Posted on February 22nd, 2008 by jenwriter
On Valentines Day, I was invited to a fun karaoke party at iBop. I had already been to iBop at least three times, all for birthday parties. One which was mine. So, I was really looking forward to this.
iBop is located on 35th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. Your group rents a room, and it costs $7 per person per hour. They only have four rooms so it is best to call ahead of time for reservations. The rooms always seem to be filled when I go there. It’s a BYOB place, and they serve nothing. However, there are several restaurants around that will deliver food to your karaoke room.
Every single time I have done karaoke at this place, including Valentines 2008, I have had such a blast. I think this was the best Valentines Day I’ve ever had.
Filed under: nightlife, nyc, places to go | 1 Comment »
Posted on January 31st, 2008 by jenwriter
On New Years Eve, I somehow ended up at The Whiskey Bar in Hoboken. It was a random decision, and I was afraid that I wouldn’t actually have anything to do on New Years Eve. You may ask why I did not decide to do something in the City. To make a long story short, I opted for avoiding the madness and throngs people.
Instead, I got to see Spit-Roast Muppet. The most awesome cover band ever. They played a mix of 80s, 90s and early 00s in their own cool style of rock. They rocked out, and the huge crowd danced and sang along. It might have been a little cheesy, but it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a New Years Eve.
And lucky for all of you who missed this, they are playing again Friday, February 1st. That’s tomorrow night at The Whiskey Bar in Hoboken. Don’t miss it.
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Posted on January 8th, 2008 by jenwriter
In the 15-degree weather last week, I went to see the musical murder mystery comedy, Curtains. I know that I enjoy musicals, and I know that I am absolutely nuts about murder mysteries. So, I was pretty certain that I would enjoy this show.
The show, however, did start out a bit…muted? It was either the energy of the actors or something was up with the sound quality. It could have been a little bit of both. The mystery did start off with a bang, a murder occurring within the first few moments after the curtain rises. Regardless of the initial muted quality, I was intrigued.
I am not sure what did the trick, but by the time David Hyde Pierce arrived on stage as the Lieutenant charged with solving the murder, the energy and/or sound quality had arrived as well. He was remarkably entertaining and hilarious, and it might just have been his presence that brought a surge in energy from the rest of the actors on stage. I also do have to say that Karen Ziemba as Georgia Hendricks was outstanding. She has a fantastic voice and commanding stage presence, and she was by far, the best actress in the show.
As for the mystery, I did not guess the true murderer, although I’m surprised that I did not. Part of the mystery was a bit formulaic. The person you least expect and overlook turns out to have motives that don’t appear until the last moment. There was a small twist that I did not expect, so I suppose they did the mystery justice.
One more thing. While I did enjoy the hilarity and comical aspects of the show, I think I might have enjoyed it a bit more if they had done a straight murder mystery musical. There was a silliness to the show that is prevalent in a lot of current musicals. I like this, don’t get me wrong. But I like serious mysteries a bit more.
Overall, I really did enjoy the show. It might not be perfect or the best thing I’ve seen, but it was definitely worth watching.
Filed under: places to go, reviews, shows | 1 Comment »
Posted on January 6th, 2008 by jenwriter
This week, I saw Avenue Q at the Golden Theatre. Avenue Q is a musical comedy about recent college grads facing the real world in an outer borough of New York City. And it just so happens that some of these grads are puppets in similar form to Sesame Street characters. When I first heard the premise, I thought, “Pfshaw. A grown-up Sesame Street? That could be lame.” Fortunately, I was proven wrong as this is one of the best musicals on Broadway that I have seen.
The puppets do prove to be somewhat distracting…rather, the humans operating them prove to be somewhat distracting. They walk, sing and dance around stage with a puppet on their arm, expressing every emotion that the puppet encounters. I kept finding myself watch the actors, rather than the puppets. For example, Sarah Stiles as Kate Monster and Lucy is incredibly captivating. She is extremely talented, and I had a hard time watching her puppets rather than focus on her own incredible performance. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I did wonder how the show would have been if I’d been watching what I was actually supposed to be watching.
The main reason I believe this show stood out to me is the fact that it hit so close to home. I connected well to the story, as silly and often sarcastic as it was. I miss college, and it hasn’t been easy to get used to the “real world”. I’ve often asked myself what my purpose is, and honestly, I’m still not sure. I think I know, but who knows if that will ever happen. The songs “Purpose” and “I Wish I Could Go Back to College” really stood out to me as someone in the same kind of situation.
“I need an academic advisor to point the way!
We could be…
Sitting in the computer lab,
4 A.M. before the final paper is due,
Cursing the world ’cause I didn’t start sooner,
And seeing the rest of the class there, too!”
Overall, this was an excellent show with a talented cast, laugh-out-loud dialogue and catchy tunes. Even if you aren’t a Sesame Street fan or a 25 year old in the midst of a quarter-life crisis, I believe you will enjoy the show.
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Posted on December 25th, 2007 by jenwriter
Merry Christmas everyone! Have a very green holiday!
This photo is of the “Green Holiday” Barney’s Window display in New York City.
Filed under: holidays, nyc | No Comments »
Posted on December 24th, 2007 by jenwriter
Friday was a big day for me. I had a partial day of work, the company Holiday Party and the opening of Sweeney Todd (yay!).
The company Holiday Party took place at Stitch in Midtown. Stitch is an overpriced restaurant/bar targeted at young professionals in search of a Happy Hour destination. The party was a good time, the appetizers were quite good and the Secret Santa exchange was fun. I particularly enjoyed the Spinach Dip with Pita Bread. However, I cannot say I would recommend this place to anyone. If you’re into Happy Hour, I’m sure you can find someplace better and more reasonably priced.
Here’s a little video of the party, although it’s pretty dark so it isn’t that easy to see everything.
After the party, I had to do a bit of work. Then, it was off to more Holiday shopping. If I did not emphasize not waiting until the last minute well enough in my last post, let me say it again. Please do not wait until the last minute to do shopping in NYC. Everywhere I went, the crowd was unbearable and the line was an hour long.
After the shopping, it was time for Sweeney Todd! We had purchased tickets in advance for the Ziegfeld Theater. This theater is absolutely amazing. Large, ornately decorated, comfy seats and each restroom stall has its own sink. I highly recommend going to see a movie here. As for Sweeney Todd, I loved it. If you are not adverse to graphic displays of violence, I suggest going to see this movie. If you are adverse, there are particular scenes that you may have trouble watching. However, Johnny Depp is amazing, and his singing is better than I expected. Helena Bonham Carter is said to steal the show, and while I have to stick with Johnny as the star, she certainly is captivating in this role.
So, what did we learn today? Skip Stitch. Don’t miss the Ziegfeld.
Filed under: holidays, metoday, nightlife, nyc | 1 Comment »
Posted on December 21st, 2007 by jenwriter
I created my first MeToday video on the video sharing website, Viddler. I shared a couple of important tips for shopping in the city around the holidays.
1. Don’t wait until the last minute to shop in New York City. That might sound like a given, but don’t do it. Please. You’ll be saving yourself a lot of headaches and shoves if you shop earlier.
2. I’ve had the most luck shopping in Union Square with the holiday market, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, American Eagle and more.
Filed under: holidays, metoday, nyc, shopping | No Comments »
Posted on December 19th, 2007 by jenwriter
Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Scene of the Crime Rally yesterday in NYC. I’m disappointed that I was not able to be a part of the experience, but I did manage to find some photos from the event. One which happens to be the talented Chris Noth from Law and Order.
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Posted on December 18th, 2007 by jenwriter
Yesterday, I stopped by the Holiday Shops in Bryant Park to do some holiday shopping for my family and friends. It definitely put me into a festive mood with the giant Christmas tree, snow globe, ice skating rink and holiday shops.
I made a little video. Check it out.
Filed under: holidays, nyc, shopping | No Comments »
Posted on December 16th, 2007 by jenwriter
Ginger’s in Midtown, New York City has quite possibly the best Chinese food that I have had the pleasure of eating. I enjoy it so much that I’ve gotten to the point of eating it at least once a week, whether it be for a take-out lunch or a nice sit-down dinner.
The Pros
1. The most important thing - the food is delicious. I’ve enjoyed every dish that I’ve tried here. Granted, I usually stick to my favorite of Broccoli with Garlic Sauce, but I’ve tried several others and enjoyed them all.
2. The prices are very reasonable. You get a very large dish for the price, and you don’t feel like you’re breaking the bank. The lunch specials are particularly inexpensive, and you get spring rolls and salad with it. If you enjoy happy hour, I believe that all drinks are $3.50 between 4pm and 7pm.
3. Friendly staff.
The Cons
1. Just one. It can be extremely busy, especially during lunch hour. It makes it difficult sometimes to get your take-out order, and there are swarms of people everywhere.
Dishes to Try
1. Broccoli with Garlic Sauce, comes with rice. This is by far the best dish of Broccoli with Garlic Sauce that I’ve had. I find that I’ll order it from other Chinese restaurants and be disappointed when it doesn’t taste like Ginger’s version.
2. Pineapple Fried Rice with Cashew Nuts. You can get it with vegetables, chicken or shrimp. I had never tried this dish before having it at Ginger’s so I have nothing to compare it against. However, I can assure you, it is absolutely delicious.
Conclusion
If you have never tried Ginger’s, then you now have a new lunch or dinner destination to try next week.
Filed under: restaurants, reviews | 1 Comment »
