Twitter it up! Booze Booze Booze

Ok, so I may now be slightly slightly addicted to twitter. I can't help it, bite sized information packaged for lightening fast study breaks? Gotta love it! I recently ran across

Coovents Happy Hour Twitter

who takes a twist on my free and cheap daily tweets and lets you know what drink specials are happening around the city AT THAT MOMENT. Here is his latest in case you are dying for a drink:

http://bit.ly/KXR4Q $1 off all drinks - Ragg's Pub - starting now!

Very, very cool.

Twittering!

I know I know, I've jumped on the bandwagon.

BUT if you follow free and cheap on twitter you'll get daily postings to links about free (mostly) and cheap (sometimes) happening THAT DAY in the city. Perfect for your boredom in this rainy weather.

Dig it here.

A listserve to get you in the know.

There are millions of listserves giving you the lowdown on everything to do in the city but lately I've been digging the male-focused "Urban Daddy". Aside from their often sexist images (which may be reason enough to boycott, but then I'd boycott practically everything in the city) they actually have a good range of interesting activities, restaurants, and shops in the city.

They don't specifically let you know about cheap events, however if you become a member you get "perks" which include discount codes at zipcar, massage packages, and free drinks. For example, if you head to the frying pan on Saturday the first 100 people to mention Urban Daddy at 3pm get a free round of Coronas.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Sign up here.

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.

Dining Fever, Cheap (ER) deals

The emphasis to this post is on the (er) of cheaper. This Dining Feve blog lists different deals taking place in mid- upscale restaurants around the city where you can get 10- 30 percent off of your meal by printing out their coupons and using special DiningFever codes. You can also search food based on type, dining style and location. Not so very cheap but it will definitely save you a few bucks on those nights you decide to break the bank!

Hand me-UP (cheap clothes)

Hello hello again!

While it is gray and gloomy outside I can just feel spring ready to burst behind the clouds and we all know what that means, time for spring clothes! Hurrah for sundresses and skirts and shorts and halters, perfect for what may be the last summer at coney island ever and the only things we can possibly wear to survive Manhattan's blistering summers.

Ahhhh, if only clothes weren't so expensive, right?
Wrong! What you have to realize is that people in Manhattan are clothes crazy trend-fiends who buy clothes only to wear them once and then want to get rid of them by making a quick buck. That is where you, my dear friends enter and here are some secrets to finding the best, cheapest Hand-me-UP clothes around, plus two events ongoing this weekend to get your closet started.

First off, while you all probably know the site you might be lacking in understand it can be good for more than one night stands and the ever-allusive "missed connections." That's right, it's

Craigslist!

Just go under the "for sale" section and search for clothes under garage sales (yes yes they have them in manhattan, it's like a tag sale/ yard sale/ please buy my shit so I have more room in my miniscule closet sale). I've been to at least three of the events and have found wonderful pieces in each INCLUDING two pairs of citizen jeans already hemmed for my height for 10 bucks a pop and an incredible shirt dress for only 5. Beat THAT forever 21! (who i love as well, actually, go there too!) As much as I love other vintage stores they can get a wee bit pricey and often it's more of a fun experience then a hardcore cheap shopping haven.

So hurrah for craigslist!

Ok, now onto THIS WEEKEND. Granted, I usually only post things here that I have attended but these events look too good to pass up (thanks Time Out New York for cluing me in, what would I do without you?)

on SATURDAY and in celebration of earth day secondhand store Buffalo Exchange is hosting a ONE DOLLAR (that's right $1!!!) "bonanza" where all proceeds will benefit Center for Environmental Health.

details:
When: Saturday, April 21, 11am- 8pm
Where: Buffalo Exchange, 504 Driggs Ave at North 9th Street, Williamsburg, BKLYN
(Subway L to to Bedford)


and SUNDAY brings what looks like a fabulous event for all NYU students (it looks fabulous for everyone else too, they just have to pay 10 bucks to get in)
What's being labeled a "swap o rama rama" some fantabulous people are organizing a clothing swap event where bringing in a bag of your un-wanteds allows you to paw through everyone else's goods (the clothes silly!). They also hold "DIY workshops" (also FREE) on how to alter your clothing to suit your fashion needs. Best part is, you can take home whatever you can carry!

When: Sunay, April 22, 1pm-6pm
Where: NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, 60 Washington Square South at LaGuardia Pl, 4th floor.
Getting There: Subway ACEDF to West 4th
Cost: FREE for NYU-ers, everyone else it's a 10 dollar "donation"


enjoy and love!

Broadway Baby

I'll be writing more about specific shows later on in the posts but for a general overview I wanted to link you all to this site:

Talkin Broadway!

It basically has everything you need to know about getting cheap/ rush/ lottery/ standing room tickets for all broadway and many off broadway shows. Just click on the box under the show and they'll list whether they do rush/ student rush etc and what you need to bring. Call other off broadway theaters to see if they do rush, most do!

Hopefully after seeing shows I will eventually write back with tips about what time you need to get there/ how the seats were etc but here's what I know so far:


Student Rush Shows:

Spring Awakening: I would recommend getting there around 2 hours before the box office opens, seats vary but they save student seats for every show. Ask to sit on the audience L side if you are going to get restricted view because you won't miss as much as if you were sitting on the other side.

Frost/ Nixon: I saw this while it was in previews and LOVED IT. We got to the box office about 20 minutes before it opened and were the first ones in line (this may change though as the show actually get reviewed). Tickets were in the front row!

Lottery shows:


Avenue Q: front row seats!
Wicked: front row seats!
Hairspray: I was seated waaayyyyyy at the back,
Putnam: We were off to the side in a theater in the round but still saw mostly everything!