Category: Bunch o' Friends

Dinner, movies, bars…what do all these things have in common? Answer: they’re unoriginal date ideas. To show your loved one you recognize how special and unique they are, you have to take them somewhere better than the Red Lobster now and then (not that cheddar biscuits aren’t a delicious delicacy). Bowling is a surefire date classic for a reason. Cold brews, cool shoes, and a bit of playful combativeness….who could ask for more? The following five bowling alleys are spread out across New York City, so that no matter what part of town you call home, you can take your special someone out for a date that’s a perfect strike every time.

300 New York

Upscale alley cats can bowl in style at 300 New York, where this pastime of the working class gets a metropolitan makeover. From the trippily atmospheric permanent lightshow playing over the lanes to the shiny blue bar and ultra-modern furniture, there’s no shortage of pretty things to look at. Too bad the supposedly fancy food and drinks are no better than your standard pub grub. The upstairs VIP lounge (with a private 8-lane bowling area and, more importantly, a bar of its own) would be perfect for a party, but bowlers on a budget will have just as good a time downstairs among the plebians.

Leisure Time Bowl

Most people are surprised enough to learn that a bowling alley actually exists in Port Authority, much less that it’s real classy-like. With a recent renovation and a fantastic new menu, Leisure Time has secured its position as the nicest corner of Port Authority, bar none. Positives include the delicious food (I still crave their steak-on-toast appetizer) and the central location, as well as the easygoing and unassuming attitude. However, the bill can add up fast, and the staff members are often slow and apathetic. The energetic city crowd can be a mixed blessing – a lively atmosphere is one thing, but the younger bowlers can get a little obnoxious late at night – so come early if you want to be able to hear your date talk.

Bowlmor Lanes

Sure it’s overpriced and tries too hard to be like a cool nightclub when it should be sticking to the basics – bowling, beer, and bar food. But Greenwich Village’s Bowlmor Lanes still attracts the crowds, partly because it’s conveniently located within close proximity of about a dozen NYU dorms, and partly because of its appearance in Sex and the City (in a particularly memorable Carrie-Big date scene). The crowd here consists mostly of googly-eyed couples and groups of tipsy college kids blowing their parents’ money, so if you don’t enjoy overhearing deafening discussions about the cute TA in Psych 101, you may want to steer clear.

Harlem Lanes

Harlem’s newest bowling alley speaks of the elegance and cool style of Harlem past, while its slick modern elements reflect the rapidly modernizing Harlem of today. Unlike the overly flashy quasi-futurism of 300 and Bowlmor Lanes, Harlem Lanes presents an idealized representation of bowling lanes of old with its classic, almost retro design. The food and drinks are as pretention-free as they are delicious, and the staff is refreshingly friendly and alert (a big difference from places like Leisure Time Bowl). It may not be a kitschy dive like the bowling alleys of suburban nostalgia and memory, but Harlem Lanes is a serious bowling lover’s dream hangout. The Dude would love it.

Melody Lanes

Melody Lanes Bowling Center is one of the only ‘real’ bowling alleys left in the New York area. By that I mean, everything is cheap, the customer base is colorful and composed mostly of locals, and the bar food is awesomely greasy. No escargots or lychee-tinis here. Between games, chat up the kindly bartender and throw back some cheap beers in the lounge, or pump some quarters into the arcade like the old days. The location (across the street from the Jackie Gleason bus depot on Brooklyn’s 5th Avenue) may not scream romance at first glance, but take your date on an after-bowling stroll through nearby Sunset Park for an amazing view and the, ahem, activities that tend to go along with such a lookout point.

When it comes to the proliferation of cafes and coffee shops, New York may not be on the same level as cities like Seattle or Portland, but it’s still got its fair share. And although Starbucks may have taken over Manhattan to the point where independent coffee shops are an endangered species, Brooklyn and the other outer boroughs still offer a wide array of possibilities for the discriminating caffeine junkie.

One of the shining stars of the Brooklyn café scene is a chain of tea and coffee shops known as Tea Lounge. With three locations currently in operation, Tea Lounge’s popularity is growing daily. The Union Street location, in the heart of Park Slope, is the mother ship, and it offers a few things the other locations cannot. The larger space allows for live music and other performances on a regular basis, and an expanded kitchen means you’ll find more options in terms of food here. All of the locations, however, offer a delicious array of baked goods and snacks, not to mention the teas, coffees, and other beverages Tea Lounge is famous for.

Browse the extensive tea menu for your favorite blend (popular choices include Tea Lounge Chai, Yerba Maté, and the addictive, though pungent, Lapsang Souchong), or try Tea Lounge’s special blend of hot chocolate, which regulars swear is the best in the neighborhood. The coffee and espresso here are also outstanding, and a refreshing alternative to the heartburn-inducing Starbucks brew. Although Tea Lounge’s baristas have been called everything from snobby to flaky, I find that they are consistently excellent at their jobs, whipping up perfectly-crafted cappuccinos and Chai Lattes with care and attention to detail that you don’t often see these days.

Tea Lounge is great because it works equally well as a place to come by yourself or with a group, though I feel that coffee’s power to stimulate the mind makes it a perfect social lubricant. Take your friends along and order a few desserts to go with your drinks. The Fat Witch brownies are particularly addictive, although offerings also include vegan cookies and ridiculously rich cupcakes. If you’re hungry for something more than dessert, Tea Lounge serves typical, and fairly unremarkable, café fare like salads, Panini sandwiches and bagels. If you’ve had enough caffeine, fear not, for wine and beer are also on the menu, allowing the place to make a seamless transition from café to wine bar after hours.

The thing that really sets Tea Lounge apart from other cafés in the neighborhood, however, is the patrons. You’ll find your fair share of hipsters (including the baristas), but you’ll also find lots of writers and intellectuals, most of whom seem to have their noses permanently buried in their laptops. At the Union Street location, you’ll find Park Slope’s typical mix of mommies and more mommies, especially during the day, so if you don’t like your coffee with a side of breast milk, you might want to check out the Park Slope South location. Either way, Tea Lounge is well worth checking out, for the coffee, the snacks, and of course, those cute hipster baristas.

It's not often that I feel that I've stepped into the presence of something really, really cool. A Friday night at Asia de Cuba (237 Madison Ave.), however, made me feel just that. Under the management of the people that brought you China Grill, Asia de Cuba is a place to be seen.

The frosted door being guarded by guys with headsets intimidates you right off the bat, but once you're ushered in, it's as if the "cool police" has accepted you and you're treated like stars. In the middle of the main dining hall is a long table that seats about 36 with a tall photograph of a waterfall at the end of the room and white curtains flowing throughout. If you're seated at this table you're probably seated next to strangers, but you're also in the center of it all, being able to take in the fashionably hip at the tables around you and seated upstairs.

Our waitress was extremely pleasant with a great opinion of what to order and how to really enjoy the meal. Our appetizer was the calamari salad – an Asia de Cuba favorite. It was large enough to accommodate four of us (including two rather hungry males) and left us anxious for our entrees. Though this food isn't cheap (the rack of lamb was $64), everything is made to be eaten "family style" – so you can easily split an entrée and side with another person. Bottles of wine start at $30 and mixed drinks are pretty pricey.

By the end of the night, however, none of us flinched at the bill. A couple seated next to us had to wait a long time for their entrees and were personally spoken to by the manager, who then sent them complimentary drinks and dessert. I have a feeling the kind of slow service didn't deter them at all. The wait staff was excellent, the food was superb, and the overall ambiance was something you've got to try at least once. Sometimes it pays to be the cool kid for a night.