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Nightlife The cliché, ‘the city that never sleeps’, really rings true in New York and especially in Manhattan. This small island buzzes with nefarious nocturnal activity, with everything from bustling neighbourhood bars and glitzy Broadway shows, right through to funky style bars and ultra hip nightclubs, where some of the world’s best DJs entertain the city’s ‘beautiful people’. Home to Broadway, the once louche Times Square is enjoying a renaissance, with popular restaurants, bars and cinemas attracting a huge crowd. The central Village from Sixth Avenue to Broadway is famous for its coffee bars that stay open late, music clubs and lively street scene. SoHo is the hip capital, with its chic and wild nightclubs attracting artists, models and media types, while the gay scene is centred around the bars of the West Village, which also offers a lively mix of jazz clubs. More upmarket tastes are catered for in the sophisticated lounges, clubs and cocktail bars in the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Entrance fees – cash only – to some of the smarter nightclubs can be pricey and the hippest clubs employ strict dress codes, only allowing the cool and the beautiful to break through the velvet ropes. Normal club closing time is 0400, although many are open all night. An ever-changing crop of ‘after-hours’ places offer entertainment until sunrise, however, alcohol cannot legally be served between 0400 and 0800 (after 0000 Sunday). It should also be noted that the minimum drinking age is 21 and carrying photo ID is essential, especially after the events of September 11, which have made bouncers even more cautious. The average price of a beer is US$3-4 – plus the obligatory US$1 minimum tip. Time Out New York is a very good source of nightlife event information published weekly and sold at newsagents and kiosks for US$2.99. Bars: New York has a massive range of bars, with everything from neighbourhood workingmen's dives and dowdy Irish pubs, right through to slick jet-set haunts and skyscraper lounges. One perennially hip bar, in the increasingly trendy eastern flank of Manhattan, is airline-theme bar Idlewild, 145 East Houston Street. Other hip bars include Australian owned Barramundi, 147 Ludlow Street, the former drugstore, Barmacy, 538 East 14th Street, favourite of the ‘beautiful people’ Halo, 49 Grove Street, and Café Carlyle, 35 East 76th Street. Perhaps the most A-list attracting venue is man ray, 147 West 15th Street, where Robert De Niro, Mark Wahlberg and U2 have all been spotted in the lounge, bar and restaurant. The almost laughably futuristic Glass, 287 Tenth Avenue, has a huge patio and there have been rumours that the rest room mirror is a one-way window overlooking the street. Meanwhile, the goings on in the rest room area of SX137, 137 Essex Street, are just as entertaining –performance artist Dave Weston does some celebrity impressions for the patrons of this cool but casual Lower East Side venue. The Campbell Apartment, Grand Central Station, is a more sophisticated lounge, hidden away in this busy rail terminal, serving top-class cocktails and first-rate Martinis. Double Happiness, 173 Mott Street, overcomes its dubious name with décor that smacks of an old speakeasy, boasting a funky 20-something clientele. For old-time New York, there is Chumley’s, 86 Bedford Street, or the White Horse Tavern, 567 Hudson Street. Casinos: Gambling is illegal in New York State. Clubs: The New York clubbing scene is notoriously fickle and hard to pin down, especially after tough mayor Giuliani helped force many of the best promoters underground. Away from the cheesy mainstream venues, two consistently good spots are Vinyl, 6 Hubert Street, and Centro-Fly, 45 West 21st Street. Legendary New York house DJ, Roger Sanchez, often pops in at the alcohol free Vinyl, to play one of his epic night-long sets, while fellow New York clubbing giant, Eric Morillo, often takes the helm at Centro-Fly. Either postmodern kitsch or downright trashy, depending on taste, is Cheetah, 12 West 21st Street. Cheetah-pattern prints are the main décor feature and revellers have to fight with the models and B-list celebrities for space on the dancefloor and at the outrageously overpriced bar. The perennially popular Roxy, 515 West 18th Street, serves up drag queens and happy house to an appreciative gay and lesbian crowd. Comedy: New York’s leading comedy venues, featuring top-line comedians, include Carolines on Broadway, 1626 Broadway, The Comedy Cellar, 117 McDougal Street, and Gotham Comedy Club, 34 West 22nd Street – dubbed the ‘best comedy club in Manhattan’. More off kilter comedy is on offer at Surf Reality, 172 Allen Street, while new faces often appear at Stand Up NY, 236 West 78th Street. Live music: New York is home to numerous jazz clubs, including 27 Standard, 116 East 27th Street, an upmarket restaurant and jazz club serving new American cuisine. Broadway Blues, is another sexy blues/jazz bar at the Amsterdam Court Hotel, 226 West 50th Street. The famous Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue between 31st Street and 33rd Street, Manhattan (website: www.thegarden.com), plays host to a number of rock and pop heavies, including the famous fans of the city, U2. Likewise the Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale (tel:(516)794-9300; website: www.nassaucoliseum.com), has seen the likes of Led Zeppelin and continues to present top live acts. |
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