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Friday, March 16, 2012

New York Yankees Tickets for Five Bucks!

We took advantage of this last year and we’re delighted to see what it is back again for 2012. Quite the steal: Five Dollar Seats to five select New York Yankee 2012 games through Mid-May.

An amazing deal to see any quality MLB game to being with. Throw in the fact that this is NEW Yankee Stadium (where a beer seems to cost about $21.75) and this makes this an astonishing cheap, unique opportunity. 

They’ve reduced the number of $5 games from eleven in 2011 to five this year and the games are against traditionally "second teir" opponents like Orioles and Royals, but who cares? Seats are available in select areas of the Terrace Level, Grandstand Level or Bleachers for Five Bones! One Honest Abe! The Cost of a Happy Hour drink! The price of a Subway Foot Long! You get the point...Purchase in advance while you can. Major League Baseball kicks off Opening Day on Wednesday, April 4th.


All games start at 7:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.
 Monday, April 16th               Minnesota Twins
Tuesday, April 17th                    Minnesota Twins
Tue, May 1st               Baltimore Orioles
Wed, May 2nd           Baltimore Orioles   
Mon, May 21st           Toronto Blue Jays            

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Best Guinness in New York City (just in time for St. Patrick’s Day)


Who has the Best Pint of Guinness in New York City? Well, we've enjoyed enough of Ireland's best stout in enough bars to be smart enough not to get tangled up in this debate: There are too many great bars, great bartenders and just amazing locales in the city to coin on as "The Best."

That being said, we thought we'd pass on this article from the NY Daily News that lists some top bars that serve the legendary stout from St. James Gate:

Some of their NY Daily's selections include:
  • Dalton's Seaside Grill - Way out on Rockaway Beach, but the trip is apparently worth it
  • The Beekman - Billed as "An Irish Pub in Downtown Manhattan"
  • Tracks RAW Bar and Grill -Sure, great, if you like your bars underground and in a filthy train station with no windows, but hey, maybe that's just us
  • Irish Heaven -  In the heart of Sunset Park Brooklyn, they boast pints for $4
  • The Dead Poet - Which is coincidentally one of the Big Adventure’s beloved Upper West Side bars. We just recently enjoyed a few pints in a futile attempt to get our name on the wall.
Also, Time Out New York just published this list of The best Irish pubs which includes  Molly’s Pub and Shebeen, Ceol in Cobble Hill and An Beal Bocht in the Bronx.

Additionally, The Big Adventure would be incredibly remiss if we didn't mention a few of our own:
  • Paddy Reilly's Bar - The All-Guinness bar at 2nd Ave and 29th in Kip's Bay serves nothing but Guinness on tap and constantly entertains with live music.
  • Stout- Near Madison Square Garden, probably one of the largest bar/restaurant spaces in Manhattan with a delicious menu to boot. Our guess is they pour more Guinness than 50 small neighborhood bars combined. 
  • Doyle's Corner - In the middle of Astoria, our heart will always sing for thee. More than any other pub in the city, Doyle's feels like home to the Big Adventure.

 Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the Big Adventure!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The March Madness NYC Big Adventure is in the books!


Success! Late on Saturday we left the New York Beer Company and headed home after another fun, wonderful long great day. Man, from the starting mark at the Meatball Shop at 12:30 to the last bar self-poured pint just a few minutes ago. With lots of new and familiar faces, today was one hell of a day.

One last thanks to everyone who came out this weekend and made the NYC March Madness NYC Big Adventure a Giant Success. We'll be posting quality some photos (truly!) from the day soon. Feel free to share any you have as well. A special thanks to the crew at Meatball Shop, Morgan Museum and Library, Mad River Bar and Grill, Ryan's Daughter, Lansdowne Road and New York Beer Company who welcomed us with open arms into their establishments.

Keep your eyes open for information about our NEXT NYC Big Adventure in June. When in June? Not sure yet, so you better just block out the entire month just to be safe.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

The March Madness NYC Big Adventure is Here!

Our calendar confirms that today is indeed Saturday, March 10th.  Huzzah! It's Big Adventure Day! The Madness begins in just a few hours. From Meatball to the Morgan to the Big Cincinnati/Louisville Big East Championship Game at Lansdowne Road. We're Carboloading and doing some calisthenics to prep us for our myriad of fanatical stops! Orrrrr....we're drinking coffee and watching the movie channel. It's going to be a fun, crazy day.

See here for our final itinerary. Looking forward to this next Adventure and hoping you can join us.

Friday, March 9, 2012

The New York Beer Company - Another NYC Big Adventure Stop

As we inch closer and closer to tomorrow’s March Madness NYC Big Adventure (kicking off in less than 24 hours!) we’re looking forward to the last piece of our deranged, mental jigsaw puzzle. Our last (scheduled) stop of the day: The New York Beer Company.
 
We’re thrilled to be visiting this off-the-rocker locale for several reasons. First, since it is a brand spanking new (they are hosting an Opening Night party this evening), it still has that new bar smell and is ready to impress.  Second, the astounding variety of beers will delight and surprise. Stocking everything from our beloved Blue Point Toasted to the esoteric Empire Cream Ale and 80 more in between. Third: Taps at the table. Pour your own beer with a built in tap right at your finger tips. 

What makes this bar truly one-of-a-kind to NYC is the "Exchange" print pricing that fluctuates as certain beers are ordered, The ever changing suds price is reflected on screens through the bar. This article explains in detail. It's just like the Stock Exchange but with less suits and just a bit more alcohol. Just as much yelling.

Located on 44th Street near 9th avenue, with one foot in Hell's Kitchen and one foot in the Time's Square are, this bar is unique and the perfect way to end our crazed day. In fact, 44th street between 8th and 9th is loaded with intriguing bars such as the hidden-Tiki-hot-spot Reunion and enticing dive Bull Moose Saloon. In fact, we could probably make a pretty stellar day out of places on 44th street alone! The 44th Street Big Adventure! Start on the East Side at The United Nations and make our way west. Hmmm….an idea for a future day. 

New York Beer Company -11:30 PM  -321 W 44th St http://www.nybeercompany.com/ -212-245-BEER (2337)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Morgan Museum and Library & The Big Adventure

 We're bringing a sane dose of culture to our raving mad Big Adventure this Saturday as we visit one of the most underrated museums in New York City. We're thrilled to making a stop at The Morgan Library and Museum on Madison Avenue as part of Saturday's March Madness NYC Big Adventure Hands down. 



Built over a hundred years ago as a private library by the original Mad Money prince John Pierpoint Morgan (with a name like that, you know HE was in the 1%), the museum was recently renovated and completely devoted to the written word and printed works. Their insanely large collection houses everything from original Da Vinci drawings to authentic hand-written lyrics from Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind”, to first printings and manuscripts from just about every American author you can imagine. 

A great reason to visit is wonderful temp exhibits like In The Company of Animals  and the recently closed exhibit the Charles Dickens at 200 .The Morgan Library and Museum saluted Dickens as the “first true literary superstar”. His scope of work was vast—far beyond A Christmas Carol and Oliver Twist. Stop on by to celebrate the bicentennial of Dickens’ birth in 1812 with manuscripts of his novels and stories, letters, books, photographs, original illustrations, and caricatures. The Morgan can brag about keeping the biggest collection of Dickens manuscripts and letters anywhere in the USA.  

There ongoing events and lectures. Such as The Lure and The Local in The Dutch Golden Age for $15 on Tuesday, April 3rd. Highbrow? Perhaps. Entertaining and Educational? Certainly. Comfortable Chairs? Probably.

When: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM.
Where: The Morgan Library & Museum 225 Madison Avenue at 37th Street. (212) 685-0008
Cost:  $15, $10 for Children, Students and Seniors.
Category: Museum, Lecture, Exhibits, A Seriously Amazing Museum No One Talks About 
Good For: Site Seeing, Education, History Buffs, Museum Folk

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Big Adventuring at Lansdowne Road this Saturday


Our penultimate stop of Saturday’s Big Adventure will be the comfy confines of Lansdowne Roadon 10th Avenue. We really like the motto of "Drink, Sport and Camaraderie." Might just steal that for our own. 

Located off the beaten path in the nether region between the Port Authority and Hell’s kitchen, Lansdowne is best described as…well…fun. From their color-changing Ice Rail at the bar (one-of-a-kind in NYC) to the giant beer-bazookas that sit atop your table, it’s a roomy and high spirited kind of bar that likes sports. THey even take their name from a world famous Rugby Pitch. We’re thrilled to be stopping by on Saturday evening to watch the Big East Tourney Championship and enjoy some drinks.

Speaking of Drinks, Lansdowne Road also offers something they called the Daily Double which is a different Draught Beer and Bottled Beer for just four greenbacks every day. This Saturday’s feature is a good one: $4 pints of Yuengling and $4 bottles of SmuttynoseRobust Porter. Nice. Bring your thirst. 

599 10th Avenue in Manhattan. Bar & Kitchen open late every night. 
Visit them on Facebook here and view them on Twitter Here 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Complete itinerary for NYC March Madness Big Adventure on Saturday, March 10th


Since we’re just a few days out from our NYC March Madness Big Adventure next Saturday, we wanted to send out the complete itinerary for our day. We will be spending Saturday, March 10th exploring the best of the crazy underbelly and things March Basketball throughout New York City. The Big Apple has never been short on madness, so planning this particular Big Adventure was easy. Our stops will all include a touch of Madness or March Basketball, or both. Whatever your pleasure, we have something tailored to you. 

We’ll be visiting well-known watering holes, tucked-away Irish Pubs, one of our favorite lesser known museums and, hands down, the best sports bar in Manhattan. We’ll be hosting the inaugural Big Adventure Hoops Fever basketball tourney, testing your knowledge in a ravenous game of Crazy 80’s trivia and will have the usual insane barrage of surprises and more.

We encourage you to pass this information along to anyone who might enjoy New York City’s lunacy. As per usual, feel free to join for only part of our Big Adventure or from beginning to end for a day we promise will be unique, affordable, social, and distinctly NYC. Whether you might be attending your first or your umpteenth Big Adventure, we think you’re in for a good time! Developing info (and a chance to RSVP) at facebook.com/TheBigAdventure

The Meatball Shop 12:30 PM- 84 Stanton Street near Orchard Street on the Lower East Side. http://www.themeatballshop.com/ - (212) 982-8895
We’ll be starting the day by, well, going meatballs for meatballs. We’ll enjoy a hearty meal at one of the more recent popular food “Crazes” in NYC: The LES Meatball Shop. We’ll be loading up on a variety of meatball gourmet delights at some really impressively cheap prices. We’ll be arriving early to beat the crowds, kick off our Big Adventure and dine on some insanely good grub.

The Morgan Museum and Library2:00 PM- 225 Madison Avenue at 37th Street. http://www.themorgan.org/home.asp - (212) 685-0008
Heading uptown, we’ll make a stop on MADison Avenue at the Museum founded by the Original Mad Money kind of New York maven: JP Morgan. The Morgan Museum and Library is a wonderful gem devoted to the written word.  Built over a hundred years ago as a private library for John Pierpoint Morgan (with a name like that, you know HE was in the 1%), the museum was recently renovated and is completely devoted to the written word and printed works. Their collection houses everything from a Gutenberg Bible to original Da Vinci drawings to authentic hand-written lyrics from Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind”, to first printings and manuscripts from just about every American author you can imagine. The most amazing gem is Pierpoint’s ridiculous and insane three story private 1906 library. We’ve seen Barnes & Noble stores that are smaller. The Big Adventure has secured a special Admission of $12 per person for our visit.  

Mad River Bar and Grille 4:00 PM- 1442 3rd Avenue at 82nd Street – Upper East Side. http://www.madrivergrille.com/ - (212) 988-1832
We’ll head to the Upper East Side to take a load off at this always-friendly and spacious bar on 3rd Avenue. We’ll take some time to enjoy drinks and some NCAA conference basketball on some quality TVs (seriously, these boob tubes are impressively sharp and clear). We’ll also put your knowledge to the test with some informal “Crazy 80’s Trivia.” We’ve had our staff of crack researchers working on these stumpers for eleven weeks. Challenge your noggin and enjoy good company in the early afternoon. Plus, Mad River has a solid kitchen to serve your belly.

Ryan’s Daughter- 6:00 PM -350 E 85th St near 1st Avenue – Upper East Side - (212) 628-2613
From Mad River, it is just a short walk over to Ryan’s Daughter. The Best Irish Pub you’ve never visited, the place is warm, cozy and comes complete with new friends just waiting to be made. Ryan’s Daughter takes its name from the old Irish Legend of the Celtic Lord whose only daughter went mad with grief after watching her father fall from sheer seaside cliffs—she spent the rest of her days as a deranged wealthy land owner. Ryan’s Daughter will also be the site of the inaugural Big Adventure Hoops Fever tournament. Along with dueling dart boards and pool table, the bar comes complete with arcade-style Basketball Shooting Game. Will you be the one to take home the giant 4’ trophy we’ve crafted for the occasion?

The Sweets Food Truck
From Ryan’s Daughter, we’re going to use our skills and internet Savvy to track down another NYC Food Craze: the best Sweets Food Truck in NYC. We have some hunches on where to find ‘em, but will track down the tastiness on Saturday as we make our way to the next destination.

Lansdown Road - 8:30 PM -599 10th Avenue at 43rd Street – Hell’s Kitchen www.lansdowneroadnyc.com  - (212) 239-8020
In the evening, we’ll be visiting what we consider to be the best sports bar in New York City. It partially earns that title because if you could care less about basketball, it’s a wonderful bar. And if you like the hoops, we think we’ve picked the perfect place to watch the Big East Conference Tournament Championship Game (next to actually watching it 10 blocks away at MSG of course) at 9:00 PM. Quietly located over on 10th Avenue, it boasts a variety of cheap drinks and a diverse crowd (we’ve met everyone from priests to Spider-Man on Broadway understudies there). We have an area reserved and look forward to dining on the legendary Scruffy Duffy wings, checking out the one-of-a-kind-ice bar and watching some intensely competitive hoops.

New York Beer Company -11:30 PM – 321 W 44th St - http://www.nybeercompany.com/ -212-245-BEER (2337) - It's thrilling that we're visiting this off-the-rocker locale for several reasons. First, since it is a brand spanking new (opened 10 days ago) still has that new bar smell and is eager to please. Second, their astounding variety of beers with delight and surprise. And the best part? Taps at the table. Pour your own beer with a built in tap right at your finger tips. Plus, "The Beer Market" where prices fluctuate up and down throughout the night. We have a reserved space in an already surprisingly large space.

We hope that you’ll join us this Saturday! We’ll be Tweeting throughout the day as well. If you do plan on coming, let us know via e-mail or the Facebook Event Page  so we can plan accordingly. See you on Saturday, March 10th

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