Tenka Very Much

With the latest of online deal sites switching from free discount codes to charging fees (cough...Blackboard Eats...cough), it's nice to find new companies launching and, well, offering free food. I like free food.

I discovered Tenka last week and on a whim, decided to give it a try. Basically, you sign up and you get a pocket where you can store up to three deals including a free espresso at Fika Espresso Bar in FiDi, a free burrito at Burrito Joint in Murray Hill and a free glass of sangria at Cinema Cafe also in Murray Hill. Using your smart phone you can log into their site and download a code to present to the cashier. If you're like me and still don't have a smart phone, you can easily redeem the deals by texting. You have to act relatively quick though. Each deal can only be redeemed a certain number of times (one per person) and when that limit is reached, the deal is over. After you redeem your first deal your "pocket" increases to hold four deals and you gain "fame" and points (which can be redeemed for cash) for using and sharing deals.

Last week, they wheeled out a bunch of deals near my office in FiDi, and while not all the deals are for completely free things, I'm happy to say that I've been able to safely not spend any money on lunch four days out of the last seven. If you use the site, come back and share your experiences!

...And Then I Wrote Another Blog Post About It

I recently wrote about an awesome one-man show that I trekked out to Jersey to see. It's called ...And Then I Wrote a Song About It and it's coming to NYC - tomorrow!

Here's my recap so that you know what you can expect to enjoy:

...And Then I Wrote a Song About It is the brainchild of writer Eric H. Weinberger, lyricist Sammy Buck, composer Daniel S. Acquisto, director Igor Goldin and actor Nick Cearley. It tells the story of a young man in the city in the late 70s and early 80s trying to make it as a performer when all his family wants from him is to marry a nice girl and get to his job at his father's meat store on time every morning. Well, his plans are very different from what's expected of him and he meets life-changing people and experiences unique New York events at a time when many circumstances of a 20-something's life were very unpredictable. And he pretty much sings a song about every one of these people and experiences. 

At a certain point in the middle of the show, I had to stop and remember that it was only one actor putting on this whole production, and you have to recognize how big of a feat that is. Complete with triumphant energy, loads of compassion and a hint of melancholy, the show will leave you feeling lucky to have the opportunities you've had and excited about the possibilities still to come. It's a subtle reminder that the people you might shrug off on the subway could have phenomenal life stories that are just waiting to be told.

If you're looking for a great New York story with the potential to be a hit show (it's playing in San Diego come March!) and don't have plans Thursday night (1/20) at 6:30 p.m., I'd highly recommend a visit to the Jerry Orbach Theater (210 W. 50th Street @ Broadway). Need even more of an incentive? Tickets are only $15! That's cheaper than two hot dogs and a can of soda at any Times Square corner vendor.

Free Bubbly and (Potentially) Free Limo Service? That's Living the Life!

Now, I can't make any promises, but this looks like a new twist on awesome. Next week, The Polar Lounge in Gramercy will be hosting a Fire + Ice party. Basically you wear red or orange for fire or white or blue for ice. There will be free Champagne offered for the first hour (8-9) and (this is my favorite part), if you get a group of at least 8 ladies together, you could get free limo service to the event! I don't know about you, but riding a limo in NYC isn't something usually done by normal people, so I would jump on this if only for the pure fun of it.

The party starts Thursday 1/20 at 8 p.m. at the Polar Lounge in the Hotel Marcel at Gramercy (201 E. 24th St.). You need to RSVP for this party (tell 'em awesomeinnewyork@gmail.com sent you!) by clicking here. Now, all that's left to do is to decide if you will be fire or ice!

AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to La Cage Aux Folles!

Whether you see a Broadway show for the bright lights and flashy musical numbers or the celebrity appearances, whether it's for some risqué performances or decadent costumes, La Cage Aux Folles has it all. Winner of the 2010 Tony for Best Revival of a Musical, this show will have you laughing, tapping your toes and enjoying a timeless identity-cover-up-turned-disaster-turned-acceptance storyline with a twist.

Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") and Douglas Hodge (2010 Tony for Best Actor winner) have been starring since the show opened as Georges, a drag nightclub owner, and Albin (or Zaza, his alterego), Georges' lover. When Georges' son Jean-Michele announces he's engaged to the daughter of the straight-laced head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party who's goal is to shut down all drag clubs, Georges and Jean-Michele must create an elaborate plan to hide their identities, much to the disappointment of Albin. Mayhem ensues, ballads are sung and, in typical Broadway fashion, the closing number is quite fabulous. Harvey Fierstein and Jeffrey Tambor will replace Grammer and Hodge starting on February 15. 

The production is running a special ticket offer. Check out this website and scoop up tickets for one of the last performances featuring Grammer and Hodge and one of the first performances featuring Fierstein and Tambor!

One lucky reader will receive two tickets to see La Cage Aux Folles on a weeknight of his or her choosing. The tickets must be picked up at the box office the day of the show. There are 4 easy ways to win and each separate comment counts as an entry. You may enter the contest a maximum of 4 times. Please include your email in any comments so I know how to contact you if you are the winner.

1) REQUIRED - Follow this blog by clicking on the button on the right panel and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

2) REQUIRED - Leave a comment below letting me know why you want to go to this show and how you heard about this contest.

3) Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment below letting me know you did so.

4) Tweet or blog about this event and let me know with a comment below with a link to your tweet or blog.

A winner will be chosen using Random.org on Friday 1/14. You have until Friday 11/14 at 12 p.m. EST to enter the contest. Good luck!

A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Lisa! You were the 15th commenter and win 2 tix to see La Cage Aux Folles. Hope you enjoy! Thanks to everyone else who entered!

BOGO Off-Broadway Bonanza

Cheap theater is good. BOGO theater + BOGO drinks is even better! You're in luck because the city is sponsoring just that from Jan. 24 - Feb. 13 this year. Take your pick from more than 30 different Off-Broadway shows, from big names like Avenue Q and Love, Loss and What I Wore, the critically acclaimed children's show Freckleface Strawberry and a retro celebration The Awesome 80s Prom (I like it because it's awesome of course!). You will get a free ticket for every ticket purchased.

When the show's over, the party doesn't stop. Your ticket will get you 2 for 1 drinks after the show. This is a great deal and I'm thinking the city is brilliant for sponsoring an opportunity to encourage higher attendance at Off-Broadway shows. There are truly some gems out there that don't get a whole lot of attention. You can view a listing of all available shows here. Come back and let us know what you saw and how you liked it!

Whoever Said Free Concerts Don't Exist Lied!

So you all know I get my fair share of free in life, and why shouldn't that share include great concerts? I recently came across the blog My Free Concert, and it's my new best friend. After discovering the site a mere three days ago, I've already secured tickets to see Sister Hazel (yeah, that band from the 90s that goes right along with Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls, Eve 6 and your Power Rangers lunch box) next week, and got to attend a "secret show" featuring Iron & Wine at Mercury Lounge tonight.

In addition to announcing every single free show in the city and opportunities to win tickets to just about every show in the city, the blog is currently running specials with the newsletter Music Geeks. All you do is sign up for their newsletter and you are entered to win two tickets to any show at either Irving Plaza or Gramercy Theater. More deets here. And of course I would appreciate you going the extra step telling them I sent you :)

You can also follow My Free Concert on Twitter, and I would highly recommend that you do. Enjoy your free shows and let me know if you ever need a +1.

Color Me (Locally) Caffeinated

Strolling through Nolita, you might find several of your average bodegas, a one-off pizza place and other quotidien storefronts, but then you wander down Mott Street and something slightly new and different catches your eye. Nolita Mart & Espresso Bar, just about six weeks new, is the brainchild of the super passionate James Wong and his effervescent wife Selina Ho.

Not your average market, you enter and are warmly greeted by a beautiful coffee bar made from reclaimed wood out of an old barn from Albany, artfully decorated for the holidays with the most elaborate and professional looking paper snowflakes you have ever seen. You walk past the display case filled with delectable croissants and pastries from Colson Patisserie and discover a bounty of gourmet and local food finds in the market section at the back of the store. With everything from McClure’s Pickles, Feather Ridge Farm eggs, Anarchy in a Jar jams, Rao's pastas and sauces and Ciao Bella gelatos, this store is a haven for local foodies.

Now, there's something I've left out but really I just wanted to save the best for last. Nolita Mart & Espresso Bar is one of few vendors in the city, and the only one in Nolita, that sells Stumptown Coffee and employs Stumptown-trained baristas. These people take their beans seriously. With coffee as a New Yorker's life-sustaining elixir, it's no wonder that Stumptown, the Portland-based roaster, has risen to the top of the pack as one of NYCs most cherished coffee producers. I was invited to Nolita Mart to try a latte, made with super creamy milk from Battenkill Valley Creamery (a brand also sold in the back of the store), and I must say that I'm converted. Easily the most awesome latte I've ever had in my life - no joke. It even had what looked like a fern drawn into the foam on top.

Next time you develop a taste for awesome coffee, which let's face it is always since you live in the city, I'd highly recommend a trip over to Nolita Mart & Espresso Bar for a nice cup of joe and buttery croissant. While you're there tell James and Selina I say hello!