[Best Nightclub To Meet A Lover] Nell's If you're looking for a spot that mixes international flavor, and is the best example of New York's diverse crowd, then Nell's is the place to be. Upstairs live music and food get you started, and downstairs hot reggae, techno, and hip hop get you dancing. Also, there's a nice and comfy lounge area for when you want to slow down and talk to that special someone. Wink, wink. ;)
[Best Pick-Up Bar/Loud Drum&Bass Spot] Drinkland Drinkland is small, and almost always packed. The lends to the nature of the East Village, which is all about cute things in small places. The decor is completely "A Clockwork Orange" futuristic. And in the back, there is a lounge area for all making small talk with that weird alien you're strangely attracted to.
[Best Weird People's Music Store] Othermusic Most record stores in New York do a good job of serving up everything across the spectrum of music tastes. But at Othermusic, this is down with an eye for the odd. If you're looking for that hard to find Aphex Twin import single, this is the place to go. Plus, their party bulletin board is tops for finding out what's happening in the city.
[Best Place To Meet "Friendly" New Yorkers] St. Marks Place & 3rd Avenue St. Marks and 3rd has been called the crossroads of the world. If you stand in this area long enough, you will see EVERYTHING. From punk rockers, to conservative, to hip hop, to plain old sexy people, it's all here. For some reason, this area has the effect of making most people nice. So if you are scared of abrasive New Yorkers, take a dip into this spot first and you'll be happy.
[Best Way Out There Manga Shop] Anime Crash When this place opened a few years ago, it became apparent how much such a place was needed. They have everything from live action martial arts movies, to the finest classic anime and manga. Plus, they have the coooolest toys! A good place to go for eye candy.
[Best Lip Smackin' Good Soul Food Restaurant] The Pink Tea Cup There are many places to get your greasy soul food fix in New York, but in lower Manhattan, it can be difficult to find something. The Pink Teacup is a nice little cozy spot in the West Village that serves some of the most tasty southern cuisine this side of the Hudson river.
[Best Guilty Pleasure Scooter Shop] John's Bike Shop Some fads suck. We will all be glad when Digimon dies a natural death. But other fads are just too good to sleep on. Scooters are a fad worth preserving, and at John's Bike Shop, all your scooter cravings can be satisfied in one spot. Check'em out.
[Best Sinner's Techno Club] Twilo The cops are cracking down on this spot. When you go up to get "searched," before you enter you are informed that there are undercover cops on the premises. All that taken into account, Twilo is still the king of big techno clubs. If you have fluorescent blue hair, this is your mecca.
[Best Sushi Restaurant] Otakafuku Everyone has their own opinion on Sushi. Hence, naming a best sushi spot is almost like talking politics, everyone thinks their opinion is best. Otakafuku may not be the absolute, very, very, bestest, number one sushi spot, "but" they have damn good sushi. So there.
[Best Underground Video Store] Kim's Many people come to New York thinking they can find anything here. Well when you walk into Kim's, this lofty expectation actually gets fulfilled. These guys have all kinds of rare and hard to find videos past and present. Sometimes, when you have a minute, just walk in the place and watch the hours accidentally slip by.
[Best Japan Power Supermarket] Sunrise Mart The Japanese are definitely in effect in NYC, but it can sometimes be hard to find a store with supplies for hooking up your own authentic Nippon cuisine. The Sunrise Mart is like a second home to many Japanese fiending for a taste of home. If you're looking for the real Japan deal, this is it.
[Best Jazz Club] Small's New York is one of the capitols of the world when it comes to Jazz. There are scores of clubs catering to those in love with the sweet science of neo-blues. But if you want to hear some really good stuff, for a good price, in an unpretentious atmosphere, Small's is the place.
[Best Karaoke Spot] Toto After you've gone and heard some good blues, and had a few drinks, you'll probably be ready to belt out a few tunes yourself. Just hop in a cab, and in minutes you'll be smack dab in the middle of KoreaTown where Toto will let you get your superstar singer dreams out into the mic. |
