National 10.10.2008

N.Y. See

No longer a boy, not yet a Man(hattan)

Bailout, schmailout – you’ve worked hard for the money (so hard for it, honey) and it’s time to take a vacation. And while the European boys are awfully beautiful this time of year, there’s nothing like a safari into the concrete jungle to bring out our inner manther. Grrrr. So pack your black and your East Coast attitude and take in these fine places to sleep, shop, show and shine! Side note: wearing that “I Heart New York” shirt while posing for a photo next to the Legally Blonde marquee is a sure fire way to blow your tourist cover.

Any Port In A Storm
Stay: Hudson Hotel
The rooms at the Hudson are sleek and streamlined to give you the feel of an ocean liner, except in this case you don’t have to worry about hitting an iceberg and dying an icy cold watery death. But, we’re sure you’ve already got Céline cued up on iPod perma-shuffle in case you really want to indulge that Titanic fetish.

Rates: starting at $340 per night
356 W. 58th Street
(212) 554-6000
www.hudsonhotel.com

Back To Basics
Shop: Uniqlo
So you spent all your money on the plane ticket and the hotel room. No worries. You can still come back from NYC looking fagulous. Japan’s most popular store, Uniqlo, recently took up shop in SOHO with a Global Flagship Store. The fashions are super versatile, pretty affordable and you can find 20 color offerings of anything that catches your eye. We vote for hot pink.

Mondays - Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Sundays, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
546 Broadway
www.uniqlo.com

Yum, Yum, Gimme Some Of Dat Dim Sum
Eat: Chatham Square Restaurant
All that schlepping around the city can bring on a terrible hunger. You know, the kind that makes you crankier with every step. And nothing provides immediate gratification like Dim Sum. Before you can even sit down, those wheelie carts of goodness are dishing out dumplings and pot stickers galore. Just make sure to avert your eyes when the lady peddling the chicken feet comes around.

Open daily, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
6 Chatham Square
(845) 694-4668

Raving For More
Perv: Fuerzabruta – Boy’s Night
Think interactive Cirque Du Soleil on steroids. Fuerzabruta (Brute Force) assaults the senses with wind, water, dance music and really hot guys (performing and possibly in the audience). Unlike frumpy sit-in-your-chair shows, this standing-room-only performance brings you into the middle of the action. And on Boys Night, it’s all dudes suspended in a giant overhead tank pulsing and grinding their hot muscles mere inches from your head. It’s like a trip to the porn aquarium.

Admission: $75
First and third Friday of each month, 10:30 p.m.
Daryl Roth Theatre
101 E. 15th Street at Union Square
www.fuerzabrutanyc.com

Show Us Your Tunes
Sing: Mostly Sondheim
Broadway nerds welcome to nirvana, “an open mic night celebrating musical theatre.” During our visit, host Todd Buonopane was giving away free shots in answer to his show tune math trivia. And yes, even with a few cocktails in us we could tell you that “the number of people who got off of the train” in Company plus the “winning lottery” total from In The Heights is 96,100.

Free (tipping encouraged)
Fridays, 11:30 p.m.
The Duplex Cabaret Theatre
61 Christopher Street
(212) 255-5438
www.theduplex.com

Sesame Sweet
Treat: The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
Even though it meant a second trip down to Chinatown, we saved dessert for last. Screw vanilla, this shop is all about exotic ice cream flavors like Lychee and Red Bean. The best bet is a two scooper of Almond Cookie with a Black Sesame chaser. They sell it by the quart, too, if you want to get really greedy.

65 Bayard Street
(212) 608-4170
www.chinatownicefactory.com

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