Airport Shuttle

After one too many close calls with the MTA (read: nightmare subway trips), I have been using the NY Airport Shuttle as my preferred mode of transportation to the airport. Although it's nice to take a cab for early flights, with this bus there's no guessing on the fare ($12 to LGA, $15 to JFK) and it's satisfying to sit next to on-the-meter people in cabs when you get stuck in traffic. It's ok to yell "suckers!" at them. The buses are usually empty, anyway.

Buses run every 20 minutes and pick up from Midtown. I usually catch one at the Port Authority and I'm always surprised at how quickly we get to La Guardia. The website (www.nyairportservice.com) has schedules and pick up/drop off locations. You can purchase tickets on the bus and if you still have your student ID card (NEVER throw that away!), discounted tickets are available at the Grand Central office. Hey, we're all students of life, right?

Bottom Line: Cheap, reliable transportation to LGA and JFK
Picks up at the Port Authority, Bryant Park and Penn Station
LGA: $12 one-way, $21 round trip
JFK: $15 one-way, $27 round trip

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Food Rehab

Salads are my way of going into rehab. My drug of choice? Food. Specifically, artery-clogging, brick-in-your-stomach greasy food. Usually I crave a salad after a week-long bender of fondue, milkshakes, french fries and burritos. But, much like Lindsay Lohan, I don't fancy the taste of rehab. Salads can be so bland and unsatisfying! But I have found the silver lining in the rehab/salad cloud. I have discovered Chirping Chicken.

Sure, it may look like any other greasy spoon takeout. But don't let the modest digs fool you. The Greek salad with grilled chicken is divine. For $6.99 you get a filling salad with tomatoes, olives, a big block of feta, two grapes leaves, cucumbers and pita. They also have some of the best roasted chicken around. And next time I'm on another binge I'm trying the ribs, mac and cheese, wings, sweet potato fries, mashed potatoes, souvlaki sandwich and rice pudding. It's like if Promises also had great beer on tap.

Bottom Line: Clucking fabulous chicken. Don't be fooled; UWS location is best
Chirping Chicken
350 Amsterdam at 77th Street and Broadway
212.787.6631

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Pretty. Cheap.

Some people collect stamps or superhero figurines. Others keep unwrapped comic books tucked away in their closets. Me? I'm addicted to beauty products.

Moisturizers, body scrubs, lipsticks, soaps, mud from foreign seas -- You name it, I've bought it. I line the bottles up in my bathroom and lovingly dust them off every month or so.
There could be worse addictions, but this one's pricey, which is why I'm a fan of Cosmetic Market on 39th Street.

The store sits on a quiet street in Midtown and is marked by a giant bottle of nail polish, a makeup brush, and a tube of lipstick hanging above its doors. The exterior (and that giant makeup brush) may have seen better days, but swing open the lipstick-handled door, and I promise -- You're in for some amazing deals.

Merchandise changes often at this secret spot, but on a recent trip, I picked up a Stila lipstick for $6.99, some Pond's exfoliating cloths for $3.99, and a cool and colorful array of glycerine soaps for $1. Cosmetic Mart houses brands ranging from Almay and Cover Girl ($1 for lip gloss) to Christian Dior and Prada ($24.99 for face wash). The shelves are lined with hair products, makeup, perfume, and various name-brand lotions and creams, all priced low, low, low.

Other items for sale include wrapping paper, candles, picture frames, toys, makeup bags, cheap-looking jewelry, and a random (and slightly scary) selection of imported chocolates and cookies, though I'm usually too overwhelmed by the beauty products themselves to take much note of the store's other offerings.

My advice? Go on a weekend, when the store's not teeming with Midtown workers on their lunch breaks. Be patient, and be careful -- Some of the items on those shelves are there for a reason (put the sparkling chartreuse eyeshadow down!).

Finally, why not say goodbye to Sephora and the Bloomingdale's beauty section? Your days of spending big bucks on looking good are over.

Bottom Line: Get pretty. It's cheap.

Cosmetic Market
9 East 39th Street (between 5th and Park)
212.725.3625

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Cash it in, Cash it in

The concept behind Coinstar is brilliant. Dump the contents of your change jar into a machine, and voilà -- You're instantly $10 or $20 or (if you hoard quarters like me) $30 richer.

But that sweet counting machine isn't free. In fact, it takes a commission of nearly 10% of your hard-earned change.

That's why you should pour your pennies into a bag and run to a Commerce Bank, where the coin counters (or "Penny Arcades") are free, free, free.

That's right. Free.

Even if you're not a Commerce banker? Free.
Even if you have 18 bags of change? Free.

Say it with me. Free.
All together now. Free!

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So Happy to Know Jack

There are dollar stores.
And then there are DOLLAR STORES.

Jack's on 40th Street (between 5th and Park) is, without a doubt, a DOLLAR STORE. Seriously. This place may be crowded, the employees may be snarly (one security guard yelled at me for taking photos), but for cheap deals on everything from beauty products to household goods to cheesy gifts and even, I kid you not, perishable foods like yogurt and frozen pizza, Jack's is the place to go.

I'm not going to lie. There are certain items you should never buy here. The cleaning supplies are worthless, some of the foods are frightening, and 99 cent tool kits will no doubt fail you.

If, however, you're in search of a superhero nightlight, an I LOVE NY shot glass, or cheap party supplies, then you're in luck. Arm yourself with $25.74 and an open mind, and make your way through my list of bargain buys, from A to Z:

Start off with an Apple-shaped oven mitt, Blue dish towels, pillar Candles, a set of Dominoes, an Extension cord, and some Folders. Stock up on Gift bags and clothes Hangers, grab an Ice cream scoop and a lemon Juicer, and then put some KitKats in your bag for the walk home. You can always use a Lint brush and a Mesh strainer, and how about Napkins, some crazy Orange cups, and plastic Plates for your next party? Move on to the Q-tips, enormous boxes of Raisins, the aforementioned Shot glass, a Tape measure, and--if you're brave--a couple of pairs of Underwear. Finally, pick up a bottle of Vegetable oil, Wrapping paper, plastic X-ray vision goggles, some not-quite-expired Yogurt, and a Let's Go to the Zoo coloring book for your nephew (or roommate).

Bottom Line: 99 cents for quirky gifts and low-quality gadgets

Jack's Dollar Store
16 East 40th Street
212.696.5767

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Aveda Institute: Pain is Beauty

My never-ending quest for inexpensive quality hair salons in NYC led me to the Aveda Institute for the fourth time this past Saturday. When I first heard about the Soho spot, it almost sounded too good to be true. Haircuts are $20! Partial highlights are only $40-$50! And they only use Aveda products. How bad could this be? (Well...I tried not to think about that). The catch is that non-licensed students who are attending the Aveda Institute practice their skills on your head.

Each time I go I end up thinking it will be my last. First of all, everything takes at least twice as long as I expect. And the entire experience depends on the student randomly assigned to you. My last visit I had a perfectionist who was so detailed that my haircut and highlights (on only part of my head!) took more than four hours. I fell asleep several times.

Saturday I ended up with a woman who seemed extremely incompetent. A half hour passed while she was trying to get a hold of a color wheel so she could figure out what color highlights to give me. At several points she rested her hand on my face and I had to shut my eyes so her palm wouldn’t touch my open eyeball. And her long pink fingernails made having my hair washed feel like she was sandblasting my scalp. I had faith only because the instructor who supervises all the students did most of the work.

To my surprise, my hair looked great when I escaped three hours later. The highlights were subtle but bright – exactly what I had wanted (see before and after photos). The blowout looked sleek and my hair smelled intoxicating from the Aveda products. The bill came to $46.80. Amazing. With highlights that cheap I have a hard time not going in twice as often...even if the experience is a little short of luxurious. Luckily I can’t justify burning four hours at a hair salon more frequently than every few months.

Bottom Line: $46.80 for partial highlights (3 hours)

Aveda Institute
http://aveda.aveda.com/grow/inst_schools/ny.asp
233 Spring Street (between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street)
212.807.1492

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Press My Toast

It's 2am and you're starving. Pizza? Too greasy. Tasti D-Lite? Closed. More beer? Blech. Head over to "New York's Original Toast House" in the West Village. Ok, calling it a house is a bit much. Press Toast is a hole-in-the-wall joint with three stools (four if you count the one usually propping open the door). However, what it lacks in ambiance, it delivers in taste.

Press Toast serves up panini-style sandwiches and nothing on the menu is more than $4.50. And they deliver! Choose between an Israeli wrap called a Mallawah or a sub-style bun. Pair with delicious combinations like the chicken avocado (the obvious plus onions and ranch dressing) or the Israeli toast (swiss, olives, eggs and zaatar with hot pepper sauce) and you end up with a toasty cheap treat. You also have the option to create your own press toast. Genius.

The sweet toasts are perfect for late night drunken gorging - a Nutella or Finio (Israeli chocolate spread) sandwich with bananas is $3. That sure beats the $9 Nutella/banana crepes they sell down the street. And if I'm ever on Macdougal Street before 5pm (doubtful...) I'm dying to try the breakfast toast - fried eggs with cheddar, feta or swiss plus two toppings for $4. Lucky for me they now offer the breakfast toast after 5pm for one dollar more. Take that, McDonald's! Cheap breakfast after 10:30am can be done!


Bottom Line: Cheap panini-style snack filling enough to be a meal. Open late, free delivery

Press Toast
112 Macdougal St. (b/w Bleecker and W. 3rd Sts)
212-253-6705

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An Ode to the Empanada Lady

Some mornings are strawberry-waffles-in-a-quaint-café mornings.

And then there are the other mornings -- the ones where you wake up wearing one shoe and clutching a cocktail umbrella in your left hand and wanting more than anything something greasy and deep-fried and devastatingly bad for you.

On THOSE mornings, may I suggest [insert superhero music here]... a visit to the Empanada Lady?

Last Saturday, after waking up feeling weak and woozy, I made my way to the corner of Smith Street and Sackett in Carroll Gardens, where the Empanada Lady runs her always-busy stand. Wielding a bunch of cilantro in one hand, she handed me a chicken empanada ($1) with the other. I'd already taken a bite when I decided to grab a tamale for the road ($1.25).

The empanada? Deep-fried perfection. Slightly spicy and steaming hot, it was hangover food at its finest. Even the bone I nearly cracked a tooth on didn't deter me from wolfing the entire thing down. The tamale (beef), neatly wrapped in red and white cooking twine, was even better.

At this point, I was purely satisfied, my stomach had stopped churning, and I was ready to head home for a peaceful mid-Saturday morning nap. Then I saw the Empanada Lady handing another customer a delicious-looking stuffed avocado. I couldn't resist, and $3 later, I was scooping out spoonfuls of a fantastic avocado/salmon mixture (she also offered shrimp and mango concoctions).

This, I have to say, was the pièce de résistance. Maybe it's because it was healthier than the heart-attack-in-tin-foil empanada, maybe it's because both avocados and salmon are, as a rule, normally overpriced, or maybe it's because my vitamin-depleted body was suffering, but the salmon-stuffed avocado made me swoon.

And swoon I did, all the way home. Life was good again.
And my hangover? A mere memory.

Thank you, Empanada Lady. Thank you.

>

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Free Friday Five

Here at cheap tricks nyc we know that nothing is cheaper than free. So we bring you the Free Friday Five - our weekly guide to the best five free movie screenings, art galleries, food tastings, street fairs and anything else worth doing for the weekend. This weekend we bring you....

1. Peanut Butter & Co, Sunday 5/13
240 Sullivan Street (b/w Bleecker and W. 3rd Sts)
Free sandwiches at this PB&J West Village emporium for all mothers! I don't know about you, but I'm looking into borrowing a child...

2. You Are Here: A Maze, Friday 5/11 5-11pm
at Chashama 112 W. 44th St (b/w 6th and 7th Aves)
This is a big performance show that takes place in a maze. What does that mean? Might as well go and find out. There's also a possibility of a free open bar.

3. Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir - reading by James Salant Friday 5/11 7:30pm
at Barnes & Noble 396 Ave of the Americas at 8th St in Greenwich Village
Come to see a man who actually tattooed "dirty jersey" on his forearm. Stay to hear how this upper-middle-class kid from Princeton, NJ wound up in Riverside, CA on a year-long meth binge.

4. The Dig - through Sunday 5/13 at Coney Island
Watch a performance art group dig a hole for seven hours, then refill it. Or just enjoy the beach.

5. The Stoner's Walk - anytime
Start at ChipShop (129 Atlantic Ave between Clinton and Henry Sts, Brooklyn Heights)
Time Out NY this week has a series of themed walks around the city. Try The Stoner's Walk (check out www.timeout.com/newyork/ for maps) which starts at ChipShop where you can pick up a deep fried twinkie and includes stops at The Doughnut Plant and Pomme Frites. Mmmmmm...exercise is always better when fried foods are involved."

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Happy Hour of the Week: Obivia's Movie Night

So after reading about the free Sunday night movies at Obivia (201 Lafayette), I coerced some friends into going to see "Rebel Without a Cause" a couple of Sundays ago. Convinced that the bar would be teeming with James Dean fans, I instructed everyone to show up before 7, when the movie officially started to roll. "It'll be crowded," I warned. "Don't blame me if we can't get a seat."

Fast forward to Sunday night. Obivia? Not booming.
Obivia was, in fact, completely empty.
Why, why, why? Has Netflix taken over the entire city? Was the thought of staying indoors on a nice-ish spring weekend night too much for the New York crowd?
Whatever the reason, we had the place to ourselves.

Here's the lowdown: The "movie screens" that Obivia boasts about on citysearch.com are actually small-ish flat screen TVs set up along one wall of the club. My friends and I couldn't really see what was happening with Dean, though four or five lonely souls sitting at the bar seemed completely engrossed in the movie.

Obivia itself is pretty swank. On Movie Sundays, $12 gets you a VIP pass -- a decent deal that includes two drinks and a basket of wings or three incredibly greasy (and not-at-all-bad) mini-burgers. As a VIP, you're given a frequent buyer card, and your sixth Movie Night is on the house.
If you forego the VIP special, drinks are $4 until 8:00, and sliders run $2.75 each. There's also a free (and bottomless) bowl of buttery spiced popcorn. We left with full bellies and a slight buzz.

I wouldn't hit Movie Night with my friends again. There's something too antisocial about trying to follow a movie while hanging out in a lounge-y club with people you know. Were I by myself, though, I'd definitely consider stopping in and parking myself at the bar for a couple of hours. Why not?

Bottom Line: $12 for two drinks and decent bar food

Obivia
201 Lafayette (between Kenmare and Broome)
212.226.4904

Upcoming movies:
May 13, Wild Orchid
May 20, Basic Instinct
May 27, Dirty Dancing

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