Joyce Carol Oates!

The literary goddess herself will be reading from her new novel, The Gravedigger's Daughter, tomorrow evening for FREE at the Barnes and Noble on Broadway and 66th!

More Tag sale lovin on Saturday the second!

Tag sale season lives on in this time of 90 degree days in not-yet-June NYC. I've explained my love of such sales in a previous post (see the Perry Street tag sale boost) but would like to expand upon the type of goodies an astute and able "plucker" can find at such an event. At the Perry Street event (which is all but a carbon copy of what Jane Street holds) I found....

A velvet label never-worn summer dress- $6
A purple striped strapless dress with satin sash $10
A brown and white polka dotted Vivian Tam designer dress $20
Tan leather flats $10
The Kite Runner - $1
Ghostwritten- $1
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - $1
The Plot Against America - $2
Long beaded wooden necklace -$2
In total, three dresses, a pair of shoes, a necklace and four books for a mere 53 bucks!

So you've basically got to go to what may be the last of the grand summer tag sales at Jane street west of Hudson. Enjoy!

THIS JUST IN: BONUS sale right nearby on West 12th between Greenwich and Washington , whoo hoo!

Bank of America Freeness in May

So yesterday Bea, Roma, Ethan and Ben and I trekked over to the Bronx zoo planning on spending massive amounts of money merely to oogle wild creatures in their own habitat (we probably could have just gone to the village but what can you do). It was to our surprise and delight that when purchasing tickets with our Bank of America cards, we got two free tickets each! Crazy right? I did some research and it turns out that May is free museum month with your BOA card (trust me though, this isn't an advertisement, I'm pissed that the bank never filled me in on this deal) turns out that for the next four days (as it ends in May) us New Yorkers with the cards can get 2 free admission tickets to places like the New York Aquarium, Moma, and the Whitney. Find a full list here, then send them an email praises their efforts put lauding their publicity!

Good deals? Sweet events? Free booze? Hell yea!

Today will be devoted to two email listserves that NYC-ers in search of bargains and deals, even free booze, must be a part of. The first is Daily Candy. Serving up daily offerings of where to be (events) and where to shop (sales) around the city this mass mailing is good for someone who wants to know the up to the day events of our shining city. There really is no focus on the cheap, however, so aside from the sales keep in mind that some of these NY events come attached with NY prices.

Next however is My Open Bar.com
which provides the cheap alcoholic in all of us a daily fix of events that offer an open bar with or without a cover, for the evening. Often these actually coincide with neat events, (avant garde maze openings anyone?), and are sometimes centered around one drink, and best of all, once you're in the door it's F.R.E.E.

Roti Rolls at Bombay Frankie's

Let me first say that I was BOMBARDED by mags, newsletters and events this afternoon all guiding me towards the free and cheap splendid events taking place throughout the city this summer. Most everything kicks off in June so I'll start actually writing about them next week but my piece of advice is to get done with all that "I've wanted to do this for so long but haven't yet" "stuff" that needs to occur before the craziness of summer sets in and you're busy up to your ears with events!

While you're out and about, however, check out upper west side favorite spot of mine, Bombay Frankie's! Located on Amsterdam at 109th street, this little haven of a street store serves up Roti Rolls, basically a sort of burrito stuffed full with Indian food. Ranging from $2.75 (for spiced potatoes and chick peas) to $6.00 (for the shrimp variety) apiece them mega-sandwiches offer the perfect meal to go as you check out central park on 110th or cruise Columbia's gorgeous campus on 116th. With special deals if you buy two (seven bucks gets you two chicken malai rolls) and mango lassi's in the fridge, there's nothing more likely to get way up on the west side!

Oh yea, and if you're lucky enough to live nearby, they offer free delivery until midnight on orders 12 bucks or over, 212-666-1500.

Who says you can't be sleek and cheap?

Normally I don't even let my pinkie toe step foot into any of the oh so fancy meatpacking district stores for fear I'll leave in a mess of tears and shame. Not tomorrow my friends! Uber-sleek designer, Rubin Chapelle, is making MONSTROUS price cuts on the oh so fabulous Italian duds in their meatpacking district store. Examples include Italian Cotton Sweatshirts for 30 instead of 220 and miniskirts for 45 compared to 290. Me Likey!

Wed May 23rd- Fri May 25, noon to 7pm
410 W 14th St between 9th Ave and Washington (take the ACEL to 14th st/ 8th ave)

Meatpacking District Design Week!

Hello my loves! I'm so sorry to have missed an entire week of NYC goodness with all of you but I was off burning myself to a crisp in sunny Florida. Luckily, I've made it back in time to catch the tail end of the the Meatpacking District's Design Week! (It's FREE!) Located in various venues throughout the district this week promises avant garde fashion, furniture and even, everyone's secret fantasy since watching those randy children in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, scented wallpaper (ok you can't lick it but close enough!) Today is the last day so pop yourself over to Bodum Cafe, 413 west 14th Street by 9th avenue and grab a free coffee while you scope out the guide to the weekend's (well now it's day's) festivities!