|
New York City Entertainment
With Cathy Cunningham
Things to do & see in the big apple.
|
Cathy Cunningham is a recent graduate and new addition to
Manhattan's social scene. Originally from Scotland, she has over
five years of experience in news journalism and is presently a
writer for a finance magazine. As the new girl starting out, she
knows the challenges in finding the time and funds to fully
experience the city's bright lights. However at the same time
she also knows the importance of balancing work with play..... |
|
|
EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK
Monday, August 14, 2006
Author: Cathy Cunningham, New York City JournalistComedy marathons and kitchens...
On Wednesday night, an Australian friend and I
partook in something of a stand-up comedy marathon; roughly 5
hrs to be exact, and all for $9. We booked $9 advance tickets
for the 9.30pm show at Comedy Village (3rd St between Thompson
and Sullivan). Having some time to kill between our 9-5s and
some joviality we assumed a ‘when in Rome’ mindset and checked
out the free stand-up at Duplex (Christopher St. and 7th Avenue)
beforehand. The narrow bar area hosts free comedy every
Wednesday night between 7 and 9; not a bad deal, especially
considering it is conveniently married with a happy hour until
8pm, with most drinks costing $3-$4.
The Comedy Village line-up boasted many a star from shows such
as Letterman, the Chappelle show and the Howard Stern show. The
comedians kept coming from a seemingly Mary Poppins-style
bottomless bag of talent (not that we were complaining). The
venue’s website promised low-cost drinks, and although initially
sceptical, we were pleasantly surprised when offered $5 martinis
or mojitos, which would have been rude to turn down – again,
when in Rome… One or two of the stand-ups may have been better
sitting down, but most made for a great night of entertainment.
I recently stumbled across Kitchen 22 (22nd st and Broadway), an
itsy-bitsy Flatiron restaurant. The concept offered by chef and
owner Charlie Palmer is simple: 5 choices of starter plus 5
choices of entrée plus 5 choices of dessert equals a 3 course
fixe prixe menu for $25. Kitchen 22 has a strong neighbourhood
feel; the intimate space leaves just enough room for a bar, some
tables and a Parisian-esque dessert display, for diners to gaze
longingly at during entrees then take their choice from
afterwards. The cuisine’s presentation is exquisite and of
perfect portion size, in keeping with the
small-but-perfectly-formed restaurant itself.
A friend’s birthday led me to Park (10th ave and 17th St) last
Saturday night, a spacious hotspot in which Kitchen 22 could fit
10 times. Beforehand my companion and I were apprehensive,
having heard mixed reviews about the bar/restaurant. Apparently
a few years ago the Park crowd consisted of models and the uber-chic
who chose to run the gauntlet in passing the fashion-police
security at the door. I am very glad to report this is not the
case now. While Park undoubtedly remains on the trendy side of
‘mixed-crowd’ it has a warm, relaxed atmosphere with a sparkling
fairy-light decor beckoning the cocktail drinkers down into the
extensive yet sublimely cosy dining area.
Park’s roof-garden opens at 11.30pm, and I advise being there
for this time to secure a good spot. My friend and I settled
ourselves into an alcove and watched patrons slowly descend in
readiness at the foot of the stairs, their cool exterior
remaining but their eyes simultaneously firmly fixed on the goal
- the roof.
~*~Cathy~*~
|
|
[Archived Articles]
|
|
