Entertainment in New York City
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Mamma Mia!
This musical revue of a mother/daughter/who’s the father? story – based on nearly two dozen hits of the 1970s supergroup Abba (and not much else, honestly) – has been a sugar-pop runaway hit since arriving on the scene in 2001.
reviewed
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A
Bar-Tini Ultra Lounge
Still going strong, this white-on-white lounge remains a gay staple in Hell's Kitchen. Its happy hour is a hit, as are its nightly special events with open drag comps, karaoke nights, guest singers and a rotating lineup of favorite local DJs.
reviewed
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B
Joe’s Pub
The room here feels cozy and elegant. Joe's Pub has a high concentration of tongue-in-cheek cabaret, and the sensibility is pretty young. (It’s attached to the Public Theater, so there’s a performance aspect to it a lot of the time.)
reviewed
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C
Lenox Lounge
A classic art-deco spot in the heart of Harlem – once the haunt of big-time jazz cats Miles Davis and John Coltrane – is now a lovely place to imbibe. Don’t miss the luxe Zebra Room in the back. The bar is home to semi-regular jazz and other musical performances.
reviewed
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D
In the Heights
Winner of the 2008 Tony for Best Musical, this Latin-beat musical tells the story of a hopeful, close-knit Latino community in NYC’s Washington Heights, and is written by a young native of the ’hood, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
reviewed
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E
BEast
If the Meatpacking District fails you, swing by BEast. Under a restaurant, this lounge does organic wines, wild music and 'video nights' pairing DJs and visual artists. It's run by the guys who do Santos Party House.
reviewed
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F
Dead Poet
This skinny, mahogany-paneled pub has been a neighborhood favorite for over a decade, with a mix of locals and students nursing pints of Guinness. There are cocktails named after dead poets, including a Jack Kerouac margarita ($12) and a Pablo Neruda spiced rum sangria ($9). Funny, because we always pegged Neruda as a pisco sour kind of guy.
reviewed
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G
Xicala
There's a Cuban trio on Wednesday nights who add to the already-festive atmosphere at this quaint, tiny tapas and wine bar. The strawberry sangria is the house signature drink, but the Riojas and Jerez sherries are just as delicious.
reviewed
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H
Joyce Theater
A favorite among dance junkies because of its excellent sight lines and offbeat offerings, this is an intimate venue, seating 470 in a renovated cinema. Its focus is on traditional modern companies such as Pilobolus and Parsons Dance, which make annual apperances. Its other, more intimate, branch, Joyce Soho, occupies a former firehouse in SoHo and has dance studios and a performance space that seats just 74.
reviewed
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I
HK Lounge
Enter on the 39th St side of this popular eatery and you’ll find one of the sleekest, best-designed lounge spaces around. Handsome men gather to hear mellow DJs and rub elbows with local glitterati, from drag queens to porn stars.
reviewed
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J
Santos Party House
Shaggy rocker Andrew WK created this bilevel 8000-sq-ft cavernous bare-bones dance club. Devoted to good times and good vibes, this place requires that you check your attitude at the door - funk to electronica, and WK spins some nights.
reviewed
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K
Delancey
Surprisingly stylish for the Lower East Side, the Delancey hosts some popular indie bands like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah for doting indie-rock crowds. A good early-evening spot to drink too, particularly from the airy 2nd-floor patio deck.
reviewed
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L
Stoned Crow
A divey but fun jukebox joint located in a basement, Stoned Crow's semi-claustrophobic vibe seems to appeal to students hiding from homework and midterm exams. Its big pitchers of beer and regulation pools tables add to the allure as well.
reviewed
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M
Holiday Cocktail Lounge
No $12 cocktails at this long-term classic bad-behavior HQ – just a mix of penny-pinching alcoholic guys, students on a budget and dive-hounds who find crotchety service, a mix of nostalgia and $4 rum-and-cokes the perfect night out.
reviewed
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N
Smith & Mills
This petite drinking hole marks all the cool boxes: unmarked exterior, kooky industrial interior (think early 20th century factory) and smooth libations – the 'Carriage House' is a nod to the space's previous incarnation. Space is limited so head in early if you fancy kicking back on a plush banquette. A seasonal menu spans light snacks to more substantial options.
reviewed
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O
Ginger’s
This bright blue-and-yellow lesbian watering hole comes complete with a jukebox, pool table, back deck and lots of regulars. There are daily happy-hour specials from 5pm to 8pm.
reviewed
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P
Bemelmans Bar
Sink into a chocolate leather banquette and take in the glorious 1940s elegance of this fabled bar – the sort of place where the waiters wear white jackets, a baby grand is always tinkling and the ceiling is 24-carat gold leaf. Show up before 9:30pm if you don’t want to pay a cover (per person $15 to $30).
reviewed
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Q
BAM Rose Cinemas
The gorgeous theater at the Brooklyn Academy of Music shows first-run, independent and foreign films in spaces blessed with comfy seating, great sight lines, big screens and a lovely, landmark design. You can also catch mini-festivals and revivals here.
reviewed
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R
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
In addition to its excellent film, dance, music and theater programming, the Brooklyn Academy of Music regularly presents a small program of operas, with music by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, as well as live HD simulcasts of the Metropolitan Opera. The New York City Opera regularly performs here.
reviewed
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S
Lotus
The big night at this slick, VIP-crowd club is Friday, when GBH (not to be confused with GHB) rocks the place with a fresh mix of house, disco and garage for groovy downtown hipsters. There's also a sophisticated restaurant and an outdoor cafe.
reviewed
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T
Maxwell’s
Its vogue days are linked more with the ’80s and ’90s (back when the Boss shot his ‘Glory Days’ video here, and early indie-rockers enticed Manhattan over the Hudson), but Maxwell’s still stages an eclectic mix of nightly rock.
reviewed
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U
Sweet Ups
Graham Ave is the heart of East Williamsburg Cool. Here, Sweet Ups has no video games, no themes – just red-velvet walls and a host of Pitchfork.com readers hoisting some of Williamsburg’s most creative cocktails.
reviewed
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V
Bowery Wine Company
Wine lovers can't be better served than at the Bowery Bar, which offers several dozen delicious vinos – some local, others esoteric – from a rotating menu, plus live jazz, room to dance if the spirit takes you, and delightful appetizers.
reviewed
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W
Old American Can Factory
Rooftop Films (www.rooftopfilms.com; Jun-Sep) stages some of its summer film screenings atop the Old American Can Factory, which incidentally hosts a farmers market on Sundays during the winter.
reviewed
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Staten Island Yankees
These Yanks have been champions of the New York–Penn title three times in the past decade (including 2005). If you don’t catch a fly ball, you can at least catch some fab Manhattan skyline views from the stylish waterfront stadium.
reviewed