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… Wristbands, tabs at bars. Email passes and VIP cards; … Tickets Stubs, coatchecks. Last calls, yet separate checks … These are a few relics that make up our social lives … on a daily, weekly, regular basis.I am Mark Anthony Thomas, a writer living and working in the Manhattan Borough of New York City in the United States. I receive invitations to many events, parties, socials, lectures, but as a relatively busy person I hadn’t fully maximized my social life while living in the big city.So … I took 40 Days and 40 Nights (Wednesday, December 26, 2007 – SuperBowl Sunday, February 3, 2008) to take a full out “Social Sabbatical” to capture my social life in my first online blog/journal.This Social Sabbatical (note: I re-defined the definition) is a typical 40 day trek of what a social life of a typical New York resident. I highlight 47 social events (which include live performances, dinner & drinks, lectures, etc.) which I personally attended during this 40 day time. Please read about my experience, visit links, forward to your friends and visitors, and enjoy my “reality” journal. I provide an entry on the experience, an assessments of the venues, and recommend whether or not you should add this to your list of things to do, when you’re in New York City. Day 1 (December, 27, 2007) – Day 10 (January 7, 2008) Day 11 (January 8, 2008) – Day 20 (January 14, 2008) Day 21 (January 15, 2008) – Day 30 (January 24, 2008) Day 31 (January 25, 2008) – Day 40 (February 2, 2008) mat@poetryauthor.com Published 2/18/08 |
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1
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Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2007 Jazz at the Lincoln Center (Dizzy’s Jazz Club) (Manhattan-Columbus Circle)(#1) |
Authentic Jazz… Dizzy’s is the truest of authentic jazz club. If you’re into satellite radio, many of the live performances you’ve heard. Beautiful venue, great view of the Upper East Side skyline and Central Park.
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Best Bet: Monday Nights – Upstart Special. $15 per person. Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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2
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Thursday, Dec. 28, 2007 Harlem World Magazine Annual Holiday Party at the River Room (Manhattan-Harlem)Dinosaur BBQ (Manhattan-Harlem)(#2, #3)
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Harlem on the rise… First, the best views of the Hudson River Valley and the G.W. Bridge, (NYC’s forgotten bridge) the River Room is definitely a classy Harlem venue. Unfortunately, Harlem World Magazine’s holiday party didn’t use this as an advantage to draw much of a crowd. B-B-Ques… We ended up at the very popular Harlem spot … Dinosaur BBQ. Dinosaur is hidden among forgotten warehouses, but worth a drive from Brooklyn, Jersey, or a train ride Uptown. You may wait 60+ minutes (without reservations on weekend nights).
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Best Bet: For River Room, Saturday jazz performances; Sunday brunch. Great venue for private parties.Event Rating: (2 out of 5 stars)
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3
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Friday, Dec. 29, 2007 Nuyorican Poets Café (Manhattan-Alphabet City)(#4)
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Mic Check… NYC’s famous hip hop and spoken word venue – a type of venue that defines a city. We didn’t arrive earlier, waited for nearly an hour (due to the usual capacity controls) and enjoyed the night. This night featured a college age poet slam and an open mic (which I couldn’t help but perform).
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Best Bet: Fridays, $10+Event Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
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4
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Saturday, December 29th Moca Lounge Café (Manhattan-Harlem)
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Last call… Moca Lounge (in South Harlem). Gets crowded after 2 a.m., it’s a great venue, although it’s confused on whether it works best as a lounge, a club, or a restaurant where you can dance?
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Best Bet: Weekends. Usually no cost Event Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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5
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Sunday, December 30th The Village Underground (Manhattan-The Village)
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The Underworld… I’ve seen Jamie Foxx, Danity Kane, Freddie Jackson, Ryan Shaw, among others. The best singers belt it out, with a gospel and poetic cord in between.
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Best Bet: Sundays. Ron Grant & Melanie Davis. $15Event Rating: (4.5 out of 5 stars)
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6
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Last Minute Invite … I tagged along 3 people. What a surprise. Free entry. Free drinks. Live DJ Over 300 people.
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Best Bet: n/a Event Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
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7
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Tuesday, January 1st The Village Pourhouse (Manhattan-Union Square)
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SportsBar Heaven… ESPN Zone and 40/40 May be the prizes, but the Village Pourhouse is always best for big sporting events, such as the Sugar Bowl.
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Best Bet: Game DaysEvent Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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8
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Wednesday, January 2nd Havana Central (Manhattan-Morningside Heights)
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Reaggaeton… Fun spot. With flavor, cuban flavor. Great for dinner, or private parties.
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Best Bet: Sunday Jazz BrunchEvent Rating: (4.5 out of 5 stars)
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9
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Thursday, January 3rd O’Lunneys (Manhattan-Times Square)
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First there was Iowa… It may seem like forever-ago, but Iowa was the night Obama won his shield. This venue teams up with the Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century to host many events, including this great polical night.
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Best Bet: AnytimeEvent Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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10
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Friday, January 4th Tribal Spears Gallery (Manhattan-Harlem)
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Rolodex Party … Annual networking party thrown by two well connected NYC PR ladies. Beautiful women, beautiful venue. Nice turnout, with networking sprinkled in between.
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Best Bet: Friday Night Jazz 7:30 pm – 9:30 pmEvent Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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11
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Island Desire … Uptown Jamaican in Chelsea. Nice venue and below ground location. Jerk Chicken is phire. literally.
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Best Bet: Sundays (Brunches are big in NYC)Event Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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12
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Sunday, January 6th Rare Bar & Grill (Manhattan-The Village)
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Maybe I’m crazy… For the health conscious, this Village spot is a great compromise if you’re seeking something familiar and eccentric, but not too far removed.
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Best Bet: Weekends. Usually no cost Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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13
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Monday, January 7th Starbucks – Columbus Circle (Manhattan-Columbus Circle)
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Writers Block … Maybe I’m crazy, but some rare-type food ruined my stomach. In a midnight hour (36 hours of sleep later) I came here to write. This spot is the writers block in the midnight hour for the educated, homeless, and every human soul seeking ventilation in between. It’s a worker’s wonder.
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Best Bet: Anytime.Event Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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14
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Tuesday, January 8th
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Night Off
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15
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Wednesday, January 9th Melba’s (Manhattan-Harlem)
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Feels Like Home… Good soul food, without the extra unhealthiness. Nice intimate environment, and friendly owners.
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Best Bet: WednesdaysEvent Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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16
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Thursday, January 10th Pop Burger (Manhattan-Chelsea)
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Beautiful stranger… Picture a fly-white castle in the front, and a jazzy lounge in the back. That’s Pop Burger. Cool joint on the edge of the Meatpacking District. The billiards room looks like the scene from Hitch. The Midtown location towers above the Apple Store.
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Best Bet: AnytimeEvent Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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17
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Friday, January 11th The Central Bar (Manhattan-East Village )Café La Lo (Manhattan-Upper West Side)(#17, #18)
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Lot going on… Cool East Village crowd (which means NYU students and a few people pushing 30). DJ spun Hip Hop on this Friday, two-layer level club.Late night dessert… Romantic, when not crowded. A crew of us took this Upper West Side spot over at 2 a.m., bring cash.
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Best Bet: Fridays Event Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)La Lo: Best Bet: Late NightsEvent Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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18
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Saturday, January 12th Bar 300 Chelsea Piers (Manhattan-Chelsea) (#19)
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DJ, bars, and bolling lanes… Bowling on another level. DJs and huge projection video screens keep the crowd moving, eases the pain of the price-per game.
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Best Bet: Weekends. Usually no cost Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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19
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Sunday, January 13th Spoonbread (Manhattan-Harlem)(#20)
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Aunt Amy, Sylvia, sit down here… The best Harlem soul food that tastes like at least the gravy came from below the mason-dixon line.
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Best Bet: Sundays. Oopen every day though.Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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20
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Monday, January 14th
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Night Off
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21
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Best Bet: Tuesdays or special musical showcase. Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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22
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Wednesday, January 16th Citrus (Manhattan-Upper West Side) (#22)
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Latin/Asian Worlds Collide… Sushi is top notch there. But the meals are on point. The chefs also provide cooking courses on other days.
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Best Bet: Anytime. A favorite NYC spot.Event Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
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23
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Thursday, January 17th Fashion 40 (Manhattan-Times Square)(#23)
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Learn to love… this spot, because it will become a staple for your club life if you’re a new yorker. This is perfect no where else to go spot. On this evening, the WallStreet Alphas sponsored a mixer for the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s 100 Year Celebration.
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Best Bet: Weekends. Usually no cost Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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24
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Friday, January 18th Alpha House Harlem Event for AKAs (Manhattan-Harlem) Bar 13 (Manhattan-Union Square) (#24, #25)
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The Village Peopler… Bar 13 works best when the DJ doesn’t mix in Soija Boy with Nirvana. At least three levels, tons of space, college crowd, nonetheless, a great spot.Visited the Alpha House for another AKA related party. See photos of Charles Rangel, David Dinkins, Adam Clayton Powell, NYC’s godfathers.
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Best Bet: FridaysEvent Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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25
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Saturday, January 19th Sugar Bar (Manhattan-Upper West Side)Aspen NYC (Manhattan-Union Square) (#26, #27)
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For lovers sake… Ashford and Simpson’s spot in Upper West … done right in every kind of way! Great venue. Worthy food. Always a surprise.Colorado Decor… The DJ’s electric system rocks through this narrow lounge’s walls. Arrive early, have dinner and stay, but not too late. Celebrity spot.
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Best Bet: Depends. Restaurant first. Party Lounge second.Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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26
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Sunday, January 20th O’Conolly’s (Manhattan-Times Square) Retreat (Manhattan-Union Square)(#28, #29)
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Almost There … Giants defeated Green Bay. In this somewhat dry, but good pub, we watched the game.Purple Rain… Retreat is a lounge made for private parties. Open spaces, tables on the sides, and a beautiful design. Went for a party that took a second to get jumping.
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Best Bet: Special occassions, or afterwork.Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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27
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Monday, January 21st The Porter House (Manhattan-Columbus Circle)(#30)
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Out of my range… but not for long The Time Warner building has a slew of NYC’s nicest restaurants that are above standard prices. BUT, this was Restaurant Week and it made the price right on-point for a great meal.
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Best Bet: Anytimes. Upper echelon of pricesEvent Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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28
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Tuesday, January 22nd
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Night Off
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29
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Wednesday, January 23rd Londel’s Super Club (Manhattan-Harlem) (#31)
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Ohh she made us drinks, to drink… we drunk them. Another Harlem spot, at Strivers Row. Weekends they bring in great bands to entertain the old-school crowd. The lady bartender is beautiful and friendly.
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Best Bet: Anyday (closed Sunday nights)Event Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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30
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Thursday, January 24th Pepsi Smash Event @ Pacha (Manhattan-Hell’s Kitchen ) (#32)
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Hollywood Shuffle… Another fire-hazzard crowded Manhattan party. But worth every liability (minus the crazy coatcheck). John Legend and Estelle rocked the house though, in this short but hot event. Here are wireimage photos.Pacha is a multilayered large club, worthy of a taxi ride over.
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Best Bet: It Depends — Check website regularly.Event Rating: (4.5 out of 5 stars)
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31
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The Good Life … Last minute invite, found us in line to check out the Museum’s monthly hip hop venture. This month, The Cool Kids (think Kanye West’s grammy performance), were hosting. Didn’t know that Kanye would make a surprise performance, which is why we, and about 400 people, couldn’t get in.
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Best Bet: $20, monthly event — Final Fridays. Museum regular prices vary.Event Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
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32
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Saturday, January 26th The Den (Manhattan-Harlem)(#34)
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Red lights in the Basement … Minus the ghetto names of the mixed drinks this spot actually keeps the good times rolling. Food isn’t the selling point, but the right event is worth a trek for.
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Best Bet: Weekends. Usually no cost Event Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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33
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Sunday, January 27th Billie Black’s (Manhattan-Harlem)(#35)
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One word: Catfish… I’m sure the other foods will get you right, but trust, the catfish there is the greatest on the island. Live bands and poetry also stop through
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Best Bet: Sunday brunch, good deals.Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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34
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Monday, January 28th Earth Institute Show Me Poverty Tour with John Legend San Domenico (Manhattan-Central Park South)(#36, #37)
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Down for the cause… John Legend teamed up with Jeff Sachs, author of “End of Poverty” and director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute to promote his Show Me Poverty Tour. Fresh off the Pepsi Smash, saw John Legend perform a few more sings and discuss his philanthropic efforts.Central Park South… James Bond-classy spot. Upscale and (for that week) discounted,
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Best Bet: N/A Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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35
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Tuesday, January 29th Hue-Man Bookstore (Manhattan-Harlem) RENT – Broadway (Manhattan-Times Square) (#38, #39)
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Book Jewel … Young motivational speaker and author Farrah Gray spoke at Hue-Man Bookstore, which is a Harlem-jewel + equipped with a coffee shop.525,600 minutes… Not to end the night early, went to see RENT (which closes in June 2008) with Tamyra Gray.
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Best Bet: Anytime – they close at 8 p.m. on weekdays though.Event Rating: (2.5 out of 5 stars)
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36
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Wednesday, January 30th The Whitney Museum (Manhattan-Upper East Side)Cilantro NYC (Manhattan-Upper West Side) (#40, #41)
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Fade to Black… Attended a film featuring critic Margo Jefferson and filmmakers Marco Williams and Michelle Parkerson. Event highlighted acclaimed artist Kara Walker. Her exhibit has ended, but the Whitney is always worthy of a visit.Cilantro: Southwestern-inspired spot in the Upper West. Also in the Upper East Side.
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Best Bet: Closed Mondays, any other day. Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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37
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Thursday, January 31st ONE – Restaurant (Manhattan-Meapacking Distric)(#42)
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SexyBack… Love this spot. Banging sound system. Best with a group of friends and hard-sole shoes, to guarantee the bouncers permit your entrance.
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Best Bet: Weekends. Lunch or dinner.Event Rating: (4 out of 5 stars)
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38
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Friday, February 1st The Shrine Restaurant & Bar (Manhattan-Harlem)
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I stumbled on this Harlem spot, and fell in love. This world music venue, is purely that. All cultures collide in a festive Lower East Side meets Brooklyn kind of way. Hidden in Central Harlem. Visit their myspace page.
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Best Bet: Open every day, 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Hot on Fridays!Event Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
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39
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Saturday, February 2nd Max Soha Italian (Manhattan-Harlem) The Canal Room (Manhattan-Tribeca) (#44, #45)
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Neighborhood spot … Bring cash only, but it’s worth it. Limited menu but good.Night & Day… Two different spots in one. A hot club at night, a cool lunch spot for afternoons. I went for a party, but live ‘exclusive performances’ go down here.
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Best Bet: Any day with Max Soha. Canal Room: visit website or search promoters.Event Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)
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40
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Sunday, February 3rd The Five Spot (Brooklyn-Fort Green)(#46, #47)
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Super Sunday… Popular Brooklyn spot — artistic venue. Attended Kevin Powell’s Superbowl Party.Finished the sabbatical at another private superbowl party, where the New York Giants gave me every reason to celebrate.
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Best Bet: Wednesdays open mic night with Nate Jones) Event Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)
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SocialSabbatical.com by Mark Anthony Thomas | New York City in 40 Days and 40 Nights
February 20, 2008 by socialsabbatical
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