sourced from organic farms and other food purveyors. Yelp reviewers rave about the brick oven pizzas, the paninis and even their brunch specials.

If you're in the neighborhood today, Savoia is celebrating their 10th anniversary by giving away a free glass of wine and piece of tiramisu with your dinner order. Also, they will be having a demonstration of how to make their Rigatoni alla Norma today at 5, complete with a tasting of course.

Check back soon for my review of Savoia and if you go today come back and comment how much you loved the tiramisu!

It's a Smorgasbrewery

2012-01-06T17:06:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, I'm sorry to just be finding out about the Smorgasbrewery event going on at Brooklyn Brewery this Sunday 1/8 (and every Sunday through March). On top of their normally free on-the-hour brewery tours, the beloved beer aficionados who run the place are bringing in all sorts of local food vendors from noon to 5 pm.

This Sunday you can salivate over pork sandwiches (I'm assuming) from Porchetta, bivalves from Brooklyn Oyster Party, sweet and savory pies from Rachel's Pies, baked goods from Commerce Bakery and sugary confections from Lush Candy. And you musn't forget a Brooklyn Lager, IPA or maybe a Cuvee Noir...

Time for Tapas

2012-01-06T11:04:00.004-05:00

Happy new year awesome readers! I hope you all celebrated in style. I'd like to kick off the new year right with a great deal I found at one of my favorite restaurants in NYC, Tia Pol. Tucked into a small space amid the fabulous art galleries in Chelsea, this tapas restaurant offers amazing sangria and wide variety of affordable and delicious small plates. A few of my favorites are the fried garbanzo beans (a must try!) and the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in olive oil with garlic and chili).

Bring the coupon below into Tia Pol before February 29th (yes, that's right it's a leap year!) and score 25% off your total bill.

Because of the small space, this place gets packed so I would HIGHLY recommend making a reservation, or plan on waiting a while. Cheers to 25% more fried garbanzo beans...

Elemental Dining

2011-12-27T16:12:00.001-05:00

Williamsburg is fast becoming (or already is) the new awesome place to own a restaurant. To stand out and survive, each has to have something unique to draw people in and keep them happy hungry customers. Would a menu complete with Italian-style pizzas, South American seafood dishes and juicy burritos do the trick? I think so.

On the border of McCarren Park, away from the hustle and bustle of Bedford Ave., you'll find Cu 29 Copper. Named to bring about thoughts of chemistry and harmony between different cuisines, the restaurant was decorated in warm hues of rust and of course, copper, with the center point being the large brick oven. I was invited by the owners on a nippy Sunday night to sample the menu and get a feel for this hidden gem.

We were seated in the large back room, with a view out to the good size outdoor patio. How I wished the weather was warmer so that we could have sat outside! When we arrived a family was finishing up their meal and a couple was canoodling/eating dinner on a cozy couch. There was a rather large elevated space in the corner and the host told us that they regularly have live music on weeknights.

We started with the Roasted Garlic Shrimp. Talk about garlic. The sizzling dish packed a punch of flavor. I would watch out for this dish on a first date, but man oh man was it delicious. The shrimp were succulent, and my only complaint would be that I wanted more bread to sop up the remaining sauce.

Roasted Garlic Shrimp

The next dish was Cu 29 Copper's Signature Pizza. The fluffy, slightly blackened (in a good way) crust was piled high with pepperoni, sweet sausage, peppers, mushrooms, red onions, black olives, hot cherry peppers and mozzarella cheese. With a slight kick, this pizza was super tasty. We came close to finishing it, but then the waiter reminded us we still had one more dish to try.

Cu Signature Pizza

The last dish, and my favorite, was the Seafood Moqueca, a traditional Latin seafood stew with coconut milk, lobster broth, cilantro and toasted pine nuts, served over rice. This dish came with lots of extra bread so as soon as we slurped up the mussels and found all the bits of calamari, we left no broth at all. The yellow rice was amazing as well after it had been sitting in the stew for so long.

Seafood Moqueca

Taking a look at the rest of the menu, I'm intrigued by the other pizzas (Italian Stallion anyone?), the tacos (especially the shrimp tacos with chipotle mole and the tuna tacos with sliced mandarin pico de gallo) and the banana nutella crepes (can't resist!). Drinks are reasonably priced with beers for $5 and signature cocktails ranging from $8-$10. They have a great lunch menu as well with specials around $8, and almost all the online reviews I've read about this place rave about its brunch.

Cu 29 Copper is located at 232 N. 12th Street (between Driggs Ave and Roebling Street).

Free Groceries!

2011-12-16T10:03:00.001-05:00

Whenever I leave NY, I love visiting those super huge "super"markets. I oogle at all of the varieties of everything, the spacious aisles and the rows and rows of convenient items - brands I've never heard of before! Alas, I come back home and can get a similar, albeit crowded and expensive, experience at Whole Foods, but in my neighborhood, I've settled for Morton Williams as my grocery store of choice.

Their selection is pretty good, they offer a fairly wide selection of produce, and the people at the check out line at least say hello to me in a pleasant matter (and that's saying a lot compared to the likes of some Gristedes I've shopped in). So when I opened my email this morning to find an offer for a $30 voucher to Morton Williams for only $15, I jumped on it. The best part, you can buy 2 per person! But hurry, there were only 600 or so vouchers left when I last checked and I'm sure those puppies are going to sell out soon.

Behind the Scenes at Bonnie & Clyde

2011-12-13T17:02:00.000-05:00

There’s not much I love more about New York than Broadway. Hence, when Theater Advisor asked me to be a guest blogger, see the new show Bonnie & Clyde and recap a post-show Q&A event with some of the cast and creative team, I jumped at the chance.

The tale of Bonnie and Clyde is one of those legendary American stories that everyone knows at least a little bit about. However, only knowing the fragment about love and crime (I didn’t even know exactly what happened to them in the end, but I won’t spoil it here!), I decided to watch the classic 1967 movie with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway the night before. With that in my head before the actual show I figured I’d be able to focus more on the creative characteristics of the show itself and not merely the plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show itself. The acting was wonderful and I found the songs catchy, unlike some die-hard critics out there. The simple, yet flawlessly transformable set could have easily stolen the show, but instead it functioned as an additional character with the sole purpose of connecting everything that was happening on stage. Overall, I was able to completely give myself over to the story and be swept away by the magic of Broadway.

After the performance, the show held a digital media Q&A at Hurley’s Saloon. Director Jeff Calhoun, scenic/costume designer Tobin Ost and cast members Claybourne Elder (Butch Barrow) and Melissa van der Schyff (Blanche Barrow) were in attendance and took turns answering questions related to the show, its relationship to the movie and how the real characters in the story might have reacted to the musical today.

After several questions regarding the iconic film, Calhoun commented that he did not set out to make a musical based on a movie, but rather, wanted to create a show based on a real American story – not an easy feat in the world of never-ending movie-to-Broadway musicals.

“New musicals are hard to come by,” he said. “I’m an independent contractor. I don’t write. So I’m at the mercy of finding material that speaks to me. I spent the last five years developing this show because I love it and I’m proud of it.”

Taking a unique approach to a musical and not including any large production dance numbers, Calhoun said he thinks of Bonnie & Clyde as “a play with music.”

Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes as Bonnie and Clyde (Photo by: Nathan Johnson)

Because Broadway has seen its fair share of wackadoodle musicals (I won’t name names), the creators of this show took a risk in putting on a production essentially about criminals. I’ve heard plenty of chit chat about the implausibility of creating a musical, which is usually lighthearted, about murder and poverty. However, every musical I’ve seen seems to have some sort of take home message. For Bonnie & Clyde, the love story was pronounced and the criminals got what they deserved, but the show really emphasized the economic climate in America during that time in our history and the injustices committed on both sides of the gun, so to say.

“Poverty made Clyde a criminal. Jail made him a murderer. Only in America at that time in our history, could two such animals have been created,” Calhoun said, adding that the show was created to be the most truthful telling of the actual events as possible, while the film was “very ‘Hollywood’ and loose with the facts.”

Van der Schyff added to that saying, “I think it’s interesting how one wrong choice can steer your life in the wrong direction.” She followed that up by noting that the choice Blanche made to follow Butch into a life of crime may have been well-intentioned (in her mind she was standing by her man), but ultimately ended up, let’s just say, poorly.

Melissa van der Schyff, Claybourne Elder, Louis Hobson and Jeremy Jordan (Photo by: Nathan Johnson)

Taking inspiration from all of the “dilapidated barns” near his home in rural Pennsylvania, Ost said the “total organic process” of creating the set enabled him to fabricate something that would flow seamlessly with the fast-paced script. In addition, the set was filled with symbolism, right down to the topography which Calhoun said was “as perilous as the times that [Bonnie and Clyde] were living in.”

In terms of how the real Bonnie and Clyde would react to the fanfare of a Broadway musical about them, Calhoun said, “I think they’d be thrilled that there was a movie, and they’d be thrilled that there was a play. They were egomaniacal and they really did both want to be famous in their own right.”

Both van der Schyff and Elder said they go into every performance not only thinking about the personalities of the real Buck and Blanche, but also about their collective spiritual presence. “We like to set an intention before each show that if [the character’s] spirits are with us that they would hopefully be happy that we’re telling their story with the intention of maybe someone is going to make a different choice in their life tonight,” van der Schyff said.

“That’s all you could ever hope for, that someone would be changed by what you do,” Elder added. “This show is a really amazing opportunity to do that because of the story.”

Summing up, Calhoun said he went into this show with the objective to create something truly original. “I try to do shows for better or for worse that don’t look like other shows,” he said. “At least if I stole, it was by mistake. I think we have our own integrity, our own DNA. It’s actually adult storytelling and I like that. I’m proud of that. The audiences that like it appreciate it on that level and I’m really grateful for that.”

To save up to 30% on tickets for Bonnie & Clyde through December 30, 2011, visit Broadway Box, call 212-947-8844 or visit the box office at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater at 236 W. 45th Street and use code BCBBX909.

Nothing Like A Good Holiday Party

2011-12-13T12:20:00.000-05:00

Looking for something to fill your schedule this week and still need to wrap up your holiday gift buying? Head over to Gap 5th Avenue (at 54th Street) for cocktails, live music and outrageous discounts tomorrow from 6-8 pm where you'll also get to mingle with Gap and Fabsugar editors Chi Chau and Hannah Weil.

Before you pencil this into your planner, make sure you RSVP to nyc.rsvp@sugarinc.com.

Mick Rocked the W

2011-12-08T16:14:00.001-05:00

Wednesday nights for me are typically fairly quiet. A zumba class, maybe a new episode of Modern Family, occasionally the raucous happy hour that ends by oh 9 pm. However, after winning tickets to a VIP preview event of the new Mick Rock photo exhibition at the W Downtown and a night at the hotel, I knew this was going to be a different sort of Wednesday night.

All dolled up and ready to party, my boyfriend and I arrived at the W in the pouring rain last night to find a heated tent set up behind the hotel and a line of people waiting in the cold. After we checked in to our room on the 15th floor with an awesome view of the 9/11 Memorial (still haven't been down there to see it!), we were able to skip the line (I was not waiting in the cold with no jacket!), grab our wristbands and head up to the Living Room Lounge on the 5th floor. We got drinks (open bar, of course) and tried to weave through the crowd to view the photos of rock 'n roll legends. I loved one of Madonna from 1980 and a more recent image of Bono and Lady Gaga.

View from our room

Living Room Lounge W Downtown

Madonna 1980

Bono and Lady Gaga

We spotted Stephen Baldwin in the crowd as we headed downstairs to the tent and although I'm sad we didn't see them, I read that Betsy Johnson, Chace Crawford, Penn Badgely were all in attendance.

Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford (photo courtesy of Chace Crawford's Facebook page)

Mick Rock (photo courtesy of Metromix)

The musical guests for the event included the band Phantogram and DJ Mark Ronson. Although I'd never heard of Phantogram, everyone seemed pretty pumped when they started playing. Ronson's mixes were a lot of fun. I always like hearing music I already know in a whole new way.

Phantogram

Phantogram (photo courtesy of Metromix)

DJ Mark Ronson

For a Wednesday night, I got a taste of the rockstar life and it was exciting. Heck, it was probably more exciting than my last several Friday nights. For a Thursday morning, waking up in a plush W Hotel bed and taking a shower in which the water can be turned into a head massager was definitely a (necessary) treat. Before checking out of the hotel and checking back into my normal Thursday life, I snapped one daylight photo of the 9/11 Memorial. Then it was onto the 4/5 and back to reality. Until next time...

For more photos of the event, visit Guest of a Guest and Metromix.

An Impromptu Aerial Tour

2011-12-08T14:37:00.000-05:00

Longtime readers may remember my affinity with taking overhead photos of NYC both from a helicopter and an airplane. I generally am pretty good at following all the rules pertaining to flying -- my 3 oz. liquids are always in a plastic bag, my seat back and tray table up is always for take off and landing and I always turn off my cell phone when asked. However, when the aircraft I'm traveling on takes an unusual route in and out of New York, I can't help but whip out my camera and snap away.

On my return trip from Thanksgiving, I was deep into the New York Magazine crossword when I looked out my window and saw two bridges that I couldn't determine the location of. Once I got it in my head which was was north, I discovered that those were the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and Manhattan island directly below. I don't know about any of you, but I have NEVER approached LGA or JFK from that direction. In fact, I thought Manhattan was a no fly zone. As soon as I realized what a privilege this was, I hastily shut off my overhead light and rifled around my purse for my camera just in time to view Times Square RIGHT below my window. How cool! However, all I got was this blur of a picture...

Blurry Times Square

Still pretty awesome. As we continued north up the Hudson River and turned east just above Westchester, I got some better shots. Enjoy!

Midtown and Central Park looking southeast

Central Park and Upper East Side looking east

Westchester, the Bronx and Manhattan looking south (you can see the bright lights of in Manhattan in the upper left corner)

Upcycled, Local and Stylish? Oh my!

2011-12-07T11:43:00.000-05:00

Don't you ever wish you could find a way to shop locally, ethically and environmentally-minded while looking fashionable all at the same time? One component always seems to be missing from the equation. Enter Vaya Bags. Made of "upcycled" materials (including scrap sailboat awnings, bicycle tubes and vinyl banners) in Ridgewood, Queens, these bags are hearty, colorful and fairly stylish. Some versions are made with reflective tape to specially cater to the increasing population of cyclists in the five boroughs.

If you like these bags or know of someone who would like one as a holiday gift, they are on sale up to 20% off today through Friday on one of my favorite online shopping and design sites Fab.com. You can check out the complete selection of messenger bags, bicycle tube purses and wallets and find something unique for someone on your gift list (or yourself, we won't judge). I'm a big fan of the Vinyl Blue Wallet.

If you aren't familiar with Fab.com, I'd suggest you sign up for their daily emails. They have some of the most unique design related items for sale every day and a handy 100 design gifts under $100 curated shop going on now just in time for the holidays. Check it out!

AWESOME ALERT: Free Insomnia Cookies on the Upper East Side

2011-12-06T14:47:00.000-05:00

Out to prove that cupcakes and macarons aren't the only kings of the dessert world, Insomnia Cookies is doing a mighty fine job of balancing out the top of the NYC sweets pyramid with their ooey gooey cookies. Even better, they deliver into the wee hours of the night, proving that it's never not time for a Snickerdoodle or White Chocolate Macadamia Nut (my favorite! hint hint!).

No newcomer to the sugar scene, the cookie chain launched at UPenn in 2003 is opening their 4th NYC store on the Upper East Side (1579 2nd Ave at 82nd Street) and celebrating with a Grand Opening December 14-18. The best part....they want all Awesome in New York readers to have a free cookie on the house! Just print out the coupon below, bring it into the new store and pick your favorite flavor! It's that easy! And feel free to tell all your friends and family as well -- you wouldn't want to be responsible for hoarding a secret about free sweets around the holidays would you?

Check out Insomnia Cookies on Twitter and Facebook for future cookie news.

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Follies (again!)

2011-12-05T10:16:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite shows of the season was the revival of Follies, yet sadly it must close January 22! If you haven't seen the show, you don't want to miss what Ben Brantley of The New York Times called a "white-hot, vibrant, and moving" show. Bernadette Peters is fabulous and I can't get enough of Jan Maxwell, each as former Follies girls reunited for the closing of the theater in which they once performed. Danny Burstein and Rob Raines make up the rest of the quad-fecta as love interests and strong individual characters with their own stories to tell. There are limited opportunities to see this show before it closes so make sure you get tickets!

Check out a video preview of the show here!

All of my awesome readers are in luck again! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to see Follies on Broadway! Tickets are good through the run of the show and there are 5 easy ways to win. Keep in mind that each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.

REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
REQUIRED - Refer a friend to this contest. You must leave a separate comment letting me know who you referred and the friend must leave a comment letting me know who referred them for both entries to count.
Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.

~~You have until Friday 12/9 at 4 pm EST to enter this contest. Winners will be announced soon after. Best of luck!~~

A winner has been chosen! Congratulations to Mary Ann! You have won a pair of tickets to see Follies on Broadway. I hope you have a great time and be sure to come back and tell us how you liked the show!

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to the NYBG Holiday Train Show Shopping and Champagne Event

2011-11-29T16:01:00.003-05:00

Now that all the leftover turkey is gone, it's prime time to start checking off those holiday shopping lists. The New York Botanical Garden, which is celebrating its 20th Holiday Train Show this year, would like to help you out.Thursday nights (12/1, 12/8, and 12/15) from 6-8 pm, NYBG is putting on a Shopping and Champagne event where attendees can both view the famous train show and find unique gifts for everyone. A free glass of Champagne will be served and all tickets include a $20 voucher off a $100 purchase.

All of my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to NYBG's Holiday Train Show Shopping and Champagne event! There are 5 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.

REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
Refer a friend to this contest. You must leave a separate comment letting me know who you referred and the friend must leave a comment letting me know who referred them for both entries to count.
Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.

~~You have until Friday 12/2 at 5 pm EST to enter this contest. The winner will be announced soon after. Best of luck!~~

A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Jerry! You win 2 tickets to the New York Botanical Garden's Shopping and Champagne event! Thanks to everyone who entered and make sure to check out the Holiday Train Show in December.