I heard about Yoga to the People a few months ago while waiting in line for the free show at the UCB Theater (nope, still haven't made it into one of those free shows yet). I had planned to look into it but then New York Magazine went and beat me to it. They wrote a blurb on several free yoga classes across the city in their Peace and Quiet 2008 issue - check it out!
Bottom Line: Free Yoga for all!
http://nymag.com/guides/mindbody/2008/42827/
I still use my college ID without shame to get discounts. I applaud the folks at my alma mater who neglected to put a date on my ID and I plan to use it until my hair turns gray. But my ID hasn't helped me with the steep movie prices in NYC. Ticket pushers laugh when I ask if they offer a student discount. So the next best thing is the A.M.Cinema program at select AMC theaters.
Shows before noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are only $6. Double check before you go to make sure your location participates. Last Sunday morning I saw The Darjeeling Limited during its opening weekend at 11:50 am for $6, almost half of what it would have cost for me to see the flick 10 minutes later. Now my only challenge is to keep myself from blowing my discount on popcorn and candy in the future...
Bottom Line: Same movies, for less
check www.amctheaters.com for A.M.Cinema participating locations
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It may be 80 degrees outside, but New York's fall season is here in full force. The vacations are over, our coworkers are back in town, and school's in session.
Hello, depression.
I'm missing the summer; I'll admit it.
I'm already reminiscing about half-day Fridays and all of my vacation days and BBQs and afternoons spent frolicking at the beach.
Don't get me wrong; fall's got its own rewards. There's Central Park foliage. And contemporary art at the Met. eBay's giving out free listings through September 31, and New York Mag's three-month culture orgy would make even the most sullen lamenting-the-end-of-summer New Yorker look forward to cooler days.
Another reason to feel good about the fall? The brilliant minds over at NewYorkology have compiled a list of museums offering free admission hours throughout the season.
So maybe we do have to trade our beer garden outings and picnics in the park for scarves and indoor culture, but thankfully, New York has some of the best museums in the world. And when they're free, they're better than ever.
Here's NewYorkology's master list:
Mondays
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free every weekday from mid-November through February (normally $8)
Tuesdays
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free all day Tuesday, all year (normally $8)
Wave Hill gardens - Free all day (normally $6)
Morgan Library & Museum - Free access to the McKim rooms (Mr. Morgan’s library and study) from 3PM to 5PM (full museum access $12)
Wednesdays
Bronx Zoo - Admission by optional "donation" all day (normally $14)
Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust - Free from 4PM to 8PM (normally $10)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free every weekday from mid-November through February (normally $8)
NY Botanical Garden - Free grounds access all day (normally $6)
Van Cortlandt House Museum - Free all day (normally $5)
Thursdays
Museum of Arts & Design - Pay-what-you-wish from 6PM to 8PM (normally $9)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free every weekday from mid-November through February (normally $8)
Fridays
Museum of Modern Art - Free from 4PM to 8PM (normally $20)
Whitney Museum of American Art - Pay-what-you-wish from 6PM to 9PM (normally $15)
Guggenheim - Pay-what-you-wish from 5:45PM to 7:45PM (normally $18)
International Center of Photography - "voluntary contribution" admission from 5PM to 8PM (normally $12)
Morgan Library & Museum - Free from 7PM to 9PM (normally $12)
New-York Historical Society - Free from 6PM to 8PM (normally $10)
Museum of the Moving Image - Free from 4PM to 8PM (normally $10)
Rubin Museum of Art - Free from 7PM to 10PM (normally $10)
Folk Art Museum - Free from 5:30PM to 7:30PM (normally $9)
Bronx Museum - Free all day (normally $5)
The Noguchi Museum - Pay-what-you-wish on the first Friday of each month, all day (normally $10)
Asia Society - Free 6PM to 9PM (normally $10)
NY Hall of Science - Free 2PM to 5PM (normally $11)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free every weekday from mid-November through February (normally $8)
Saturdays
Jewish Museum - Free from 11:00AM - 5:45PM (normally $12)
NY Botanical Garden - Free grounds access from 10AM to noon on Saturdays (normally $6)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Free from 10AM to noon (normally $8)
Wave Hill - Free Saturdays from 9AM to noon (normally $6)
Brooklyn Museum - Free First Saturdays of most months from 5PM to 11PM (normally a suggested $8)
Sundays
NY Hall of Science - Free 10AM to 11AM(normally $11)
Frick Collection - Pay-what-you-wish from 11AM to 1PM (normally $15)
Museum of the City of New York - Free from 10AM to noon (normally a suggested $9)
Morgan Library & Museum - Free access to the McKim rooms (Mr. Morgan’s library and study) from 4PM to 6PM (full museum access $12)
Bottom Line: R.I.P., summer. It's time to embrace a new season.
Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...
1. The National, Friday, 8/17, 8:00PM
Seaport Music Festival (South Street Seaport, Pier 17) 
Expect crowds at this free Friday night concert -- The National, after a slew of sold-out early summer concerts, doesn't have another show booked until December. Music starts at 6:00PM with Takka Takka, followed at 7:00PM by The Forms.
2. Free Yoga Class, Saturday-Sunday, 8/18-8/19, 8:15AM-10:00AM (times vary)
in various parks throughout the city
What better way to kick off the weekend than with a relaxing outdoor yoga session? Sure, it's not easy to wake up before 9AM on a Saturday morning, but treat yourself to some inner peace, and you'll be blissed out all day. Check Naam Yoga's web site for exact times and locations.
3. Picnic for Peace, Saturday, 8/18, 11:00AM-6:00PM
at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx
According to the Pelham Bay Peace Association, nearly 70% of Americans oppose the war in Iraq. The group's Picnic for Peace aims to bring together like minds for a peaceful day of food, music and anti-war discussion.
4. Free Music at Rockwood Music Hall, Ongoing
196 Allen Street (between E. Houston and Stanton)
The music at Rockwood is always free -- and almost always -- very good. This bar is small and gets crowded, though, so arrive early in the evening, settle down at a table, and listen all night long.
5. Summergarden at the MOMA, Sunday 8/19, 7:00PM
in the MOMA Sculpture Garden (11 West 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues
The dog days of August are generally when I start panicking because I haven't taken advantage of all of the amazing shows and movies and events that NYC offers for free in the summer. Case in point: I still haven't been to the MOMA's Sunday night Summergarden, which is ongoing through August 26. Every Sunday night, the museum opens its sculpture garden to the public and hosts live music (this weekend's guests hail from Juilliard).
Sunday night I attempted to see the weekly free 9 pm show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. It's a nice concept: Wait in line, see a free show with Amy Poehler and other top notch comedians. But, of course there are people in NYC who are willing to wait longer than I. Note: Arriving 30 minutes before they hand out the free tickets at 8:15 pm does not get you in. Next time I'm packing dinner and coming a little earlier.
Bottom Line: Free and cheap comedy shows
check ucbtheatre.com for schedules
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater
307 W 26th Street (between 8th and 9th Aves)
Ever forget that Manhattan is an island? It's surrounded by water. Water that leads to other bodies of land. Like Governor's island. (I promise I'm going somewhere with this.) So why was I so stunned to hear that every weekend in the summer the New York City Downtown Boathouse offers free kayak trips to Governor's island? It just never crossed my mind.
It turns out that the New York City Downtown Boathouse, an all-volunteer organization, has several levels of free kayaking all summer long. I showed up to Pier 96 (at about 56th Street and the Hudson River) along with KG at 7:45 am a few Saturdays ago to give the Governor's Island tour a shot.
Now, there were several moments of doubt involved in this excursion. First, the website notes that the trips to Governor's Island are "a few hours longer" than the usual trips. Think five to six hours. Of almost constant paddling. They aren't kidding when they say the trip isn't for beginners. But, if you are in shape (and slightly masochistic), you'll be fine...and hurting the next few days.
But seeing Manhattan from a kayak is worth all the paddling and early rising. Bottom Line: Urban kayaking around Manhattan
Pier 96
www.downtownboathouse.org
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.
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.
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.
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
So it's not easy to get there. And yes, I know, there's a Fairway on the Upper West Side, and yes, yes, you can get your fill of industrial landscape more conveniently in Dumbo.
But let me, for one second, try to convince you that a trip to Red Hook is worth the effort, that a $5 Water Taxi ticket is money well spent (or that taking a subway, walking a bit, and then hopping on a Red Hook-bound bus isn't as terrible as it sounds).
Five rewards for your journey:
1.) Amazing waterfront views--some of the best in the city. The Statue of Liberty is practically in your lap.
2.) Valentino Park, small and filled with flowers. It sits directly on the river and offers a multitude of grassy spots perfect for reading or sunning or gazing out at the boats floating by.
3.) The new and enormous Fairway supermarket (controversial gentrification alert: Ikea is set to move into the area next), where you can buy a sandwich big enough to feed two people for $5.95 (I order the Cajun turkey, which is about the size of a shoebox). Behind the supermarket (and on the water) is a breezy dining patio.
4.) The now famous Red Hook Ballfields, where you can score, among other tempting treats, fresh ceviche or a hot chicken tamale. Vendors sell straight-off-the-grill street food from their carts.
5.) Fresh key lime pie. According to Al Roker, Steve Tarpin's tarts are the 
"last genuine key lime pies in the US!" I'm not sure if I'd go that far, and next time I go, I'm skipping the not-very-good limeade, but for $4, the 4-inch tart is refreshing and share-able.
And there's more... I've been to Red Hook a few times this summer, and every time I go back, I discover something new, or at least new to me. Of course, cobblestone roads and aging warehouses serve as reminders that Red Hook isn't new; in fact, it's one of the oldest neighborhoods in New York. And that's its charm.
Bottom Line: Pack a picnic blanket, pack a book, pack a camera, and go! You won't regret the trip.
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Hopstop it to 480 Van Brunt Street. Take the NY Water Taxi, take the B63 bus from Borough Hall (M/N/R/W/2/3/4/5 lines), or walk from Carroll Street (F/G lines).
Nothing's cheaper than free.
This weekend we bring you...
1. Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Saturday 6/23, 2PM
on Surf Avenue (Coney Island)
Grab some seashells and a fin, and make your way to Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade, where drill teams and people dressed as various sea creatures will be marching down the beach to celebrate the beginning of the summer season.
Coney Island is staged to undergo a massive rehaul in the coming months, so this could be your last chance to get down and gritty with the mermaid crowd. Plus, there will be live music and burlesque shows.
2. Drive-In Movies at the Rock, Friday 6/22, 9PM
at Rockefeller Center (30 Rockefeller Plaza, at 49th Street)
Tonight's movie, Netherbeast Incorporated, is the last in the Tribeca Drive-In independent film series at the Rockefeller Center. Seating opens at 6PM, and I'm guessing you're going to have to fight through crowds of tourists to land a spot.
3. Gay Pride Parade, Sunday 6/24, 12PM
begins at 5th Avenue and 52nd Street, ends at Christopher and Greenwich Streets
Rainbows! Free love! Drag Queens! If you didn't get your fill of crazy crowds at the Mermaid Parade on Saturday, then don't miss this year's sure-to-be-interesting Gay Pride Parade. Bring a camera.
4. World's First Ever Cheese Eating Contest, Sunday 6/24, 2PM
at Smith & Vine (268 Smith Street, between Sackett & Degraw) Hot dogs have been done. So have cream pies and chicken wings from Hooter's. So the next logical choice for an eating competition? Cheese. Ok; maybe it's not logical, and it probably won't be pretty, but this could be history in the making...
5. Kayaking on the Hudson, weekends through 9/16, 8AM
at Pier 96 (West 56th Street)
Every Saturday and Sunday morning, long before any normal person should be waking up, the New York City Downtown Boathouse offers free guided kayaking tours on the Hudson River. The trip runs 3 hours, and you'll paddle anywhere from 4-5 miles in either a single (1-person) or double (2-person) kayak. Unfortunately, the kayaks fill up fast, so you'll have to arrive by 7:45 at the latest.
Today marks the first free movie of the 2007 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. Check out Annie Hall, but be prepared to fight the crowds. The lawn opens at 5pm and fills up soon after. The movie starts at dusk. Grab a bottle of wine and some sandwiches (or order from 'wichcraft - they'll even deliver to your spot on the lawn) and don't forget the water...it's hot out there today! Check out the rest of the schedule here.
Read moreNothing's cheaper than free. This weekend we bring you...
1. Brooklyn's Top Dog Contest, Saturday 6/16, 11AM-3PM
at Brooklyn Industries in Williamsburg (162 Bedford Ave)
NYC pups will be putting their best paws forward at Brooklyn's "Top Dog" competition. Check out photos of each canine contestant and vote here, or go see the dogs yourself, so you can say you knew the winner before he became a star (the top dog/American Idol of hipster pooches will get his photo on a special edition Brooklyn Industries t-shirt).
2. Beer for Bags, Friday 6/15-Sunday 6/17
at either NYC Crumpler Store (45 Spring Street or 49 8th Avenue)
Surely you have a few bottles of beer shoved somewhere in the back of your refrigerator... Why not trade those bottles in for a brand spanking new Crumpler bag?
Check out the store's website to see what type of bag the bottles in your fridge are worth.
3. First Annual NYC Food Festival, Saturday 6/16-Sunday 6/17, see website for schedule
at Water Taxi Beach (Hunter's Point, Long Island City)
Free outdoor screenings of food films ranging from the three-minute long "Tasting Rachel Ray" to the feature-length "Asparagus! A Stalk-Umentary."
The best part? You'll be on a sandy beach. And if you can't bear the thought of seeing Rachel on a big screen, just distract yourself with the amazing view of the Manhattan skyline.
4. Field Day in Cental Park, ongoing, 9AM-7PM
at the Central Park Conservancy
Here's a secret: The Central Park Conservancy loans out something called a "field day kit," and all you have to do to get one is call 212-348-4867. Trust me, there's enough sports equipment in this kit (a basketball, 10 cones, 3 bats, a horse shoe set, a playground ball, a Nerf ball, a football, a Frisbee, 2 handballs, a soccer ball, a jump rope, 2 whiffle balls, and hula hoops) to keep you and every friend you have running around the park for hours. Who needs a gym?
5. Renegade Craft Fair, Saturday 6/16-Sunday 6/17, 11AM-6PM
at McCarren Park Pool (on Lorimer Street in Williamsburg) 
In the need for a cool new wallet? How about a stunning pair of gold-plated cicada earrings? Check out Williamsburg's Renegade Craft Fair, where DIYers will be selling their own handmade goods.
Nothing's cheaper than free. This weekend we bring you....
1. Music Slut Anniversary Party, Saturday 6/9, 8PM
at The Delancey (166 Delancey Street)
Live music! Free PBR from 8-9! The Music Slut's throwing a party in honor of its second anniversary, and everyone's invited...
2. Atlantic Avenue Art Walk, Saturday 6/9 & Sunday 6/10 1-6PM
Atlantic Avenue (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn) 
Artists along Atlantic Avenue will be opening their studio doors to the public during this neighborhood celebration of all things art-related. Restaurants and bars are gearing up for the crowds by offering special deals, and several local bands are slated to perform.
3. Literary Magazine Fair, Sunday 6/10 12-5 PM
at the Housing Works Used Books Cafe (126 Crosby Street)
If you're more into Pynchon than Picasso, then this fair's for you. There's no cover charge, and all magazines are selling for a measly $2. Added bonus: Proceeds go to charity.
4. Somee Cards
Care enough to send the very best?
These free e-cards range from the pathetic ("I'm terrified of being offline") to the downright devilish ("Being away from you has given me clarity on how insane you are").
Send at your own risk.
5. Shakespeare in the Park, ongoing
at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park
Nothing says summer in NYC like Shakespeare in the Park, and, as of June 6, it's back in business. Hit the park early with a picnic dinner, and you can soak up a little sun along with some culture (current show: Romeo and Juliet).
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."
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
