Out to prove that cupcakes and macarons aren't the only kings of the dessert world, Insomnia Cookies is doing a mighty fine job of balancing out the top of the NYC sweets pyramid with their ooey gooey cookies. Even better, they deliver into the wee hours of the night, proving that it's never not time for a Snickerdoodle or White Chocolate Macadamia Nut (my favorite! hint hint!).
No newcomer to the sugar scene, the cookie chain launched at UPenn in 2003 is opening their 4th NYC store on the Upper East Side (1579 2nd Ave at 82nd Street) and celebrating with a Grand Opening December 14-18. The best part....they want all Awesome in New York readers to have a free cookie on the house! Just print out the coupon below, bring it into the new store and pick your favorite flavor! It's that easy! And feel free to tell all your friends and family as well -- you wouldn't want to be responsible for hoarding a secret about free sweets around the holidays would you?
Check out Insomnia Cookies on Twitter and Facebook for future cookie news.
12/6/11
12/5/11
AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to Follies (again!)
One of my favorite shows of the season was the revival of Follies, yet sadly it must close January 22! If you haven't seen the show, you don't want to miss what Ben Brantley of The New York Times called a "white-hot, vibrant, and moving" show. Bernadette Peters is fabulous and I can't get enough of Jan Maxwell, each as former Follies girls reunited for the closing of the theater in which they once performed. Danny Burstein and Rob Raines make up the rest of the quad-fecta as love interests and strong individual characters with their own stories to tell. There are limited opportunities to see this show before it closes so make sure you get tickets!
You have until Friday 12/9 at 4 pm EST to enter this contest. Winners will be announced soon after. Best of luck!
A winner has been chosen! Congratulations to Mary Ann! You have won a pair of tickets to see Follies on Broadway. I hope you have a great time and be sure to come back and tell us how you liked the show!
Check out a video preview of the show here!
All of my awesome readers are in luck again! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to see Follies on Broadway! Tickets are good through the run of the show and there are 5 easy ways to win. Keep in mind that each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.
- REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- REQUIRED - Refer a friend to this contest. You must leave a separate comment letting me know who you referred and the friend must leave a comment letting me know who referred them for both entries to count.
- Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.
A winner has been chosen! Congratulations to Mary Ann! You have won a pair of tickets to see Follies on Broadway. I hope you have a great time and be sure to come back and tell us how you liked the show!
Labels:
awesome giveaway,
Broadway,
win
11/29/11
AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to the NYBG Holiday Train Show Shopping and Champagne Event
Now that all the leftover turkey is gone, it's prime time to start checking off those holiday shopping lists. The New York Botanical Garden, which is celebrating its 20th Holiday Train Show this year, would like to help you out.Thursday nights (12/1, 12/8, and 12/15) from 6-8 pm, NYBG is putting on a Shopping and Champagne event where attendees can both view the famous train show and find unique gifts for everyone. A free glass of Champagne will be served and all tickets include a $20 voucher off a $100 purchase.
All of my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to NYBG's Holiday Train Show Shopping and Champagne event! There are 5 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.
You have until Friday 12/2 at 5 pm EST to enter this contest. The winner will be announced soon after. Best of luck!
A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Jerry! You win 2 tickets to the New York Botanical Garden's Shopping and Champagne event! Thanks to everyone who entered and make sure to check out the Holiday Train Show in December.
All of my readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to NYBG's Holiday Train Show Shopping and Champagne event! There are 5 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.
- REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Refer a friend to this contest. You must leave a separate comment letting me know who you referred and the friend must leave a comment letting me know who referred them for both entries to count.
- Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.
A winner has been chosen! Congratulations Jerry! You win 2 tickets to the New York Botanical Garden's Shopping and Champagne event! Thanks to everyone who entered and make sure to check out the Holiday Train Show in December.
11/7/11
AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 2 Tickets to The Man Who Came to Dinner
This fall has been a great season for Off-Broadway shows thus far, and beginning November 25, The Man Who Came to Dinner will attempt to prolong that streak. A classic comedy revival, the show will feature Drama Desk Winner Jim Brochu and Tony Award Winner Cady Huffman, as well as a 27-member ensemble cast. The show tells the story of a celebrated radio personality who finds himself holed up in the house of strangers after a nasty fall. Over the course of his stay, he seems to drag his entire life through the house of his hosts who are, let's just say, not used to this kind of lifestyle. You'll laugh, you won't cry, but mostly you'll have a fun time at this show.
All of my awesome readers are in luck! I'm giving away a pair of tickets to see The Man Who Came to Dinner off-Broadway! There are 5 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.
- REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Refer a friend to this contest. You must leave a separate comment letting me know who you referred and the friend must leave a comment letting me know who referred them for both entries to count.
- Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.
Congratulations Sarah! She was the 7th commenter and wins 2 tickets to the show! Thanks to everyone for entering and stay tuned for more giveaways!
Can't wait to buy tickets? The Man Who Came to Dinner is offering a special discount to Awesome in New York readers. All tickets are 15% off for performances Nov. 25-Dec. 18! To purchase these tickets click here and enter the code PTCHHC. You could also call 212.352.3103 or visit the box office at the Theater of St. Clement's (423 W. 43rd Street) using the same code to purchase tickets.
Labels:
awesome giveaway,
Off-Broadway,
win
11/1/11
Beerooklyn
Rub a dub dub, hundreds of suds in a...bank? A beautiful old bank in fact, and not your typical suds. The Village Voice recently held its first Brooklyn Pour event at Skylight One Hanson in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and if you like day drinking and beer, it was the place to be.
One Hanson Place |
Built in 1927 in the popular Art Deco style, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank (yes, with an "h") now boasts Magic Johnson-built condos above, and one of the most unique event spaces in the five boroughs on the ground floors, Skylight One Hanson. I was impressed by the magnificence of the high-vaulted ceilings and finance-inspired stained glass and sculpture work. Just taking in the grandeur of this slice of NYC history is enough to make you slightly tipsy.
Financial stained glass |
Mosaic map of NYC |
However, the main attraction at this bank had nothing to do with moola and everything to do with beer. Lots and lots of beer. More than 50 brewing companies, beer shops and breweries set up shop throughout the main hall and the former vault downstairs. With each sampling between one and seven ales, ciders, lagers, stouts and porters, it was near impossible to try every beverage from every purveyor with my little beer tasting shot glass. Nevertheless, I gave it a good go.
Beer tasting glass |
Main banking hall |
Old teller windows served as brewery booths |
Beer purveyors |
Entrance to the vault |
Beer tasting in the vault |
Making my rounds throughout the main hall, I had the game plan to steer clear of the beers I know and love so that I could find and appreciate some newbies for my liver to contend with. But really, some of these beers were so local they can't take the express train (bad NY joke?), and I'm a sucker for locally made anything.
One of my favorite sips of the day came not from a beer company, but from the cider brand Original Sin. NYC-based, these guys were sampling their apple and pear ciders at a booth covered in their amazing and risque posters (no one else came close in the decoration department). You almost wanted to visit the booth just to read the posters.
Original Sin's display |
Another favorite was Ithaca Beer Company's Apricot Wheat. Not overwhelmingly sweet, this beer managed to convey wonderful apricot flavor and I could totally picture sipping it on the deck of some upstate lake house while watching the leaves turn. Now if only I could go find that lake house and those leaves...
Ithaca Beer Co.'s display |
I tried several Oktoberfest varieties, but my favorite was Brooklyn Brewery's. I know I said I was steering away from what I already knew, but I just couldn't help it after my wonderful experience at their brewery tour.
Me enjoying some suds |
Other favorites included Allahash Curiex, from the makers of my trusty Allagash White, which was aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels and hence took on a truly different flavor. Doc's Draft pear cider and the Champagne-like Gaffel Kolsch from Germany were also hits. Singha beer was cool too because they hooked me up with a sweet keychain.
Lastly, I sampled several flavors of Fresh Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost and am now hooked. Complete with pieces of real ginger floating throughout the bottle, these ginger ales are better than anything you were ever served on a sick day growing up. The ginger flavor is celebrated instead of hidden in these non-alcoholic sodas, and I would highly recommend picking one up at Whole Foods next time you're in the area.
Allagash bottles |
Doc's Draft ciders |
A local and organic Brooklyn burger joint, these guys like to experiment with their meat and the results are amazing. I had
Bareburgers |
Sigmund's pretzels |
Labels:
beer,
Brooklyn,
Village Voice
10/28/11
AWESOME GIVEAWAY: 4 Tickets to Lysistrata Jones
What happens when you mix a classic Greek play with high school, some flashy musical numbers and sex (or lack thereof)? Well, you get Lysistrata Jones of course. The new Broadway comedy that received rave reviews off-Broadway earlier this year begins previews November 12 and shows that even Aristophanes can be hip for the modern age.
The premise of the show revolves around an Athenian University basketball team that hasn't won in 30 years and the cheerleaders who come up with a plan to withhold any and all bow-chicka-bow-wow until the team wins. College boys can do without a lot in life (clean underwear?) but these boys, as you can imagine, are not to thrilled with the plan Lyssie J. has concocted. Could this mean an end to the legendary winning streak? You'll just have to see the show to find out what comedy ensues.
All of my awesome readers are in luck! I'm giving away 2 pairs of tickets to see Lysistrata Jones on Broadway! Tickets are good for Mon.-Thurs. performances through December 8th and winners will pick up their tickets from the box office. There are 5 easy ways to win, and each comment counts as an entry. Be sure to include your email in each comment so that I can easily contact you if you win.
- REQUIRED - Subscribe to Awesome in New York by email using the submission box in the right panel and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- REQUIRED - Leave a comment below telling me about your favorite piece of Greek or Roman classical literature and how you could imagine it as a modern Broadway show.
- Follow me on Twitter @yaelleah and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Follow Awesome in New York using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect and leave a comment letting me know you did so.
- Tweet or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet or blog below.
Congratulations to Sarah W. and Stephanie M.! They have each won two tickets to see Lysistrata Jones on Broadway! Thanks to everyone for playing and for those awesome Broadway show suggestions. Maybe some of you should become playwrights? Just sayin...
Can't wait to buy tickets? Lysistrata Jones is offering a special discount to Awesome in New York readers. The first 12 performances are only $50 (regular $130)! To purchase these tickets visit BroadwayOffers.com and enter the code LJPVW50. You could also call 212.947.8844 or visit the box office at the Walter Kerr Theater (219 W. 48th Street between Broadway and 8th) using the same code to purchase tickets.
Labels:
awesome giveaway,
Broadway,
win
10/18/11
A Culinary Journey
[Scroll to the bottom to find out how to get free samples of Fig & Proscuitto, as well as AMAZING ricotta cheesecake on Wednesday 10/19 from 5-8 pm]
With the myriad of epicurean options available in New York City, it's often hard to choose just one cuisine per meal. Thankfully Sojourn on Manhattan's Upper East Side steps in with its delicious dishes from places like Italy, Asia and Mexico all served tapas style like you would find in Spain.
Describing his restaurant's menu indicative of new American cuisine with global influences, owner Sammie Musovit invited me and a guest to come and check out Sojourn in all of its glory, and check it out we did. Sammie has worked at the legendary Mr. Chow, where he used to plan parties and events for people like Madonna, Andy Warhol, and Stevie Wonder, so he definitely understands the importance of ambiance in addition to amazing food. Chef Peter Petti has an inventive background in such kitchens such as Michelin star award-winning Eleven Madison Park, Al Forno and Felidia. His creativity in the Sojourn kitchen shines through in each and every dish.
It was an almost rainy Tuesday night and at 6 pm it seemed like the bar area of Sojourn was filling up with a crowd of "regulars" when I arrived. The bartenders made small talk with guests who had brought in friends from out of town and people seemed to relax in the comfortable, yet lively environment of the restaurant. While waiting for my friend to arrive, I sipped a Louisville Slugger ($12), the restaurant's signature drink, made up of Maker's Mark, muddled thyme, lemon, and Vermont maple syrup. This was a serious fall drink. Although I'm not usually a Bourbon drinker, this cocktail grew on me even though the pieces of thyme floating on the top kept getting stuck in my teeth.
Louisville Slugger |
Since the menu is split into sections and all dishes are meant to be shared, we decided to try one option from each of the salad, savory, pasta, seafood and meat categories. The first two selections out were the Roasted Butternut Squash Salad ($10) and the Duck Spring Rolls ($12). Along with the succulent squash, the salad included Brussel sprout leaves, pear, toasted pecans, goat cheese and champagne vinaigrette. This was truthfully one of the best salads I've had in a long time and I'm not even a Brussel sprout fan. I just couldn't stop eating this salad and probably could have made a whole meal out of it if I didn't remember how much food we still had coming. The spring rolls served with spicy plum sauce were also delicious. They reminded me of something that would be served at a high class Chinese restaurant, except for the fact that maybe an exquisite French chef swapped out the ingredients for the inside of the rolls. The duck was perfectly crispy, like confit should be, but the flavors were mostly Asian. The plum sauce also nicely complemented the meat.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad |
Duck Spring Rolls |
Ricotta and Swiss Chard Ravioli |
Roasted Salmon |
Skirt Steak |
After taking a bit of time to digest, we decided that to get the full impression of Sojourn, we had to try their most popular dessert, the Blueberry and Ricotta Cheesecake ($10). When what I referred to as a "hunka hunka" piece of cheesecake arrived at our table, I was in heaven. If you've never had ricotta cheesecake, it's way better than whatever you're used to. More light and fluffy and less sticky sweet, this graham-cracker crusted delicacy was topped with blueberries and port wine sauce. Super creamy, this dessert is one of the best ways you could round out your meal. Perhaps I would have been in favor of a slightly smaller piece of cake for a few dollars less, but this dessert was too spectacular to care about portion size all that much.
On top of their spectacular food (be sure to check out the reasonably priced brunch menu), Sojourn offers various wine tastings and special dinners. Wine dinners generally run around $60 and include five courses, each with a different wine pairing - a steal especially for Manhattan, where these dinners can run upwards of $200. The dining room is also a rotating gallery for local artists.
Having lived on the Upper East Side for 3 years, I was surprised that I had never heard of this gem of a restaurant. However, Sojourn seems to be interested in widening its market, recently appearing on the Bloomspot deals site. Sammie also informed me that Sojourn will be offering free samples of two of the restaurant's most popular menu items Wednesday 10/19: the Fig and Proscuitto as well as the Blueberry Cheesecake I tried during my meal. If I were you, I'd hightail it up to 79th Street between 5-8pm Wednesday for some of that cheesecake :) Tell them Awesome in New York sent you.
Blueberry and Ricotta Cheesecake |
Having lived on the Upper East Side for 3 years, I was surprised that I had never heard of this gem of a restaurant. However, Sojourn seems to be interested in widening its market, recently appearing on the Bloomspot deals site. Sammie also informed me that Sojourn will be offering free samples of two of the restaurant's most popular menu items Wednesday 10/19: the Fig and Proscuitto as well as the Blueberry Cheesecake I tried during my meal. If I were you, I'd hightail it up to 79th Street between 5-8pm Wednesday for some of that cheesecake :) Tell them Awesome in New York sent you.
Labels:
Restaurant Review,
upper east side
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