"What's going on tonight?"

Q: How many times have Mindy and myself gotten the question, "What's going on tonight?"
The answer is countless.

Why do you think we made a blog with information, reviews and CALENDAR WITH EVENTS COMING OUT OF ITS BEHIND?!

Now, no one I know can use, "I didn't know about that show/event?" as an excuse. It's on the calendar!

So let me now share some tips on how to stay connected to the NYC To-Do List. Firstly, sign up for a Google calendar! It's quick simple and kicks Outlook's ass. You can have email reminders for events sent to yourself, handy right?

Secondly, there is the crazy invention since the dawning of the blogosphere called RSS feeds? If you use Google Reader, Bloglines, My Yahoo!, any feed reader or have a bookmark tab on your web browser (they all have that right?) you can subscribe to the NYC To-Do List blog posts. It will provide you with the most up to date information and rants Mindy and myself have blogged. Just go to the bottom of this page and select "Subscribe: Posts (atom)". But don't get to addicted to RSS feeds or else you may not be able to enjoy all the amazing shit going on in the outerwebs (a.k.a. the place beyond your computer screen or "reality").

Speaking of which, here are some ways to spend your weekend and feed yourself at the same time!

Friday July 10th, TODAY!
The charming and talented Jason Anthony Harris will be playing a FREE show at Goodbye Blue Monday this evening at 9pm. Hungry too? Order some of the sandwiches and cafe eatery Goodbye Blue Monday provides and enjoy the show!

Saturday July 11th, Tomorrow.
Afuche, who we know and love (and not just because we know them) is playing with Rimsky and Hungry Hands in Ryan's Basement. To enter this show you'll need to know someone else who is attending, if you know Mindy or myself personally give us a ring! The show is FREE but donations are always accepted (donations in the form of cash or beer are especially appreciated). Cheap eats right around the corner at Fresco Tortillas, I'm sure members of Afuche will join me in giving Fresco their stamp of approval.

You don't know us personally?
Check out Huggabroomstock at Goodbye Blue Monday, there is a huge BBQ and music festival from 2pm to late night! Bring something to throw on the grill.

Sunday July 12th, The Day After Tomorrow (is a horrible movie).
Moviehouse @ 3rd Ward is BACK! And they are doing a FREE screening of two raunchy sketch comedies; Titsburg and Who Died? - The Frank Zip Story. Before the screening grab some more than "just a slice" of pizza at Roberta's (it's a little pricey but so delicious) and right near the Morgan L stop.

You are a broke hipster?
Your solution is at the Bushwick Country Club, from 2pm to 4pm FREE Ice Cream.Net and Bushwick Country Club have teamed up to provide you with FREE BBQ and FREE Maker's Mark Milkshakes while it lasts. Shoot some putt putt after stuffing yourself with some grilling and milkshakes. You'll still have time to make it over to the Moviehouse Screening, too!

And we would like to thank Heidi for her lovely posting about us on Skirts and Tights! This a shout out in response to a shout out. Hell yes! Even old school MTV didn't have that many shout outs at once!

-Alyssa

Southern Illinois Meets NYC

Wow, I haven't blogged in over two months! By now anyone who might have read this has definitely lost hope. I still want to share places and events, though!

New LES spot for rare beers and wine: Sweet & Lowdown
123 Allen St (at Delancey), 212-228-7746

And in other news, Salukis at Madison Square Garden!
Friday, November 21— Madison Square Garden
• Basketball Game – 5 p.m.

And click here in case you have no clue what a Saluki is...

Union Pool will let you do BBQ Parties?

Blog from July of last year on Union Pool's Myspace:

Birthday BBQs @ Union Pool!!!

Hey all,

All summer long Union Pool is offering up our hot grill for your party needs. All you have to do is contact us via unionpoolbooking@yahoo.com with the details of the party you'd like to hold, and we'll let you know the availability. We supply the grill and sell the booze from 3pm-7pm. You supply the people and the food. Weekend dates only, now through September.

Love, UP

I wonder if they are still doing this again in 2008? Afternoon BBQ, anyone?

Let's get Down & Derby!

I wanna get my swerve on! Just hand me some skates and a strong drink!

Unfortunately, prior engagements might prevent me from attending this AMAZING event, but I really, really, really wish I could go. Get more info here (official site), here (Myspace page), and here (Studio B).

BBQ, Bourbon, Brews, & Blues in Brooklyn

Those are arguably the five best possible "B" words ever, and they all come together at one spot in Brooklyn (obviously). The Daily Specials information below is pulled directly from the Bar BQ homepage:

Daily Specials
Monday Nights: Blue Monday. Live Blues. Free bourbon of the week fron 7-9:00 and $2 Blue Point pints. Music starts around 7:00.
Tuesday: $2 Yuengling Kegger and live music. Starts at 8:00
Wednesday: Brooklyn Fire Eaters meet for a hot sauce hootenanny. Live Bluegrass starts around 9:00.
Thursday: Kids eat free from the kid menu
Friday: $3 Happy Hour Drafts
Saturday/Sunday: All day happy hour 12:00-6:00

Any day but Thursday (kids? they don't drink bourbon!) sounds like a sure-fire good time.

Nitty Gritty Details:
Kitchen open: M-F 3-11PM. Sat/Sun Noon-11PM. Bar stays open later.
Weekday Happy Hour 3:00-8:00.
689 6th Avenue (Corner of 20th St.)
The location might seem a little daunting to get to, but HopStop seems to think the R train from Atlantic would do just fine.

Get ready to Stitch & Bitch

Chrissy and I fully plan to attend the Stitch & Bitch crafting happy hour on Wednesdays from 6-9 at Southside Speakeasy in Brooklyn. You can work on your crafts and enjoy very cheap PBR tallboys and Jameson shots. Currently, I am not much of a stitcher, I do not know how to knit, and my one-time-try at crocheting when I was eight years old left me in tears of frustration. I do know how to bitch though, so I doubt anyone would kick me out. Besides, Chrissy said she would teach me how to knit, and the best way to learn how to knit is with a nice PBR tallboy by your side.

New west-side spot: The Rusty Knot

99 cent beers! Pigs-in-Blankets! Sunsets over the Hudson! And do I see a jukebox and pool table in that picture?!

Let's go to The Rusty Knot on the (way) west side for all of the above.

Urban Daddy gives us the details:

Here, in an unassuming storefront, you'll find The Rusty Knot, the brainchild of Ken Friedman (The Spotted Pig) with the all-star cast of Taavo Somer (Freeman's), Tobey Maloney (Milk & Honey) and a Momofuku alum. The result is a detail-rich, high-pedigree Manhattan cocktail spot colliding with a kitsched-out cruiseliner and an old-school tiki room.

All you'll see from the sidewalk is the leftover awning from former incarnation West Bar, but trust us, it's another world inside. Make your way to the bamboo-paneled bar—past the large, dingy fish tank and the trophy fish mounted above the pool table—and you'll find a bar dedicated to the lost art of rum. That means you'll get classic tiki drinks, served in a coconut or a plastic totem glass, but made with homemade bitters to avoid the typical sweetness and somewhat mitigate the swipe at your manhood.

If that doesn't do it for you, you might think about settling in for an ice-cold beer (which starts at the way-back price of 99 cents), nibbling on a few pigs-in-blankets, throwing back an oyster or two and watching the sun fade away over the Hudson.

The Rusty Knot, open 12pm-4am, 425 West St. (at 11th St.)

I feel a Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give You Up" Moment fast approaching!

Yesterday was a drunken affair with a microphone at Duet, Kyle's I-am-temporarily-back-in-Manhattan bash in Midtown. It was an amazingly fun time and Jesse and I both agree we need to do Round 2 with the Brooklyn crew. So Sunday, March 2nd it shall be. Why not waste away another Sunday afternoon in a small room with about 10 of your closest friends? Sidenote: the establishment does not take kindly to patrons that bring their own alcoholic substances. Solution: just be even sneakier about it the second time around.

Duet's Website makes me want to laugh, but then I feel like I am laughing at someone, and not with someone:

Everyone can be "Britney Spears"
and everyone can be "John Toravolta."

Aww, Duet. Please don't kick us out again.


*** *** *** RECAP *** *** ***
This was the most fun I have had in a long time. Having the chance to be a complete (drunken) goofball in the privacy of friends was just what I needed. Plus, Jesse and I's heartbreaking rendition of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" was a show-stopper. I suspect we shall be doing this again very soon!

Make Out like it's 1999!

The Below is from this NewYork.Going.com Post:

Live at Arlene's Grocery
95 Stanton Street (between Orchard & Ludlow)
Subway: F to 2nd Ave.

"It's slippery. It's weird. It's fun. It's Disco Crisco Twister at Arlene's Grocery. Come on down and make those Equinox yoga classes really pay off." - RareDaily.com

"My head is killing me and WHERE are my PANTS??!! Well, let's see… the last thing I remember was something about Left Foot on Blue- OH MY GOD… that's right- last night I was at Disco Crisco Twister!!!!!" - Uncoolkids.com

Come with your friends and play as a team, or just bring yourself and we'll introduce you to your new teammates.

Games include:
* Spin the Bottle: Anyone who's seen the Wonder Years knows this game makes a lifelong impression!
* Truth or Dare Jenga: Pick a Truth or Dare, but don't knock the tower over.
* Kissing Booth: Like Lucy's Lemonade stand with sweet and sour options.
* Seven Minutes in Heaven: Oh, to be in Heaven.
* Purity Test: How do you score?
* Intimate Orange Relay Race: Pass a citrus between your neck and chest to a complete stranger/new friend!

* Live Musical Chairs: Just like when you were four, but with a live band!
* Sing That Tune: Let your karaoke/musical Jeopardy freak flag fly!
* Flip Cup: Show off your dexterity & drinking skills!
* Twister (with a twist): Grapple 1/2 drunk teammates while reaching for that red dot!

With free heart shaped cookies by Missy aka Strawberry Shortcake. Check out her tasty creations at italiaRicankitchen.com

www.discocriscotwister.com

Ahhh, to be young again!

Aussie Love in East Village

SATURDAY DOWN UNDER
Two Aussie Buffets
In honor of Australia Day, two of Manhattan's Aussie establishments are following their national tradition of excess, in the form of Beer Chugging and Pie Eating contests at the Sunburnt Cow and free beach juice shots at Bondi, along with all-you-can-eat shrimp and a buffet. Ozzie ozzie ozzie, oi oi oi...
411: The Sunburnt Cow, 137 Ave C (between 8th and 9th), 212-529-0005
Bondi Road Fish and Chips, 153 Rivington St (between Suffolk and Clinton) 212-253-5311
-- content taken from UrbanDaddy Newsletter

Le Royale in West Village

"Le Royale aims to carry on the tradition of eclectic music, drunken hipsters and general debauchery. Equal parts Vegas kitsch and pop art, the new space brings in an upstairs stage and a whole lot of purple, but the spirit remains the same.

Inside, it's all about history. Specifically, taking you back to that brief era when patterned carpets and mirrored walls were considered normal. As for the Warhol-esque wallpaper...well, you get the idea. But with a steady stream of top-shelf rock and electronic acts, and Thursday nights taking over Movida's Robot Rock party, you won't be in danger of getting too retro." -- Urban Daddy Newsletter Content

Le Royale, 21 Seventh Ave (at Leroy)

Yes, please!

Radegast Hall & Biergarten (Billyburg)

Garden Party
Beer Hall With a Retractable Roof

Opening next week in Williamsburg, Radegast Hall & Biergarten is all your central-European fantasies rolled into one: 24-oz pints, more lagers than you can count, and most importantly, a retractable roof that leaves no doubt that you'll always be imbibing under optimal conditions.

When you step inside, you'll suddenly find yourself in a Vienna beer hall circa 1890, complete with a portrait of two Kaisers overlooking your half-liter of lager. (Never trust a Kaiser.) Sidle up to the twisting wraparound bar, grab a half-liter of Hofbrau (there are 13 lagers on tap) and don't forget the appetizers—luckily, the Austrian version of bar food is steak tartare and roast quail. Auf Wiedersehen, beer nuts.

Of course, the real revelry happens at the "garden" behind the bar. That's where you'll get some fresh air through the ten open skylights, grab the best German sausages from the grill at the back, and work on some international relations. If you want something heartier, there's Veal Schnitzel, Porterhouse Steak or Roast Pork Loin, all brought out on a plain wooden cutting board." -- Content from Urban Daddy newsletter

Anna's response to this UD newsletter: "OH MY GOD! IT'S LIKE URBAN-DADDY WAS CREATED FOR US!" You know where you will be able to find us in the near future :)

Radegast Hall & Biergarten, 113 N 3rd St (at Berry), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-963-3973

Mason Dixon on the LES

"Named for the line, not the Rocky Balboa character, this LES spot from the folks behind Spitzer's Corner dishes southern classics (food starts next week) and brings you Manhattan's second mechanical bull. In case you've already mastered the first one." -- Content from Urban Daddy newsletter

I WANT TO RIDE A MECHANICAL BULL. Don't lie - it is your lifelong dream, too.

More news on the matter.

411: 133 Essex St (between Rivington and Stanton)

Sixth Ward

Irish beer hall in the LES.

"The owner flew in a specialist from the Emerald Isle to make sure their CO2 and nitrogen settings for Guinness were the same as the typical pub in Ireland."

Definitely sounds worthwhile.

191 Orchard St (between E Houston and Stanton), 212-228-9888

Cafe Katja

Austrian Beer and Brats on the LES

"A cozy gem of a 25-seat, exposed-brick-laden bar, Cafe Katja is a Governator's paradise of authentic Austrian beer, brats and heavy consonants. Co-opened by two chefs, one a native New Yorker, the other a native Austrian (with the surname to prove it: Schrottner), Katja fills its modest-sized menu with strudel-icious offerings like landjaeger smoked sausage and homemade pickles, weisswurst plates with sweet mustard and pretzels, homemade bratwurst with sauerkraut and beef goulash with spaetzle.... Katja has hard-to-find German and Austrian bottled lagers, pilsners, Hefeweizens and malts (including the 14%-alcohol Samichlaus) and drafts like Gosser, Hofbrau and Schneider. Plus, nearly all the beers, both bottled and draft alike, are served in their own brewery-specific glassware—a bartending feat that requires discipline and precision." -- Content from Urban Daddy newsletter Cafe Katja Menu 79 Orchard St (between Broome and Grand), 212-219-9545