I am a huge fan of stand-up comedy, one of my favorite venues being Stand-Up NY (78th and Broadway). A week ago, myself plus 10 friends were lucky enough to see some top notch comedy for free, escaping the $20 entrance fee, after I won a prize draw. As lucky as that was, we were about to get luckier. The show's host announced that the first act onstage was going to be..Chris Rock. The comedian/actor was in town to promote his new movie I Love My Wife. He walked onstage to a standing ovation, as eyes popped in disbelief that he was actually there. Rock performed for over an hour and was followed by two equally funny comedians - not bad for a free show! I highly recommend Stand-Up NY, the average price of a show is $20, a discount to most of the Times Square venues .It still attracts its fair share of big names (Chris Rock being case in point) yet in my opinion often has the best selection of new talent.

After a hard day's work at the office writing about stocks and shares, I have recently been seduced by the call of Haru's (18 th and Park) "debriefing" happy hour. Between the hours of 5 and 7 you may sip cheap yet elegant drinks such as lychee-tinis or champagne-based cocktails for $6, and snack on sushi and edamame for only $3. It is a perfect winding down to the day, and seems to be becoming steadily more popular as the word spreads. I hear that the midtown Haru (48 th and Park) is just as good, attracting more of a business crowd compared to the mixed bunch in Gramercy.

Having missed out on a few movies I recently took time out to see one of my favorite actors, Adam Sandler, in Reign Over Me. Sandler's skills are showcased in a different setting from the commonplace comedy roles we are used to. The wise-crack jokes are expected and awaited but rarely come, as the movie tells the story of Charlie Fineman (Sandler), a New York man struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder five years after losing his family in 9/11. Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle) is Fineman's college roommate who takes it upon himself to help Sandler rebuild his life and confront his suppressed demons and heartache. Reign Over Me essentially questions where one goes when nothing else remains - I shed more than a few tears, and wasn't alone. The movie also however has its lighter points, the rollercoaster the movie-watcher experiences complimenting Fineman's ups and downs throughout.

Caffé Reggio (119 MacDougal Street) is somewhere I normally pass and acknowledge with some interest. The tiny café is always packed, always buzzing and always dark. My intrigue monopolized my hurry yesterday and I popped in with a friend to find a place to juxtapose my hurry entirely (As an aside, am I the only person who cannot help but walk fast in NYC, regardless of what day of the week it is, and whether I actually have to be somewhere ?! When I returned to Scotland at Christmas time my family mocked my new high-speed walk!). Caffé Reggio reminds me of a Paris. The dark room is filled with tables and chairs requiring you to breathe in or practice yoga in order to get to your table, yet the atmosphere is quintessentially and surprisingly laid back. Artwork from the Italian Reniassance is scattered across the warm red walls, in amongst various pieces of china, clocks and ornaments. My companion and I had two cappuccinos and spilt a tiramisu (which looked so good that we simply could not say no), and the check was around $11. The Greenwich Village spot certainly has a je ne sais quoi, and I have the sense that it frequented by locals, as it provides the perfect comfortable retreat for an afternoon escape. As we stepped outside and our eyes adjusted to the sunlight again we were serenaded by a man playing guitar on his balcony on the opposite side of the street- only in New York..?

 

~*~Cathy~*~