Free Friday Five

Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...

1. Power of the Peep, Sunday 7/29, 3PM-5PM
at the Anthology Film Archives (32 2nd Avenue)
You've torn their heads off, you've tried to microwave them, and every spring you buy them in boxloads to poke at during parties. But Peeps don't grow on trees, and this film aims to explain what these peculiar marshmallowy treats truly are. Watch now, and impress your friends with all your useless Peep knowledge come Easter. RSVP to get in free.

2. Bellies & Brass Beach Party at the Floating Pool Lady, Sunday, 7/29, 4PM-9PM
on the East River off the Brooklyn Promenade
Everyone's talking about the crazy [floating] pool in Brooklyn Heights. Why not check it out this Sunday? Hit the city's newest beach for free music, volleyball and swimming.

3. TV on the Radio, Sunday 7/29, 3:30PM
at McCarren Pool Park in Williamsburg
If you haven't already been to one of the McCarren Park Pool Parties, and you're more into live music than a DJ, then it's time to hop on the L train and get yourself to Williamsburg. Go this Sunday for your fill of free music from the very popular TV on the Radio.

4. Wine Sampling at Union Square Wines & Spirits, ongoing
at 140 4th Avenue (14th Street)
One way to beat the heat this weekend is to stay indoors. Take it one step further: Stay indoors and drink. For free.
Just pick up a "point" card at Union Square Wines & Spirits, then spend the afternoon using said card on said shop's very cool tasting machines. There's even a lounge-like area complete with a TV.

5. The Actor's Rap, Sunday 7/29, 8PM
in Herbert Von King Park (Tomkins Avenue, between Lafayette & Green Avenues in Brooklyn)
Calling all hip hop fans...
This comedy, written by J. Kyle Manzay, is a "beat-filled farce" about a group of actors who kidnap a famous rapper-turned-actor so he won't steal their roles (think of all the talented guys who lost their chances on Broadway when P. Diddy decided to take the stage). Laughs guaranteed.

Read more

Drink Dinner; Eat for Free

The first time I went to Crocodile Lounge in the East Village was because I heard they had a Skee-Ball machine. I had just come from a big dinner and was ready to work it all off tossing a few chart-topping rounds of the old Skee-Ball. I ordered a beer and the bartender handed me a nondescript red ticket. "Take this to the back for a free pizza," she said. "You get a free pizza with every drink." Um, what?? I was filled with a sense of amazement (this is Manhattan, food isn't just handed out for free) and incredible disappointment (I was so full pizza didn't even sound appealing). I pushed through the crowd toward the mini game room in the back and found that some NYU freshmen had started a drunken Skee-ball tournament that mostly consisted of taking photos of each other to put on facebook.

Thus began my quest to find other bars that offer free pizza. I returned to Crocodile Lounge during happy hour and tried the surprisingly large pie (free with my $6 pint of Stella) which was basic but better than some of the greasy slices I've paid in this city. Although it seems like the dough gets tough from sitting out, the pizza is pulled fresh from the oven and served hot and gooey. I lost a few rounds of Skee-Ball in the then vacant game room and called it a night. Next stop was Alligator Lounge in Williamsburg. Something looked familiar. The bar felt more dive-y but the pizza was identical and the decor was just as tasteless. Alligator...Crocodile...it turns out they have the same owners. And they have another joint, Capone's, also in Williamsburg. Make the trek to Williamsburg if you'd rather gawk at hipsters than 18-year-old NYU kids. I'll be heading there next time.

Bottom Line: These bars serve up a free pizza with every drink

Crocodile Lounge
325 E. 14th Street (at 1st Ave.)
212.477.7747

Alligator Lounge
600 Metropolitan Avenue (at Lorimer)
718.599.4440

Capone's
221 N. 9th Street (at Roebling St.)
718.599.4044

Read more

Watch out, Barnes & Noble

There's a new bookseller in town.

Though it's actually not in town. It's online.
And it's not really a seller, either, because all of the books and CDs and DVDs and video games available there are free.
Yes. Free.
Thanks to the brilliant minds behind SwapTree, bartering has reached an all new level.

Think of the site as a sort of Match.com for your books and CDs. Once you sign up (there's no fee), SwapTree's algorithms calculate what you can get for the items you want to get rid of. The site shops around to find your perfect trade, and once the match is made, all you have to do is stick your item in the mail and wait for your own new "purchase" to arrive.

Bottom Line: Free books? Yes, please.

Read more

Tacos Al Fresco

I love taco trucks. I don't care how full I am or what time it is, there's always room for a taco truck taco. The Super Tacos truck on 96th Street and Broadway is up and running this summer and I stopped by the other weekend to try a chicken taco. It was a little on the dry side, but at $2 and with a few squirts of the red and green sauces provided at the counter, it hit the spot. I didn't feel up to trying the more exotic varieties like goat and tongue, but I had to give them props for variety. I don't think Super Tacos is worth the trip up to 96th Street, but if you're in the neighborhood, don't miss it.

Bottom Line: Best taco truck on the Upper West Side
Super Tacos
96th Street and Broadway (NE corner)
917.837.0866

Read more

Free Friday Five

Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...

1. The Siren Music Festival, Saturday, 7/21, 12PM-9PM
on Coney Island
Pack some sunscreen and hit this free all-day music event to check out emerging (and some already emerged) alternative bands. One of the biggest music festivals of the year, expect to see performers like the New York Dolls, We Are Scientists, Lavender Diamond, and Elvis Perkins, to name a few.

2. Really, Really Free Market, Saturday, 7/21, 12PM
at St. Mark's Church (2nd Avenue & 10th Street)
This is basically the biggest and best curb alert you'll ever get: EVERYTHING at this market is free. Whether you're shopping around for some new[ish] dishes or some weekend reading material or even a massage, I guarantee you'll find it here.
And why not keep the free love chain flowing? Clean out your closet and pass on some of your own goods.

3. "Rock Out With Your Guac Out" Event, Saturday 7/21, 7PM
at Hope Lounge (10 Hope Street, Brooklyn)
Rock? Good. Guac? Yes, please.
Stuff your face with free Mexican food 'til 11PM while rocking out to various DJs. Beers will be $3 each, and there's talk of a Red Bull power hour.

4. Name That Tune with Sara Schaefer, Sunday 7/22, 9:15PM
at Union Hall (702 Union Street at 5th Avenue, Brooklyn)
Test your song savvy at this Sunday night competition with comedian Sara Schaefer. You might want to brush up your skills before you go -- Prizes will be given, and the competition will be fierce.

5. Central Park SummerStage, Sunday 7/22, 3PM
at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (69th Street and 5th Avenue)
From Central Park's website: "SummerStage is hipster heaven on Sunday, when we feature two groove-heavy groups and an avant-garde marching band."
I'm not sure how I feel about going to hipster heaven, but the lineup, Brazilian Girls, Cat Empire, and Himalayas, sounds interesting.

Read more

I Want My (Free) TV

Sometime around when cable TV became a necessity and when flat screens popped up in cars, someone neglected to cater to those of us who don't want to pay for TV. Maybe it's just my apartment, but every channel comes in fuzzy and it isn't worth the trouble to adjust the antenna (which I purchased from a guy at Radio Shack who clearly thought I was a hermit stuck in the stone age) to watch reruns of Friends where you can only see shadowy blurs of color. I was convinced I didn't need TV. What a waste of time! It's so lazy. Then I got bored. And desperate for mind-numbing entertainment. That is how I found TV Links.

TV Links is a website full of, you guessed it, links to TV shows. There are mainstream network shows like Seinfeld, The O.C. and Heros. There are even HBO shows like The Sopranos, Deadwood and Six Feet Under. But the best part (I think) about TV Links is the weird, random shows on there. When's the last time you saw an episode of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Maybe you've been craving a little Fraggle Rock or 21 Jump Street? Keep in mind many of the links only have a few select episode and the quality isn't exactly crystal clear. But it's free after all, what did you expect? Now, if you watch nothing else on the site, you must watch a few episodes of Peep Show, a sort of British version of Arrested Development and The Office. It's become my new way of testing my friends. If they like Peep Show and become immediately obsessed, then we can remain friends and live happily ever after in Peep Show euphoria. If they can only muster a little chuckle...well you can guess why I've been bored recently.

I actually have neglected to post anything on cheaptricksnyc about TV Links out of fear. I love TV Links. I do not understand how it exists and live in constant fear it will be shut down. One night a few weeks ago I sat down to enjoy an episode of Peep Show and it appeared to have been taken off the site. I vowed never again to take TV Links for granted. Once it started working again I feverishly watched all of the episodes of Peep Show one after another all night like an old lady playing the penny slots in Atlantic City. I don't want to go back to that place. Use this knowledge of TV Links for good and, for my sake, not evil.

Bottom Line: Free TV that's almost better than cable

Read more

Give me an R! Give me an S! Give me another S!

If you consider yourself a techie or a computer geek, then please stop reading this post immediately, as I'm guessing you've already mastered RSS. For everyone else, read on. Your life is about to get a little less complicated.

RSS is a content search engine that lets you "subscribe" to various websites and web searches. Once you subscribe, you receive feeds from the website/web search every time the site is updated.

This means, for instance, that if you're looking on Craigslist for a no-fee studio apartment in Dumbo, that instead of checking back in with with Craig every 5 minutes to see if any new apartments have been added, you can rest easy. Any updates that meet your search criteria will automatically be sent to you.

You can use RSS to get weather alerts, travel deals, music info, and more, but I'm particularly obsessed with the search feeds. Looking for an apartment? You need a search feed. Want to buy a specific type of couch for your living room? Search feed. Jonesing for a new boyfriend between the ages of 18 and 39? Search feed.

Here's how to do it:

1. Set up an RSS Reader. I signed up for Google Reader, and it's incredibly easy to use. You can subscribe to feeds in packets ("food blogs," for instance), or you can add your own sites.

2. Go to Craigslist (or eBay or some site along those lines) and do a search for whatever it is you're looking for (a Three Musketeers salt shaker, a lover, etc.). Copy the URL for that search.

3. In your RSS Reader, add a new feed, and paste in the Craigslist URL.

Then you're set! Instead of compulsively searching and researching on Craigslist, you can just take an occasional look at your RSS reader. Easy, this.

Bottom Line: Technology rocks.

Read more

Cool Iced Coffee

Let's just come out and admit it. Iced coffee should not cost more than hot coffee. Ice is not expensive. Yet, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts know that they can charge more for the use of ice because making iced coffee from hot coffee is a pain. It's either too warm or too diluted. But thanks to Cindy Price's article in the NY Times with a perfect recipe for iced coffee, I will never purchase iced coffee again. Ok, that might be a stretch, but that's just how excited I am about this.

It's as simple as mixing ground coffee with water and letting the mixture "brew" overnight. What results (after filtering out the grounds) is a decidedly not bitter and perfect coffee for icing. The recipe suggests diluting it with water, but I found that it is perfect as it is. Check out the recipe and let me know if you agree.

Bottom Line: Cool and cheap iced coffee at home

Read more

Free Friday Five

Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...

1. Strange Fruit, Saturday 7/14, 4PM, 6PM, & 8PM
at the Brooklyn Bridge Park (Dumbo)
They're Australian? No big deal. They're a performing arts company? Lots of those. But these kids, my friends, have shunned the stage for the sky and perform on sway poles. They liken themselves to "a field of wheat swaying in the breeze." How about "dancers on sticks?" Whatever the case, this show is bound to be entertaining...

2. Bastille Day Bonanza, Sunday, 7/15, 12PM-6PM
on 60th Street (between Lexington and 5th Avenue)
This annual fair celebrates all things French. Sip some Lillet, eat a crepe or two, and listen to the live music playing all afternoon. Or check out the Tour de France stationary bike race, enter a raffle to win a trip to Paris, and watch a game of pétanque. Admission is free. Vive la France!

3. The Floating Pool and Brooklyn Heights Beach, ongoing throughout the summer
at 334 Furman Street, off of Joralemon
Want to see some sand but don't feel like taking a 90-minute ride on the LIRR? Then check out Brooklyn Heights' new manmade beach off of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The beach is part of the public park, and once you're in, you can rent an umbrella, grab a burger, play volleyball, or swim in the Floating Pool (which sits on a barge in the water). The bonus? Amazing views of the Manhattan skyline.

4. Sid & Buddy Karaoke, Sunday 7/15, 10PM
at Galapagos Art Space (60 N. 6th Street between Wythe & Kent) Stretch your weekend at this rock & roll karaoke party in Williamsburg. Prizes! Costumes! Who cares that it's a school night?

5. Shakespeare in the Park[ing Lot], Saturday 7/14, 8PM
in the parking lot at 85 Ludlow Street
Summer in NYC is Shakespeare crazed, and you've got options, options, options... That said, if you're in more of a downtown mood than an uptown one, hit up Shakespeare in the Parking Lot on Saturday night. There aren't any chairs (this is a parking lot, people!), so don't forget to bring a blanket or something to sit on. This season's show is Romeo and Juliet.

Read more

Calling all Morning People

If you're a morning person (I'm not), and you love top 40 music, The Today Show and Good Morning America free Friday morning summer concerts are for you. These start somewhere between 7 am and 8 am and are usually crowded with bushy-tailed bright-eyed awake people and a few squinting, mole-in-daylight office drones who are heading to work early (ahem). Last year I saw Kanye West, Christina Aguilera and Beyonce. Each involved a lot of waiting around, and they usually only sing one or two songs. But if you happen to work in midtown, you might as well stop by Friday mornings to check it out.

The Today Show concerts tape at Rockefeller Plaza.
7/13 KT Tunstall
7/20 Hairspray the movie
7/27 Marc Anthony
8/3 Vince Gill & Amy Grant
8/17 Maroon 5
8/24 Martina McBride
8/31 Chris Brown

Good Morning America concerts tape at Bryant Park.
7/13 Fantasia
7/20 John Mayer
7/27 Sugarland
8/3 John Legend
8/10 Mika
8/17 Eve & Sean Paul
8/24 TBD


Bottom Line: Who cares who's playing...it's free...unless you've called in sick and you're enjoying blissful sleep

Read more