So going back to drag queens -- the best type of diva out there. And these divas sure do love their fun and games, especially when it comes to Bingo. Now I've been to Bitchy Bingo at Lips, which has definitely proven to be a good time for a Wednesday, and it was definitely an entertaining time. But for those of us who can't make it out to a Bingo game on Wednesdays, on Saturday nights from 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Le Poisson Rouge hosts Le Bingo!, where admission is FREE and each card is $2. With an array of prizes to win from, ranging from discount-store delights to a cash jackpot, and drag queens, this is not your granny's typical Bingo game. Makes for a good time whether it's with your girlfriends for a night out on the town, or if you're just looking to do something by yourself.
I've always admired drag queens. When you think about it, they are the most courageous divas out there because they're doing their thing with the whole "I don't give a $@#!" attitude that I wish girls everywhere sometimes had. Now I'm not saying it's ok to be totally rude, totally obnoxious or totally self-absorbed. But a girl should be confident to do her own thing and be her own person, without worrying about how others are going to perceive her. (Now if only I would follow my own advice, because for years, the one things I've been struggling with is trying to do the right thing for myself vs. trying to do the right thing for everyone else. But this isn't about me...well ok maybe it is just a little...and we can psychoanalyze me at another time in another venue.)
So going back to drag queens -- the best type of diva out there. And these divas sure do love their fun and games, especially when it comes to Bingo. Now I've been to Bitchy Bingo at Lips, which has definitely proven to be a good time for a Wednesday, and it was definitely an entertaining time. But for those of us who can't make it out to a Bingo game on Wednesdays, on Saturday nights from 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Le Poisson Rouge hosts Le Bingo!, where admission is FREE and each card is $2. With an array of prizes to win from, ranging from discount-store delights to a cash jackpot, and drag queens, this is not your granny's typical Bingo game. Makes for a good time whether it's with your girlfriends for a night out on the town, or if you're just looking to do something by yourself.
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First of all, does anyone else NOT know who Maria Sharapova is? Since I was never a tennis fan, I'm not afraid to admit that I didn't know who she was. Then I googled her, to find out that she's a tennis player who has been ranked as Number 3 by the Women's Tennis Association. Quite impressive. You learn something new every day. Or at least I do.
Now I may not understand Ms. Sharapova's game, but I do understand her idea of fun. And she sounds like my kind of girl -- the type who knows how to appreciate having a good time with your friends for free (or cheap). So I'm sure she must know about Goldstar, a website that helps people to get out more to live entertainment (like theater, comedy, and sports) and events (such as wine tastings, sushi making classes and rodeos). When you sign up for a free account with Goldstar, the site and e-mails you receive from Goldstar are customized with fun and different things to do based on your preferences. You can get COMP to Half-Priced tickets (plus a small service fee) for different events. Goldstar's been reviewed by some pretty influential sources of media, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and Forbes Magazine. And one of the best things about Goldstar -- it's not just a NYC thing. So you can also take a look at tickets for events in other U.S. cities. But yeah -- next time you're looking for something cheap and fun to do with your friends, take a look at what's available on Goldstar. You'd be surprised by what you may find. As for me -- I'm about to purchase a ticket to see The Eight: Reindeer Monologues. "'It Girl' is such a weird term. It implies I go to parties and drink champagne." -- Carey Mulligan11/6/2013 So I have been SERIOUSLY neglecting A lotus and some... all semester long. Don't blame me -- blame the pressures of grad school. Luckily though, I met with my academic advisor yesterday to plan out my schedule for next semester, and it turns out I should have a little bit more free time on my hands to keep up with this lovely project of mine. I'll drink to that.
And speaking of drinking, anyone who is looking for something to do from 5:30-7:00 pm TODAY, November 6th, is just in luck. The bar at David Burke at Bloomingdale's on 3rd Avenue is having a complimentary tasting of FREE Laurent Perrier Champagne to celebrate the newest addition to their wine collection. There'll also be passed hors d'oeuvres. Normally I'd go, but I have something called a job that I have to go to. Plus as part of my healthier living kick I've been on these past few months, I've pretty much been trying to limit my drinking to the weekends since I promised myself I'd be more svelte by the time graduation rolls up in May. That.... PLUS...the last time I went to one of these things, after 3 free overflowing glasses of wine and champagne at a handbag party at Saks Fifth Avenue, I ended up being "impulsive" and bought a pair of $500 Cartier Sunglasses. Yes I still do have those sunglasses. Yes I still wear them. No I don't feel like being that impulsive again...at least not for another 10 months or so. So go be an "It Girl" for the both of us and drink plenty of champagne for me as well. So I know I've been neglecting A lotus and some... a bit since school started up again, and that's mostly because this semester has been really intense. Second to last semester of grad school and you would think I'd be relieved. Instead I've been running around with my head caught between my legs just trying to make it through to the end of the race. And it's pretty frustrating -- everyone keeps telling me there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and I keep looking for this proverbial light but all I see is a fog condensed by readings and assignments.
But one thing I have not been slacking off on is following one of my favorite blogs ever -- "Humans of New York". What started as one man's project to create a photographic census of New York City has become an online phenomena, with over a million devoted followers. This blog has grown to such epic proportions that the mastermind behind HoNY has now published a book inspired by his hit blog, which features four hundred color photos, including exclusive portraits and all-new stories. And today, October 15th, at 7p.m., photographer/blogger genius Brandon Stanton is doing a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square. So, whether you're a fan of HoNY or interested in meeting who could genuinely be classified as a New York celebrity or would like to just meet one of the people I find to be so inspiring, why not go check him out tonight? After the hardest day, sometimes, more than a glass of wine, all a girl really wants is a cookie. A nice soft warm gooey cookie. Takes you back to the days of when all you needed was a cookie to make everything all better. One of my favorite ways of ending a long day is by eating a warm chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of ice cream. Of course I don't do this all the time because it's one of those things I like to reserve to those days that really call for it, because let's face it -- eating too many cookies are not good for you.
But once in a while, comes along a day when eating cookies is totally acceptable. When eating a cookie is considered a good deed for others. Tomorrow, October 5th, from 10 am-4pm at the City Reliquary is the 4th Annual Sugar Sweet Festival, where New York's bakers, sweet-makers and treat-lovers are celebrated and a proceeds from an all-donation bake sale go to raising money for The CIty Reliquary. So why not be selfless, help someone who needs it, and eat a cookie tomorrow? Eating cookies in the name of charity? Hey that's good enough for me! So I have a birthday coming up, and my inbox has been getting hit with lots of special offers and free things. This is why I love the last week of September/first week of October. Because I've got my friends at various vendors e-mailing me to invite me to come visit and get something free. There's a FREE bottle of champagne with my name on it waiting for me at Kellari Taverna (they also do the same thing when your anniversary and Greek nameday are coming up). There's a FREE food/drink reward waiting for me at Starbucks. A FREE chocolate martini at Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar. FREE ice cream from Baskin-Robbins. And this is only some of the offers I've received. The list goes on. I know in the past I've gotten discounts from various retailers as well, such as Victoria's Secret and The Limited. So seriously --- get out there and enjoy your birthday.
And of course after all these freebies, I'm going to need a free membership at the gym to erase the evidence that I had a birthday. And as for me being old? Pssssshhhhh. Never gonna happen. At least not mentally. So every now and then, in the game of life, a curveball is thrown at you and it's all about how you play the game. So guess what folks -- this time I'm the pitcher and you're the batter and I'm throwing you my curveball -- instead of giving you a post about something you can do for free or cheap, I'm giving you a post about a free event I attended last weekend. And I'm sorry that I couldn't fill you in on it so you could attend as well, but honestly -- I found out about this event maybe a couple of hours before I went to it, but just didn't have the time to post about it.
Last week, my lovely former roommate and I attended the grand opening for Vanity Projects -- a nail salon that specializes in nail art, where there was free wine, champagne and Perrier to sip on, free yummies from Luckybird Bakery to munch on, and free mini-manicures. Now anyone who knows me know that I usually like to keep my manicures simple because of the fact that if they chip, it's not really noticeable. But seeing how nail art has been all the trend now for a while, and seeing how it was free, I just had to indulge. So we put our names on a list and were originally told it would be a 3 hour wait (yes that's how many people showed up to this soiree) before we could have our nails done. Luckily for us, a good number of people left that we were able to get our nails done by Mr. Luis before the 3 hours were up. While the talented and fabulous Mr. Luis did some random designs for Mel, he gave me peacock feathers on my ring fingers. And since he found me so charming (and also because he saw that I had some henna stains on my nails from my friend's wedding the week before), he decided to bend the rules for me and paint the rest of my nails to give it a more cleaner look. And this is why I say people need to be more engaging and more friendly. It really does pay off to be nice sometimes. And although the designs are still pretty fresh looking on my ring fingers, as usual, the rest of my manicure has chipped. So now I must go paint my own nails until I can afford to go back to get another awesome design from Mr. Luis. So it's been 2 weeks since I last posted, so to make up it up to you -- this post has got something special for y'all. But you've got to read very carefully.
So I'm one of those people that likes putting costumes on dogs. Not because I think it's cute. But rather because I think it's HILARIOUS. Bahahahaha yeah I know -- I'm messed up. Oh well. While the first three pics in the gallery above are results of a Google search for dogs in costumes, the last picture is of my favorite golden retriever, Sam (his owner was my roommate in Boston). When his owner asked me if Sam could come live with us, I agreed but on one condition -- she had to let me put a costume on him. And without any hesitation she agreed. I really wanted to put a lobster costume on him, because I honestly think there could not be a much funnier sight than seeing a golden retriever dressed as a lobster. But sadly I could not find one in time for Halloween. So therefore, poor buddy (but much to my amusement), he got to dress up as the one thing he loved chasing after -- a squirrel!!!! Then after the thought of a golden retriever dressed as a lobster, my next food costume choice for a dog would be...and this is definitely so cliche...but it would be a dachshund dressed as a hot dog. Bahahahahaha. Now I'm not saying that dogs dressed as food are the funniest thing ever. I actually love seeing the dog in a Yoda costume more. But a dachshund dressed as a hot dog is pretty up there on my list of funniest dog costumes. And speaking of hot dogs, those used to be another staple food for me. Loved eating them. But since I became a born-again vegetarian a couple months back, I can't say that I've missed them. However, I know there are plenty of people out there who love their hot dogs. And for those people -- this is the post you really want to pay attention to. Because here's what I'm about to tell you: Every Wednesday at Spring Lounge, they're giving out FREE hot dogs starting at 5 p.m. until they're gone. And apparently these hot dogs are cooked in the Spring Lounge's favorite beer selection of the week. And for those of you who are not into Hot Dogs, well what about a FREE Bagel Brunch...ehhh?????? That's right -- because I neglected A lotus and some... for 2 weeks, I've decided to make up for it by giving you 2 free deals in one post. So getting back to this Bagel Brunch -- every Sunday starting at 12 noon, you can get a free bagel w/ fixins', while supplies last. So there you go. Grab some free food at the bar, and then use the money you saved to tip your bartender! Donuts. Who does't love a good donut? I mean seriously. The best part of my Sundays (food-wise) is eating a donut at church (unless we actually have food food. Then who cares about a donut those days?!? We've got food!!!!!!)
I love 'em glazed. I love 'em filled. I love 'em frosted. I love 'em with coffee. I love dipping 'em in my coffee. If you haven't gotten the point -- I love eating my donuts. I really do. Even though they're not the greatest thing for you, but that's a whole different story. Now I grew up with Dunkin' Donuts, so those will probably be my favorite 'til the day I die...or until I finally can get my hands on a cronut. Then my food tastes will probably get all bougie, although The Food Emporium at Union Square does sell creme-filled croissant donuts. What if I told you that you could get a FREE DOZEN DONUTS from Krispy Kreme? And this is not just a New York deal either. September 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day. So on that day, you walk into a participating Krispy Kreme location, and you talk like a pirate, you get one FREE Original Glazed Doughnuts. If you walk in dressed like a pirate wearing at least 3 things on their list of things that a pirate wears, you get a FREE dozen of Original Glazed Doughnuts. It's that simple. You just have to be willing to have no shame for a few minutes. It's like what would you do for a Klondike Bar? But substitute Klondike Bar with Krispy Kreme Doughnut. So Blow Me Down! And get yourself some free donuts!! So I grew up in a town a little over an hour north of Manhattan. It was a nice town and all, and my parents still live there so I do go up there every few weeks or so to visit them. And while there are some great things about my experiences growing up in that town, one of the things I really disliked was the lack of cultural diversity and ignorance. I remember going to India with my mom when I was 10 for my uncle's wedding and I came back with mehndi (henna) on my hands, and some of the kids in my class calling me dirty because they were ignorant fools who didn't know any better, and didn't even have the decency to ask me what it was. Or maybe my expectations of a 10-year-old's cultural understanding was high even back then. I guess it's a classic case of "Who came first -- the chicken or the egg?" Who will really know???
ANYWAY... One of the things I love most about living in New York City is that it's such a huge cultural melting pot. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying everything is all hunky dory. I mean racism and prejudice and ignorance still exist in today's world (and it is a sad thing that it does). But i just feel there's a much better sense of acceptance and admiration here than in other parts. I mean we have neighborhoods like "Little India" and "K Town". Then there also come the various celebrations and festivals and free events that occur in the city to celebrate such cultural diversity. And one of those would be no other than the Maharashtra Tourism Diwali at Times Square happening on September 22nd. A festival will be taking place from 11am - 6pm, featuring a celebrtiy autograph/photo booth, fashion show, musical and dance performances, dance lessons, diya/rangoli paintings, lessons in how to drape a sari, henna tattooing and more. Then from 7pm-9pm will be the Light Up Times Square Concert featuring a laser light show and fireworks. Oh and one more thing -- admission is FREE!!!!!! And for those of you wondering what Diwali is -- basically it's the Hindu/Indian New Year, also known as the festival of lights. It's a festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. It symbolizes new beginnings -- something that I am a strong believer in. So for those of you who are always asking me for free things to do or into immersing yourselves into a new cultural experience, here's one you probably will enjoy. |