Monday Pick-Me-Up

MS's pick:

We're always looking for a great happy hour, especially on a Monday night and this one goes all night starting at 5pm. Agozar (324 Bowery & Bleecker) offers a great happy hour - buy one, get one free! The Cuban tapas menu is quite diverse and tastes even better when you're tipsy.

Agozar also has happy hour Tuesday-Saturday from 5-8pm. We love the music on their website, and keep it on in the background when we are in the mood to listen to good Cuban beats.

Stay a-muse-d!

We Love A Good Deal

This city is still expensive, despite a few cheap-eats and some good happy hours. That's why we signed up for these two great coupon emails with some of the best deals in the city: Groupon and 8coupons.

One of our recent purchases includes a four-pack salsa dance class for half price on Groupon! We know it is another two emails in your already jammed packed inbox, but these two are totally worth it.

Pho Sure!

A & N's pick:

Baoguette / Pho Sure (120 Christopher St) is a fabulous cheap-eat Vietnamese restaurant in the West Village. This small place with groovy music, booths that can accommodate 4-6 people, and great sandwiches is a winner on all counts.

Grab something at the front sub-shop or sit in the back area and hang for a while. Either way, you'll walk out saying, "We will definitely come back here, Pho Sure!"

Getting Ready for the Holidays...

or just want to look your best on the cheap? Head over to Empire Beauty School (22 W 34th St) for a quick wash and a great blow dry. We recommend you stick to the basics as these are students in beauty school after all, but they do a great job straightening your hair for as little as $10-15. For hours, call: 866-232-2771.

You'll thank us for this tip!

Fat Cat

Looking for a bar, live music, and something active to do? And, you want it all in one place? Look no more! Head over to good old' Fat Cat (75 Christopher St). There's a $3 cover after 6pm, and for an additional $5 an hour, hit the pool tables for a few rounds of eight ball. Go on a Tuesdays night for live Salsa music starting at 8:30pm. The rest of the week, Jazz combos take the stage.

Not into pool, but love games? No problem! This place also features: ping pong, shuffle boards, foos ball tables, chess, checkers, scrabble, gammon, and one of our favorite games othello!

If ping pong is your sport, then check out Fat Cat's Ping Pong Tournaments on the second Sunday of every month starting at 1:30pm. To participate, simply show up, sign up, and play.

Good luck and stay a-muse-d.

Affordable Neighborhood Village Food Tour

PG's pick:

The Village is filled with some of the best eats in the city, but it keeps getting more and more expensive. We've lined up our favorite, and yes, affordable spots for some delicious eats in our favorite hood.1. Murray's Cheese Shop (245 Bleecker St, b/w 6th-7th Aves) serves two types of soups, both equally delicious but the chicken soup with dill and white meat (a lot of it!) is superb and affordable - only $4.50. The other soup is tomato fennel, add a cheese cracker to dip into and you are set.

2. Porto Rico Importing Co (201 Bleecker St) has a few branches around town, but this one is a few steps away from our other Village picks. There are always line at the store, but it is worth the wait for the absolutely phenomenal fresh strong Ethiopian blend. You only need one cup a day. They always have great sales too!

3. Florence Meat Market (5 Jones St) has a long history, a seven-decade family tradition to be exact. This place mostly serves restaurants, but are happy to help walk-ins too. We like Murray's organic chicken, but who can resist the New Port Steak for only $3.75 for a small one - bonus: tell them to take the fat off.




4. For non-meat eaters, hit Citarella's for the freshest fish in the neighborhood (424 6th Ave at 9th St). No store in the country carries a larger seafood selection than Citarella's, so don't just go and order the salmon - ask the folks behind the counter for some suggestions and try something new.

5. Whether you have chosen meat or fish for your entree, stop at Integral Yoga (371 Amsterdam Ave) to pick up everything else you need for a perfect meal. This store has 100% Certified Organic Produce, Organic Juice and Smoothie Bar, and is NYC’s largest all vegetarian Natural Food Store.

Hit one or all these places. Go in any order. Have fun and stay a-muse-d!

Hidden Brunch Spot - East Village

SK's pick:

The search for the best weekend brunch continues. This fabulous East Village gem is a sure hit! Virage (118 2nd Ave) has a great French/Italian/Middle Eastern (!) menu and for only $14.25 you can choose from their huge menu and the price includes a drink! Plus, when the weather warms up, check out their outdoor sidewalk cafe.

Brunch is served from 10am-4:30pm.