Songs That Break My Heart

Based on a conversation earlier this evening at the always-a-good-time UWS Pub Establishment McAleer's   (and 100% unrelated to the Big Adventure unless for some reason  one of these bands is playing in NYC tonight for a low cost), below is a well thought out list of amazing, quality songs that Break Our Heart. 

Yeah, the less said about the fourteen tunes below, the better. You can hear them each for free at Grooveshark.. We are sharing this list via transposed hand-written text from an inconspicuous cocktail napkin that was thoughtfully scribbled earlier this evening after a game of Snow Football in Central Park at Sheep Meadow. We should point out that this list comes courtesy of Blue Point Toasted Lager, sundry other drinks and a kind bartender. The Big Adventure is going with the less said about the songs, the better...but we believe it to be an amazing list:

The Smiths- Stop Me  
Crosby, Stills, Nash – Southern Cross 
Johnny Cash – Hurt 

John Lennon- Beautiful Boy
Coldplay - Shiver 
Marshall Crenshaw - Television Light
Sun Kil Moon – Carry Me Ohio
Freedy Johnston – Bad Reputation
Toad The Wet Sprockett - Walk on the Ocean 
Ben Folds - Don't Change Your Plans
Ani DiFranco - Back Back Back
Postal Service -The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

Michael Andrews (featuring Gary Jules) - Mad World

Tom Petty – Keep Crawling Back To You

Snow Day...

Presenting the Impromptu Snow Big Adventure. 

Date: Today. 

Activities: Stay at home, drink Hot Chocolate, Watch the never-ending news coverage of the white stuff and enjoy the view from your window. Maybe throw a snowball at your neighbor/roommate. 

Okay, so this is less of a social, group event...but it's seasonal and inexpensive!

Two-For-One Broadway Tickets - The Real Deal, Baby

In case the good word hasn't reached you yet, NYC is trying to kick the January Great White Way Blahs (or the JGWWB as its known) with two-for-one deals on 18 Broadway Shows from now through February 10. There are surprisingly few restrictions and this is a quality collection of stalwarts. Note that this is part of a universal tourist partnership by the city and the theaters and not offered through the suspicious and concerning off-market ticket agencies. 

Also, to take things one step further, you can enjoy Kids' Night on Broadway the week of Feb 6th through the 10th which allows you to get a free ticket for any child age 6–18 when you purchase one full-priced adult ticket to the same show.

 

This is all part of Mayor Mike's hard push to reach a goal of 50 Million (!) visitors to NYC by the end of 2011. Since Winter Months are a traditionally sluggish time, this is a great change to take advantage.

In the end, its a nice change of pace from a typically expensive doings of seeing a show. Also strikes before the hot plays and musicals that will get Tony nods open. The Big Adventure picks The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Memphis and Million Dollar Quartet as best options.

List of Broadway Shows included in the 2-for-1 Ticket Promotion

The Addams Family – A New Musical	La Cage Aux Folles
American Idiot	The Lion King
Billy Elliot The Musical	Lombardi
Chicago The Musical	Mamma Mia!
Colin Quinn Long Story Short	Mary Poppins
Driving Miss Daisy	Memphis
Good People	Million Dollar Quartet
The Importance of Being Earnest	The Phantom of the Opera
Jersey Boys	Time Stands Still

 Book tickets and more info here

 

All About the "Underbelly Project:" - NYC's secret Subway Art Gallery

We know we posted this before a couple of weeks ago, but due to popular demand we're revisiting this one-of-a-kind gallery with an update!

Dubbed “The Underbelly Project”, this giant make-shift galley features stunning work by several talented graffiti artists in a giant empty space. Created over an 18 month period, these pieces stretch from ground to ceiling. Completely free and open 24 hours a day. The catch? They are not saying where the secret gallery actually is. And you have to travel down the tracks from an active Subway Station to get there. Hey, unsafe AND slightly illegal!

But they pay off is supposedly worth it – huge untouched canvases of over 100 pieces in untouched splendor. Ah, wacky artists. On this one, getting there alone might be the reward.  We don't want to spoil the quest, but finding the station doesn't take a lot of work with some online digging and a subway pass. We like these final thoughts from our friends at the Second Avenue Subway Blog:

"It is a dangerous thought about a morbid project that somehow captures both the recklessness of a bygone era, the foolhardiness of this undertaking and the mystery of an abandoned aspect of the New York City subway system. I don’t think Arts for Transit will approve."

 

Read more at Gizmodoo and check out the amazing images from The NY Times:

http://gizmo.do/cNZYEw

http://nyti.ms/dwTo0o

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/11/01/a-subway-art-project-in-the-abandoned-underbelly/

Regis Retiring! Get tickets now for Live with Regis and Kelly

News this morning that it is time to bid adieu to Regis. The ever-excitable, ever-present nearly Octogenarian announced he's calling it a career on his show this morning. So, what does this mean for the intrepid NYC visitor? If you ever wanted to see Live with Regis and Kelly in person? Better get your read end in gear.

The conventional wisdom in NYC has been that It is reasonably easy to get tickets to any TV show that tapes in NYC if you have some patience & flexibility. The exception has always been SNL and Live with Regis & Kelly. Now, if you want tickets for Regis better act fast. As in before end of summer. The show typically airs live from a Manhattan studio near Columbus Circle at 9 AM and guests often receive crazy free gifts. Tickets are free, but it is a small audience so the earlier you can request the better!


The Big Adventure is hoping that Neil Patrick Harris hosts Live after Regis leaves. Could NPH replace Regis? There are many signs that indicate yes....but that's a whole 'nother post.

Click here for all tickets information from the show's site

So, you don't think we're full of malarky:The Story on Regis Philbin retiring

Things to do in New York City on MLK Day 2011

So, here it is. January 17th. Situated nicely in the middle of a cold winter and wedged between carious snow storms. Just when everyone has finished recuperating from Holidays, along comes Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

For many throughout New York, MLK Day usually means a nice break and an extra day off to complete the trifecta of a beloved three day weekend. However, if you're interested in doing a little more today to celebrate the life of one of America's best-known activist and civil leaders, The Big Adventure once again has you covered. Below are three events that caught our eye. All are happening today and all free. Some solid options if you want to step back and reflect on the day in some unique, Big Apple ways.

23rd Annual King Commemorative March- 10:00 AM - Strawberry Fields in Central Park (enter at 72nd and Central Park West) http://www.manhattancountryschool.org/news_events.html 

Join some ethics-minded high-quality eighth-graders from the Manhattan Country School as they take time from their day off to lead a tour throughout the park. Along the scenic walk, the group will stop in several places to give speeches on the theme, "We Have Another Dream: Civil Rights in the 21st Century." Bonus: it ends with hot chocolate being served by the school at the completion of the walk.

Screening & Live Event of "King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery To Memphis" - 3:00 PM -  35th Ave & 37th St. Astoria, Queens

http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/01/17/detail/king-a-filmed-record-montgomery-to-memphis

What a perfect reason to make the trip to the recent renovated and just re-opened Museum of the Moving Image! The Big Adventure loves this place in part because of their numerous screenings.  This tribute documentary uses archival footage of King's life, from the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott to his assassination in 1968, intercut with dramatic readings and interviews by friends. Good: A timely perspective as it was made in 1970. Not so Good: 185 minutes running time. 

Artists Celebrate Dr. King - 6:30 p.m., Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th St.

http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/6584-artists-celebrate-martin-luther-king-jr-

Renewing this annual tradition, everyone is invited to this presentation of powerful work by artists whose vision coincides with King's voice for justice, peace and civil rights. Enjoy tunes from acclaimed jazz musician Craig Harris and ensemble performs excerpts from God's Trombones, a musical which is centered around bringing to life the teachings of black preachers, but really, just sounds like a joyous thing to hear. 

Also part of the evening is dancing from Remembrance of Things Past,  sampling the text of King's Drum Major speech with dance and video.And some stellar vocalists along with members of the Green Pastures Baptist Church Choir will mix up the sounds of Carlebach and African American spirituals.

Need more suggestions? Enjoy from the Big Adventure menu of three more sites below:
Click here to read The New York Daily News' detailed list of events in all five boroughs here 

Also, the usually disappointing About.com has a quality list and nice history here 
 
Last, but not least, our good friends at Hostel Blogger (really) have some events listed for all around town

Every Subway Rider's worst rodent fear caught on tape.

Fair warning. Don't click any further if you really hate the site of Rats. Or if you don't enjoy the idea of say...what could happen to you if you fall asleep on the New York City Subway. Or if combining both scenario A and B terrify you, just go ahead and leave now. Hands down, the most disturbing YouTube video you'll see all week.

Still with us? Enjoy what will doubtlessly be the Viral Video of the week in The Big Apple:

Rat Crawls On Sleeping Subway Rider's Face. (Or "A video that will deter tourists from taking public transit") - It's a short clip, but we're guessing you might shriek just watching this around :16. Talk about a worst nightmare. Geez, and I thought my general fear of being stuck on a car with a dirty rodent was bad enough.




Related News Story Here In the New York Daily News.


Come to New York City! Don't fall asleep on our trains! Watch out for the animal that spread the bubonic plague and killed a third of Europe.

Fireworks for all to see Jan 13th in New York Harbor To Celebrate Luxury Cruise Liners

Ah, any event that has Fireworks in Mid-January is an event that grabs our attention. This evening, three of the world's finest luxury cruise ships - The Queen Mary 2, The Queen Victoria and the new crown-jewel of the fleet The Queen Elizabeth - converge in New York harbor for the very first time. 

To celebrate this impressive massive Triumvirate of boats uniting, a giant fireworks display around 6:30 PM. Good rule of thumb for tonight, if you can see The Statue of Liberty from where you are, you should be able to see the fireworks as well.

(Also of note, never thought we'd be posting a link to the website Cruise Critic)

6:40 PM- New York Harbor

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4312

2010 Review- In Quiz Style!

As the New Year gets underway, we can't help but wax nostalgic on all that went down in New York City and the country over the course of 2010.  Lucky for us, the New York Times has combined the memories from the past year with the challenge of an online quiz. Check out the link below to re-live last year in the Big Apple and tackle some real stumpers.

Our favorite questions from the 75+ question PDF?

11. What did Paul the Octopus predict?
47. Who used a TV ad to reassure voters that she was “not a witch”?
76. Which musical insects made peace with Apple?

Test your savvy and knowledge: 
(By the way, the answers are The World Cup Champions, Christine O'Donnell and The Beatles)

The Year in Questions -  NYTimes.com - http://nyti.ms/fnhjJb

The Big Adventure Recommends: The Skyscraper Museum

There are seemingly thousands of museums, galleries and the like in NYC, but some of the most interesting are the hardest to find. A solid entry in the "Lesser known yet amazing Museums of NYC" category, The Big Adventure highly recommends The Skyscraper Museum. Near Battery Park in lower Manhattan, this small but mighty non-profit boasts fascinating exhibits series of interesting expert speakers, an ever-changing collection and a lively, excitable staff that could talk Big City Skyscrapers all day.

Calling themselves experts in the world's first and foremost vertical metropolis, this unconventional museum operates among some of biggest and oldest buildings sine it opened in it's new space in 2004. Founded in 1996, The Skyscraper Museum is a private, not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future. The museum just closed their stunning showcase on Wall Street that ran last year and will be opening a new installation on the "Vertical Urban Factory" on Wednesday, January 12th.

Why go now? Because the new exhibit is the perfect way to beat the cold and get into the buildings without actually getting into the buildings. Vertical Urban Factory features the innovative architectural design, structural engineering, and processing methods of significant factory buildings from the turn of the 20th century to the present. Now, over a century after the first large factories began to dominate our cities, the exhibition poses the question: Can factories present sustainable solutions for future self-sufficient cities? Oooh! That's a true puzzler. Right up there with if you kill a mime in the woods, will it make any noise?

The big buildings of this town never cease to fascinate the Big Adventure and a visit to this location provides a nice homage to all of them. Not to get overly sappy, but it is some concrete and steel poetry in the big city

39 Battery Place on the other side of the Ritz. $5 Admission, Open Wed-Sun Noon-6 PM. http://skyscraper.org/

New Year's Resolution for 2011? That's easy: To plan the most exciting, eye-brow raising, rootin-tootinist Big Adventure yet in the next few months.

We like lofty goals. The wheels are already spinning and plans are already being put in place...Now we just have to figure out how to top a custom Ice Sculpture from The Big Adventure on Ice.

Most Unique NYC January Event: The No Pants Subway Ride

The 2011 No Pants Subway Ride.

Welcome to 2011. New Year. New beginning. Same zany "take the city by storm" annual events. What does the, ahem, Naked City have lined up for January? The 9th Annual No Pants Subway Ride.

The concept is incredibly simple: Show up with no pants and ride the New York City subway system. Yes, It's sophomoric. True, its a touch ridiculous. And some would argue that it is borderline illegal and a tad lewd.

All of that aside, the event is incredibly popular and growing exponentially each year. And, yes, we have to admit that the site of thousands of people sans pantaloons tromping from Union Square to Brooklyn, across subway platforms and staircases is pretty hilarious.

Organized by Improv Everywhere, legend has it that the event began in 2002 with just seven people. When asked by curious onlookersl (likely trying their best to show big city indifference) what the story is, bare-legged participants are encouraged to simply respond, "I forgot my pants today." and add lines such as "Hunh, apparently so did that random guy/gal."

Falling in the same vein as Santacon and The World's Largest Pillow Fight, this event has moved way past Flash Mob status and, for better or worse, more into citywide social event that attracts an...interesting mix of people. Also, the event has apparently spread to many a city with public transport.Sadly, many of whom attend now miss the point of the subtle prank like you're going to miss fabric on your thighs on a cold day in January. 

Bottom line, if your goal is to make some new friends and walkaway with some memorable visions and good stories, this just might be the event for you. Although, where you keep your Metrocard without any pants on is your business.

The No Pants Subway Ride. Free. This Saturday, January 9th. 3:00 PM at six locations throughout New York City. All info here: No Pants Subway Ride 2011 Details for New York

And as our New Year's gift to you, here is a fantastic photo gallery from last year from one of the "agents". Gives a insider view into the day: 100110 No Pants 10 Photos

An incredibly detailed look at last year's event: Recap of 2010 No Pants Subway Ride