Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl: Saturday, November 20, 2010

MurphGuide reader Steve Grau invites you to his 10th annual Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl, which he organizes every year in honor of his friend Thomas J. Collins, who was murdered at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Saturday, November 20
Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl
The 10th Annual Hells Kitchen Benefit Pub Crawl will raise funds for the Thomas R Elsasser Fund.
$25 Donation Includes:
Your official custom made anniversary edition 2010 Hells Kitchen Pub Crawl hat
Pub ID badge (for reduced drink prices at each stop),
Full appetizer buffet at 1st stop and last stop,
Detailed map highlighting the crawl route and countless antics

New this year: At the first stop, every 10th crawler donating to the cause receives a free Guinness tee shirt. In addition, a limited number of custom made long sleeved tee shirts with the HKPC logo on the front and a list of the bars on the back will be available for purchase for $25. 100% of the proceeds from the shirts are donated to the fund in Tommy’s name.

All proceeds raised will be donated to the Thomas R Elsasser Fund in memory of Tommy Collins (9-11-01). This fund helps to support the families of firefighters who have died Non-Line of Duty due to accident or illness: ufanyc.org/funds/elsasser.php

The pub crawl will stop at 11 destinations
meeting at noon at the starting point:

Lansdowne Road
599 Tenth Ave.
(between 43rd & 44th St.)
Hell's Kitchen
(212) 239-8020
New York, NY
LansdowneRoadNYC.com


Steve did such a good job with the write-up for the crawl, that I am just going to post it here in its entirely:
OK, it’s time to get down to business. The 10th Anniversary Edition Hell’s Kitchen Pub Crawl is here. I’m going to do everyone a favor this year and keep this message to fewer than 5 pages. This year’s crawl will be making 11 stops throughout Hell’s Kitchen (or is it Chelsea North now). And if the turnout is similar to the last nine years, we should have a decent sized crowd. Once again, this year’s crawl route stretches from 43rd to 55th Streets and from 8th Ave. to 11th Ave. The early forecast calls for a nice day, so keep your fingers crossed.

Remember, there are two main goals for this crawl. First and foremost, is to have a great time (you know, the kind that goes along with a few gallons of Guinness) - and more importantly, to raise some serious money in Tommy’s name. I hoping to raise over $3,000 this year, so be sure to spread the word to all your friends. Maybe one of these days, I’ll get a website. We will be donating 100% of the proceeds raised this year to a NYC fighter fund, namely the Thomas R Elsasser Fund. This is a very popular fund for members of the FDNY. Thanks to Susie and Dan, there should be plenty of NY’s bravest on hand. For more info on the fund, click below:
http://www.ufanyc.org/funds/index.php

The UFA Thomas R. Elsasser Fund:
This fund helps to support the families of firefighters who have died Non-Line of Duty due to accident or illness

Raffles: The 50/50 raffle will be back this year, so be sure to hit the ATM before showing up. The last time we did this, someone walked away with over $600 in tax free cash.

Now, before we get to the crawl stops, how about some HK Pub Crawl trivia?

1. If you have made all 10 crawls, how many actual bar/pub stops (cumulative total) will you have made over the years?
2. Over the course of the past 10 years, how many different bars have we been to (assuming you make it to every stop this year)?
3. How many bars have made the cut every year? And which ones are they?
4. How many bars have been axed from the crawl for too lame?
5. Of all the bars in the crawl since 2001, how many are no longer is business?

If you know all the answers, maybe I’ll toss some extra shwag your way.

And now for my shameless plugs:

Remember, for all of your millinery needs be sure to visit Cha Cha’s House of Ill Repute at 68 Jay street in Dumbo (that’s in Brooklyn for you non residents). Feel free to email her at dina@chachashouse.com or you can visit www.chachashouse.com .

Also, do be kind to your bartenders on Saturday because they’re going to be kind to you (if nothing else, this little plug gets me free drinks all day).

And, as always, let me give a special thanks to the following people for their assistance in making this all possible: The Collins family, Dave Blask (swag), Dan McLaughin (Lansdowne Road), Tommy (owner of McQuaids), Suzie Seaman (PR) and all of the other bar owners/managers along the route who are choosing to play along (and discount their beer prices).

And a special thanks to Pete Cooper, who without his help, I could never pull this crawl off. He has designed the hats, shirts, badges, maps, etc each and every year. Thanks Pete.

Official 2010 Pub Crawl Destinations (listed in order):
All of the times listed below are approximate, so don’t think you have to stick with these. Feel free to go at your own pace. I say 30-45 minutes per bar, but who are we kidding, it’s usually longer than that. The deal at the last bar goes until closing. My preliminary plan is to do the 50/50 drawing right around 9:00 or 9:30pm, just don’t hold me to that.

(1) Lansdowne Road: 10th Ave b/t 43rd and 44th Street (west side of street) Noon– 2:00
lansdowneroadnyc.com/

Back for its 5th consecutive start, once again we will be kicking off at Lansdowne Road. If you have never been, you couldn’t ask for a better stop. It’s usually quite a challenge to get the crowd to leave.

There are HD plasma TV’s everywhere, and the draft beer is some of the best in the city. Great beer selection, huge selection of Irish whisky and scotch (should you feel the need to jump start your day), great food (did I mention the sliders), and the owner Dan knows how to run a bar. Check out the ice sculpture on the bar.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $3 micro beers, $4 imports, draft or bottle, $20 domestic and $25 import Tower of Power (120 oz glass tower of your favorite beer). The drafts are of the 20 oz imperial pint variety (as they should be). Admission also includes a complimentary app’s buffet, featuring NYC’s famous Scruffy Duffy’s wings (both medium and hot), chicken fingers, mozz sticks, mac-n cheese bites (really, who says no to that) and the best sliders (mini cheddar cheese burgers) in NYC. Some folks show up just for the sliders. The buffet will be stocked from 12:30-2, so bring an appetite.
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes

(2) Landmark Tavern: SE corner of 46th Street and 11th Ave 2:00 – 2:45pm
thelandmarktavern.org

The Skinny: Back in its usual #2 slot, this place is a step back to old New York. I love this place. Philly needs more places like this. This is one of the oldest bars in all of Manhattan. Try to imagine walking out the front door of the bar and being right on the Hudson River. Because that’s the way it was back in the 1800s, when this place first opened it doors for all the dock workers and longshoreman. The original bar is still intact as is a majority of the original floor. This is a bit more upscale then we’re used to (its more of a place for a nice glass of scotch) hence it being stop #2 before things get real sloppy. All of the drafts are served in 20oz glasses and the Guinness pour here is second to none.
On a side note, the doors will not open til 1:00pm here, so don’t plan on getting here too early.
Drink specials: $1 off all beers; $4.50 domestic beers, $5.50 import beers
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 5.5 – 7.0 minutes




(3) Hibernia: 50th St b/t 9th and 10th Aves (closer to 9th) 2:45 – 3:30pm
hiberniabar.com
The Skinny: Back for its third year, you may recognize some of the owners from their days behind the bar at Scuffys (a moment of silence please). Already quite popular amongst the Hells Kitchen residents, this place is sure to be one of your favorites after the crawl this year. I make it a regular stop when I head up to the city. Plenty of quality draft to choose from here, but the Guinness is top notch. I guess Aidan’s days of keeping me off the wagon at Scruffys have taught him a thing or two. And they have tater tots!! And Aidan, it doesn’t matter how many Journey songs you play, I’m not getting on that bar!
Drink specials: All draft beers are $3, domestic or import beers (it’s tough to leave here)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.5 – 5.0 minutes

(4) Coppersmith’s:
9th Ave. b/t 52nd & 53rd Streets (west side of street) 3:30 – 4:15pm
coppersmithsbar.com
The Skinny: Back in the day, this used to be the opening bar on the crawl. This is the 9th year in a row to boot. The owners (mostly members of the FDNY) are happy to have us back. This is a great after work bar for the late 20’s/early 30’s crowd. There’s plenty of space to relax. And it’s a good place to watch the NFL ticket on Sundays. It also has a wide range of light beers for those not so heavyweights out there.
Drink specials: $3 domestic’s and $4 imports (draft or bottle)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.5 – 6.5 minutes

(5) Rumours: 8th Ave. b/t 55th & 56th (west side of street) 4:15 – 5:00pm
The Skinny: It’s the 7th year in a row for this Irish pub in upper Hells Kitchen. Real nice bar, great owner. Lots of dark wood, exposed brick. The bartenders know how to pour a pint here. The 20 oz imperial pints are the way to go here. The owner Garry is always extremely accommodating and he’s happy to have us back.
Drink specials: $3 domestic and $4 imports (drafts or bottles)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 3.5 – 4.5 minutes

OK, we are almost half way there, time to suck it up for the second half…

(6) House of Brews:
51st Street b/t 8th & 9th Aves. (near 8th, south side of street) 5:00 – 5:45pm
houseofbrewsny.com
The Skinny: Based on the feedback I get, this has proven to be one of the more popular stops on the crawl each year. You may remember this as BB Doyles from years past. Back for its 10th consecutive year, and slightly off the beaten track, this cozy 2 level Irish pub is located just north of the theater district. If you’re looking for a beer that’s out of the ordinary, then you’ve come to
the right spot. The 100oz beer bongs are always fun, but the selection of beers (both imports and domestics) here is as good as it gets. Why not try something different.

Drink specials: $3.00 domestic (Bud, Bud light, Yling), $4 Hop Angel IPA, Blue Moon, Brooklyn lager, Harpoon Winter Warmer (drafts or bottles)
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 5.5 – 7.5 minutes

(7) Molloy’s: 737 Ninth Ave. ( beteen 49th and 50th St.) 5:45 – 6:45pm
The Skinny: The first newcomer on the crawl this year. She’s a nice little Irish pub in the heart of the Kitchen. This place just opened about a month ago. The new owners were all over the crawl. There’s an extra room in the back for more space if needed. I haven’t even had a pint here yet, but I’m guessing this will be a regular stop in the future.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $4 imports, (draft or bottle) $5 Guinness
Approximate crawling time to next bar: frightening too close (if it’s raining, you won’t get wet)

(8) Gossip: 733 Ninth Ave b/t 49th and 50th st 6:45 – 7:15pm
The Skinny: The 2nd newcomer to the crawl this year. It’s all about location. This place is right next door to Molloy’s, so free feel to interchange the two if one is too crowded. Again, I haven’t even had a pint here yet. This place is big, so there should be plenty of room. When the manger is from Ireland, how can you go wrong.
Drink Specials: $3 domestic drafts, $4 Harp, Smithwicks, Heineken
Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 -5.5 minutes

(9) The Irish Rogue: 44th St b/t 8th & 9th Aves (near 9th, south side of street) 7:15 – 8:00pm
theirishrogue.com

The Skinny: Back for its 7th stint of the Crawl, this Irish pub (are you picking up on the Irish trend yet) has a large selection of beers to choose from. Whether you want to grab a bar stool, or kick back on a couch, this is a nice after-work type bar that’s always welcoming. The food is quite good as well. It’s a popular place for soccer and college football, so if you’re feeling a bit claustrophobic, there are two floors, so space shouldn’t be an issue.

Drink Specials: $3 domestic, $4 imports, draft or bottle (but it excludes Guinness, Smithwicks, Blue Moon, Bass, Hoegarden, Paulaner) Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes


(10) The Pony Bar: SW corner of 45th St and 11th ave 8:00 – 8:30pm
theponybar.com

The Skinny: So you are 9 stops in at this point. You’re in the home stretch. And you’re thinking about some food, I get it. Consider this place optional. It’s an all American craft beer bar. I just wish this place was open when I lived three blocks away. By the time we there, it’s probably going to be crowded with regulars (for good reason). This comes to you from the same owners as Lansdowne Road and the old Scruffy’s. Pat and Dan know their business. If you like quality beer, then stop in. Otherwise, see you at the finale.

Drink Specials: none to speak of

Approximate crawling time to next bar: 4.0 – 5.0 minutes (one block and one ave away)



And should you still have the ability to function, our 11th and final stop…

(11) McQuaids Pub: NW corner of 44th St and 11th Ave. 8:30ish – ???

The Skinny: It may be a little out of the way, but the owner’s hospitality makes it well worth it the trip. Absolutely no tourists here, this “off the beaten track” Irish pub caters to the real locals of Hell’s Kitchen. The owner, Tommy, couldn’t be happier to have us back this year. And this is only one of two spots to have made the cut all 10 years. Silly cheap drinks here. Think of it as an incentive to make it to the end. This stop includes a full buffet, so there should be plenty of food out for everyone to soak up some the booze. We will also be drawing the 50/50 raffle here, so remember not to lose those tickets that I know you’re going to buy.
Drink Specials: $2 domestic drafts, $3 imports drafts, Real simple and real cheap. If you can beat that price, I’d say go for it.
Some final words…
Is anyone still reading at this point… I hope so (sorry, I really did try to cut back this year)

It’s been nine long years since 9/11. In a small way, this crawl helps keeps Tommy Collins memory and spirit alive. So, on behalf of the Collins family, I want to thank everyone in advance for keeping that memory and spirit alive and well. Remember, this is one time you can feel good about over serving yourself.

For more info. contact: Steve Grau (917-751-7446)
sgraus666@yahoo.com

November Birthdays Drink Free

If your birthday is in November, you have a bunch party options in the next few days that will allow you to drink for free. "Free drinks?", you say. "But Murph, what's the catch?" The catch is that you should bring some friends, who are entitled to drink specials if they accompany you to your party.

Thursday, November 18
November Birthday Bash at Turtle Bay
Birthday boys & girls drink free
1/2 price drinks for friends
9pm - midnight
RSVP: Erin@turtlebaynyc.com 212 223-4224
at:
Turtle Bay Grill & Lounge
987 Second Ave.
(between 52nd & 53rd St.)
New York, NY
(212) 223-4224
TurtleBayNYC.com


----------------------------------------------
Friday, November 19
November Birthday Bash at M.J. Armstrong's
birthday boy or girl drinks free
1/2 price drinks for all of your friends
9pm - 12am
RSVP at Dona at donamjs@gmail.com or 212 358 9946
9pm - 12am
at:
M.J. Armstrong's
329 First Ave. (19th St.)
New York, NY
(212) 358-9946
MJArmstrongs.com


------------------------------------------------
Friday, November 19
November Birthdays Party at The Irish Exit
You drink free if its your birthday in November
and all your friends get half price drinks.
Call Mandi to RSVP for our birthday bash!
at:
The Irish Exit
978 Second Ave.
(between 51st & 52nd St.)
New York, NY
212.755.8383
IrishExitNYC.com



--------------------------------------------------
Saturday, November 20
November Birthdays Party at Calico Jack's
$20 top shelf special
9pm - 11pm
birthday host drinks free
call Tommy to participate
at:
Calico Jack's Cantina
802 Second Ave.
(between 42nd & 43rd St.)
New York, NY
(212) 557-4300
CalicoJacksNYC.com

---------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, November 20
November Birthdays Party at McFadden's
If it is your birthday, you drink free from 9pm - 12am
all friends get 1/2 price drinks
Call "Party" Patsy 212 986-1022 to set up your party
at:
McFadden's Saloon
800 Second Ave. (42nd St.)
New York, NY
(212) 986-1515
McFaddens42.com

But wait, there's more...
Check out the MurphGuide Birthday Page, which lists bars that will give you specials if today is your birthday: MurphGuide.com/birthday.htm

And if you are looking for a place to hold a private party, visit our party planner site:
PrivatePartyNYC.com

Dorrian's Celebrates 50 Years

Congratulations to the Dorrian family, who are celebrating 50 years of Dorrian's Red Hand.


They kick off four nights of themed celebrations tonight.

Tuesday, November 16 - Friday, November 19
Dorrian's 4-Day 50th Anniversary Event

Tuesday, November 16:
Dorrian's Alumni Karaoke Night
Dorrian's invites all "alumni" to come back to reminisce, and then take part in their famous Tuesday karaoke night with Expressway Music, co-hosted by Kerry Cheeseboro (phude-nyc.com)



Wednesday, November 17:
80s Night
For those that remember a New York when the drinking age was 18, when people drank WooWoos, Kamikazes, and Dorrian's own White Manx and hotspots included Palladium, Tatou, Surf Club, Nick's Grove, Wo Hop and, of course, Dorrian's.
RSVP via facebook.com

Thursday, November 18:
90s Night
Dorrian's invites those that hung out there in the 1990s to reminisce about the first "dot-com" era, drinking SoCo & lime, Jamaican dusts, or Patron Silver, and the run of Yankees World Series victories and partying with Yankees such as David Wells and David Cone.
RSVP via facebook
Friday, November 19:
00s Night (what do we call that decade?)
This night is for the newer and current patrons, enjoying Jager bombs or Grey Goose and Stolis.
RSVP via facebook.com

Dorrian's notes that even though these are specifically-themed evenings, any and all are welcome to drop by on any night

at:
Dorrian's
1616 Second Ave. (84th St.)
New York, NY
(212) 772-6660
Dorrians-NYC.com

It all started back in 1960, when the late James "Red Dog" Dorrian, a successful saloon operator in the Theater district in the 50s, was one of the very first bar/restaurant owners to run a popular tavern business in Yorkville, known then as "Old German Town".
Dorrian's Red Hand Restaurant has been run by three generations of Dorrians ever since. First by James, then his son Jackie, and then by his grandchildren, with Jimmy Dorrian currently running the place.

Links:
Dorrians.com
Dorrians-NYC.com
Dorrian's (facebook)
Dorrian's Red Hand Restaurant (wikipedia)
Dorrian's Last Stand (NY Observer, 2009)

Sunday Night Stand Up - 2 Year Anniversary Show

Congratulations to R.G. Daniels and Erik Bergstrom on the 2-Year Anniversary of Sunday Night Stand Up, a free comedy show every Sunday night (hence the name) at Three of Cups in the east village.

It's been two years since Erik & RG activated their comedy forces at Three of Cups and launched Sunday Night Stand-Up. Their anniversary show will feature a lineup of comedians who are on the verge of breaking through on the NYC scene.

Sunday, November 14
Sunday Night Stand Up
"Breaking Comics" Anniversary Show
Schedule to perform:
George Gordon
Robert Dean
Jeff Wesselschmidt
Charles Gould
Morgan Venticinque
Erik Bergstrom
And to close us out:
Jared Logan (Comedy Central's Live at Gotham; NBC's Last Comic Standing, Season 7)
And hey, free hors d'oeuvres!!* (*free hors d'oeuvres not included)
free admission

8pm
at:
Three of Cups
83 First Ave. (E. 5th St.)
New York, NY
(212) 388-0059
ThreeofCupsNYC.com





Links:
Sunday Night Stand Up (facebook group).
R.G. Daniels: FrenchFryHead.com
Erik Bergstrom: ErikBergstrom.com
Three of Cups: ThreeofCupsNYC.com

Below find clips of the two Sundays at Seven hosts. First, R.G. Daniels' "love joke" (from 50 First Jokes). It always cracks me up...

and Erik Bergstrom...

Nerd Alert!

There is a new website for you nerds out there. The Adult Nerd, by Rob Blatt, is a lifestyle web magazine for nerds who love being nerds. They find the best stuff for nerds and suggests something new every day, including weekends (and Star Wars Sunday).
Check out TheAdultNerd.com, and you can "like" The Adult Nerd on facebook or follow on twitter @theadultnerd

"But Murph", you might say, "what does this have to do with NY nightlife?"
Well, in certain respects, NYC nightlife is still like a high school cafeteria, with each clique and sub-group finding the spots they can hang with like-minded people. Thus, the jocks hang out at sports bars, the rockers hang out at rock clubs, etc. There are bars for preppies, hipsters, gay and lesbian folk, "foreigners", club kids, bikers, rockers, beer geeks, goths and yes, even nerds!

There are even specific events where you can go and unabashedly get your nerd on.
Starting with the appropriately titled Nerd Nite:

Nerd Nite at Galapagos
Presented by Matt Wasowski, author of "It's OK to Like Sports: How Women, Intellectuals, and Artists Can Find Cultural Value in Athletics".*

Friday, November 12
Nerd Nite
It starts with the Nerd Nite Quizo Trivia
Doors at 6:30pm, trivia begins at 7pm
And then...
Nerd Nite
Think science lectures with beer.
hosted by Matt Wasowski
featuring Bed Bugs, Trivia, Punkin Chunkin, and more
General admission $10
Purchase via ticketweb.com
Be there and be square
at:
Galapagos
16 Main St. (Water St.)
DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY
GalapagosArtSpace.com

nyc.nerdnite.com/
-------------------------------------
Nerds know how to spell...
Williamsburg Spelling Bee at Pete's Candy Store
November 22nd is the last regular season bee of 2010
Then the season F-I-N-A-L-S is on Dec. 6, 2010

Monday, November 22
Williamsburg Spelling Bee
Hosted by Bobby Blue & Jen Dziura
No cover
Every other Monday
7:30 pm
at:
Pete's Candy Store
709 Lorimer St. (between Richardson & Frost)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
PetesCandyStore.com
spellingblog4.blogspot.com
----------------------

Nerds like science...
The Secret Science Club at The Bell House
The Secret Science Club is curated by Dorian Devins (host of The Speakeasy on WFMU), Margaret Mittelbach, and Michael Crewdson. Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson (authors of "Carnivorous Nights")* write about nature in the strangest of places.

They meet every month with a new topic each month.
The next event is:
Tuesday, December 7
The Secret Science Club presents...
the 5th-annual Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest
Eligible for prizes:
Taxidermy (bought, found, or homemade), biological oddities, articulated skeletons, skulls, jarred specimens - and beyond, way beyond
Plus:
-Spectators are invited to cheer on their favorite specimens
-Groove to taxidermy-inspired tunes & video
-Ferocious specialty drinks
-Prizes will be awarded by a panel of savage taxidermy enthusiasts
$5 admission
limited seating
8pm
at:
The Bell House
149 7th St. (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)
Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY
718 643-6510
TheBellHouseNY.com


secretscienceclub.blogspot.com
-------------------------------
Nerds love education...
Adult Education at Union Hall
Adult Education is a Brooklyn-based monthly lecture series devoted to making useless knowledge somewhat less useless. Each month is devoted to a given theme, and guest speakers will address some aspect of that theme using visual aids.
The next one is...
Tuesday, December 7
Adult Education
This month's topic:
"Slang"
The line-up will include:
Heather Quinlan, "The Immigrant Contribution to New York City Slang"
The huddled masses yearning to breathe free came with five cents in their pocket but a whole lotta lip. Quinlan explains the roots of NYC lingo.

Mark Roberts, "The Nautical Origins of Everyday English Phrases"
You'll be shaking salt out of your ears after Roberts' eye-opening, very adult review of Navy slang.

Jason Grote, "Secret Panel"
Grote provides a tour of the great double-entendres of the Silver Age of comics.

Leslie Savan, "Slam Dunks and No-Brainers"
Savan considers the role of pop language in the media and our lives.

Hosted by comedian Charles Star
8 pm (doors at 7:30)
$5 cover
at:
Union Hall
702 Union St. (Fifth Ave.)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718 638-4400
UnionHallNY.com

More info at Adult-Ed.net



*FTC disclosure: if you purchase any book mentioned on MurphGuide via this link, MurphGuide gets a small commission.

Thank you, veterans! Happy Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day in the U.S. Take a moment to thank a veteran. As I've seen posted on many a facebook status update today:
"A veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including their life. That is beyond honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact."
I don't know who the author is, but it is well said, although I would warn against writing a blank check to anyone.

Our friends at The Mean Fiddler are hosting a Veteran's Day event today:
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Operation Gratitude Event

The Mean Fiddler
266 W. 47th St.
(bet. Broadway & Eighth Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 354-2950
TheMeanFiddlerNYC.com




-----------------------------------------
Our friend Matt Donohue invites you to support this worthy event in conjunction with the upcoming Notre Dame vs. Army game at Yankee Stadium (Nov. 20).
Sunday November 14
Notre Dame Alum in NYC
Support Operation Gratitude
Volunteers will be assembling 1,000 care packages to be sent
to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for Thanksgiving.

New Yorkers are asked to donate care kit items for U.S. service members,
and help Notre Dame and Army remind the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
that they are not forgotten this Thanksgiving

Items needed:
- Granola or Energy bars (8 packs/box)
- Instant Oatmeal (8 packs/box)
- Instant Soup Packets (8 packs/box)
- Single Serving Boxes of Cold Cereal
- Ramen Soup Bags (6/pack)
- Halloween Candy Packets
- Chewing Gum Packets
- Beef Jerky, Slim Jims
- 1-Gallon Sized Plastic Bags

Collection takes place
10am - 7pm
at:
The Old St. Patrick's Cathedral School
263 Mulberry Street
New York, NY
212-226-8075
ndnyc.org/operationgratitude.php

Donations:
Please contact Michelle McCarthy at NDNYOpGratitude@gmail.com
to arrange for pick-up of donations by Saturday, November 13th.

Want to volunteer your time?
Volunteer for Operation Gratitude care package event on
Sunday, Nov. 14th at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York City
Contact Erin LaRuffa at NDNYOpGratitude@gmail.com to volunteer for a time-slot.


More info about Operation Gratitude:
opgratitude.com

How to Fail Book Tour

NYC writer Aaron Goldfarb has a new book out: "How to Fail". Aaron writes The Vice Blog, a beer blog he started to provide an "every man" perspective to beer tastings, and also to get breweries to send him free samplers for review. He rails against the "beer snobbery" found in many beer blogs.
"How to Fail", his first novel, is billed as the world's first "self-hurt" guide. He launches his book tour, visiting 30 bars in 30 days, tonight at Amity Hall.

Tuesday, November 9
Book Tour Launch
Meet Aaron, get a signed copy of "How to Fail"
Have a beer with Aaron
Drink & food deals are promised.
RSVP via facebook
at:
Amity Hall
80 W. 3rd St.
(between Thompson & Sullivan St.)
New York, NY
212 677-2290
AmityHallNYC.com

The 30 Bars in 30 Days tour, from Nov. 9 through Dec. 10 will take him to bars book parties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Washington DC, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. (and also Oklahoma on Dec. 17)

Other area dates:
Wednesday, November 10
RSVP via Facebook
at:
Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Ave.
(between N. 11th & N. 12th St.)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 963-3369
Brooklynbowl.com

Tuesday, November 30
co-hosted by Big Apple Orange
at:
Stout
133 W. 33rd St.
(bet. Sixth & Seventh Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 629-6191
StoutNYC.com


Tuesday, November 7
(Pre-game for Jimmy V Classic at MSG)
RSVP via facebook
4-8pm
at:
Feile
131 W. 33rd St.
(bet. Sixth & Seventh Ave.)
New York, NY
(212) 695-1122
FeileNYC.com

See full list at: AaronGoldfarb.com

Here is the blurb on Amazon.com*:
"How to Fail" is the world's FIRST Self-Hurt Guide, the polar opposite of a self-help guide. In "How to Fail," follow the misadventures, misgivings, and massive mistakes of this satiric novel's narrator, Stu Fish, as he tries to find success in 2010 New York. With hilarious chapters such as "How to Fail to Make Your Parents Proud of You," "How to Fail to Do Something Productive All Day," "How to Fail in Love," and "How to Fail All the Way to Rock Bottom," and even more ribald "footchapters" such as "How to Masturbate at Work," "How to Develop an Addiction," "How to Get Usurped by Your Girlfriend's Ex," and "How to Acquire the STD That's Right for You," there's not an aspect of life that "How to Fail" doesn't tackle and offer a terrific non-solution for. All of this is delivered in perfect single serving-size chapters for our modern A.D.D. culture more used to reading blog entries on their phones while riding the subway or waiting in line at Subway than in carefully reading a book.

Below is a 30 second promo video for the book. More "fail-anetics" can be viewed on Aaron's youtube page:


*FTC disclosure: if you purchase "How to Fail" via this link, MurphGuide gets a small commission.

Spotlight Artist: LYVA

Our next Spotlight Artist is LYVA, a new project from Lynda McLaughlin & Valerie Gurka. I have known Valerie for many years through her website NY Planet. She has teamed up with her friend Lynda McLauglin to form LYVA Music. They are producing and starring in their first ever LYVA Fest this Wednesday, November 10. MurphGuide is proud to be a Community Partner for this unique music event, which will be broadcast live on MurphGuide via livestream. Lynda & Valerie answer our questions below:

Photo credit: Carrie Schecther.

Spotlight Artist: LYVA
Lineup:
Lynda McLaughlin - Lead Vocal
Valerie Gurka - Vocals
Tony Novarro - Guitar
Steve Bonacio - Bass
Aaron Belinfanti - Drums and Percussion
Justin Flynn - Saxophone
Frank Stainkamp - Keys

How long have you been performing? (individually, and together)
Lynda - forever, both my parents are talented musicians and it's just a way of life in my family. I have been gigging about 4 nights or more since I was a teenager and that's really helped me to get my live performance down- solid.

Valerie started performing on stage at the age of 7 and kept it going throughout high school and college. As an adult, September 11th brought about a lot of charity events and with that Valerie's love of music helped her work through the troubling time. She continued rocking out with lots of bands from rock to pop.

A Queen tribute band brought us together musically about 3 years ago and we have been playing together ever since.

How did your band get its name?
Lynda and Valerie: take the LY and the VA and you got LYVA. Truthfully, Lynda and Valerie were forming a business entity to house all their music publishing, distribution and marketing and called it LYVA. The name caught on and just sort of stuck. It covers everything the two are doing from business to music.

Past lives (i.e., previous bands, your early years, etc.):
Lynda worked with her dad, Donn McLaughlin and they had a band called LDM Music. They toured, performed at shows and festivals like SXSW, ACL and were the morning guest on NBC's morning show with their single, "You Are Mine." Lynda has opened for the nationwide concert series the "Freedom Concerts."

Valerie formed a cover band in 2005 which evolved into an original band in 2007 called Planet Girl. She has performed in several different cover bands, sometimes performing with Lynda in them, including a Queen Tribute band and an 80s Tribute band, before joining Lynda with the LYVA project.

Musical influences:
Lynda -- Absolutely love all music by Sarah McLachlan and Frou Frou, can't get enough of the Police ever, and love Vivaldi; it's a little bit of everything and whole lot of taking chances and mixing it up.

Valerie -- Sara Bareilles and pretty much all classic rock or pop music.

Favorite venues to play:
Lynda -- Anywhere the sound guy actually cares and the fans show up and participate - that's a great show!
Valerie -- Knitting Factory, World Cafe

Blatant self-promotion: What would you like to plug?
LYVA FEST on November 10, 2010.
Lyva Fest is all about combining music and media and bringing them together in the live and digital formats. This way you can reach a broader audience and show them new artists they would have not heard of otherwise. We will be incorporating blogging, tweeting, a "twee-J" as opposed to a DJ, a live visual show and a digital live-stream in real time.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
LYVA FEST
featuring performances by:
The Deafening Colors - 7pm
Lunic - 8pm
LYVA - 9pm
Bob Pepek - 10pm
Tied in 2 - 11pm
Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door
purchase online
doors: 6pm
showtime 7pm
at:
Knitting Factory
361 Metropolitan Ave.
(Havemeyer St.)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
KnittingFactory.com



How did the idea come about for your upcoming LYVA music event?
What else should we know about it?
LYVA FEST came about because we were seeing all these other people subscribing, submitting and paying for all these festivals. We thought why not host our own and promote other indie bands and make a splash by combining our efforts with digital media.

Brainstorming on ways that the event could be different than other types of showcases and collaborated with bloggers, tweeters and other community partners to help promote and broadcast the event on the internet. As more and more partners came on board, the enthusiasm for the concept became enormous.

Now we have a livestream aspect of our show that we will fully integrate and it will enable people to watch the show worldwide. That's what we want - to reach everyone.
Linkage:
website: lyvamusic.com
facebook: lyvamusic
Youtube: lyvamusic
Twitter: lyvamusic
Myspace: lyvamusic
Sonic bids: lyvamusic

Where can we buy your music?
at our site, lyvamusic.com

You have a new EP coming out. Can you tell us a little about it?
"NOT YET", our upcoming EP, we started about a year ago writing and producing these songs together. About 6 months into writing the songs we decided to hire a professional producer, and that's when Vic Thrill came on board. He has been such a terrific asset and just a sweetheart to work with, and ultimately we are producing everything as a team which is great. The recording of the 3 songs on our EP took about 4 months, bringing in our band to record their parts and get the right sound and then get the production completed and the mastering and whatnot. LYVA is a 50/50 partnership and we work on all the songs together.

Photo credit: Carrie Schecther.

Tell us a story or anecdote about performing live.
Lynda -- Performing live is always a challenge, each room, each crowd and each live event is a new experience. You need to be able to read and adapt and just go with it. Two nights ago I was on stage singing, this is Lynda, and a guy got past security and sprinkled money over my head, while I was singing. TRULY CRAZY. Anything can happen, but hopefully one thing always happens, people leave happy and humming our songs. :)

Valerie -- The best part of playing live is seeing the audience responding and feeling moved by the music. When people move their bodies, shake their head, tap their feet, give the artists eye contact and smile at the band when the music is playing, then we know we’ve done a great job entertaining the audience. We’ve had audience members that were so moved they came to the stage and hugged us while we were performing. Now that’s a fan.

Any advice to someone just starting out?
Yes, push through - and listen to everyone, but make your own decisions. You can always learn something when you listen, even if it's that you don't agree or something is not for you.

Connect with your community, write good music and read a business book!

Can you recommend any other act(s) we should feature on MurphGuide?
Yes, Beyond this Point, Lunic, and the artists from The Tinderbox Festival.

Below are two clips: Lynda describing LYVA Music, and Valerie announcing the LYVA Fest:

22nd "Cask Head" Cask Ale Festival at The Brazen Head: November 5 - 7, 2010

Our friends at The Brazen Head and The Gotham Imbiber are hosting their twenty second cask ale festival this weekend...

Friday, November 5 - Sunday, November 7
Brazen Head's Tri-Annual Cask Festival

Expect 25 to 30 casks to be poured over the weekend, 12 at a time, including rare offerings not normally seen in cask in NYC. Beer will come in half pint and 16 oz measures, there's no entry fee and you pay by the glass.
Opening hours: Noon to 2am all three days.
No cover - No minimum
12 noon to 2am all weekend while supplies last.

Beer range is courtesy of NYC's premier cask ale expert, Alex Hall of Gotham Imbiber, in conjunction with The Brazen Head's own Lou Sones. For more information about cask ales in New York City, check out Alex's website, Gotham-imbiber.com.

The Brazen Head also sells beer growlers, so you can take some home with you. Bring in your own growler or buy one of theirs and they will fill it for you. You get 4 pints for the price of 3.


at:
The Brazen Head
228 Atlantic Ave.
(between Court St. & Boerum Pl.)
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 488-0430
BrazenHeadBrooklyn.com