February 6, 2009

New York on sale: Feb. deals on meals, culture, hotels

New York is crazy on sale on right now, meaning you can eat better and see more than you normally could. Why you can even find a quality hotel for under $100.

Here’s a roundup of some of the best bargains, and resources to find more.

Free dessert: The “Brownie Bailout” will get you a free brownie through February at the Chocolate Bar on the third floor of Henri Bendel. Just utter the code word “bailout” any Monday through Thursday between 3 and 8 p.m.

Food blog Eater keeps a running list of restaurants’ recession-savvy menu deals.

The New York Times details some of the deals at the high-end of the scale, inlcuding half-price wine.

Winter Restaurant Week has been extended through all of February. More than 150 locations — including super posh Le Cirque, Nobu, 21 Club and Cafe des Artistes — will serve you a three-course lunch for $24.07 or dinner for $35. (Tax, tip and drinks are extra.)

As the Post reported, all seats are 35 cents today at Film Forum for the kickoff of its ’30s-era “Breadlines and Champagne” festival.

On Monday mornings at 10 a.m. you get a shot at $25 orchestra-level seats at the Met Opera and NYC Ballet.

Every Friday, the Racked shopping blog runs a map of weekend sales.

The Barneys Warehouse Sale starts February 12.

For sample sales, follow TopButton.

Theater deals are extensive with $20 Off-Broadway tickets available through this Sunday from 20at20, followed by a two-for-one On the House deal for productions featuring names such as Kathleen Turner, Cynthia Nixon and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Goofy ’80s metal band musical “Rock of Ages” begins previews on Broadway on Mach 17. While much of Broadway continues to charge obscene prices — did you notice the top Will Ferrell ticket is $301.50?? — “Rock of Ages” will charge $46.50 to $99.00, and as little as $26.50, Variety reported this week.

The deals are deep at Theatermania, including 40 percent discounts at Cirque du Soleil’s “KOOZA,” which opens April 16 at Randall’s Island Park.

Kids Night on Broadway has gone from an annual event to a monthly. Buy an adult ticket at full price and bring a kid for free.

New York-based JetBlue this week sparked a fare war between JFK and LAX with one-way base fares from $105.

MoMA’s private after-hours tours of the museum carries a reduced price during February.

And of course, most of the city’s major museums offer free or pay-as-you wish admission for at least a few hours each week.

Oft-overlooked, the NYC Parks hosts dozens of out-of-the-ordinary free events each week such as the early morning eagle watch, treks through normally locked portions of Central Park, and this weekend’s Winter Jam.

The Central Park Conservancy also offers about a dozen free walking tours each week.

There are two great downtown lecture series, both free, that get you into some architecturally interesting spaces as well.

This Saturday, use offer code BBALL to get discounted admission to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the Sports Museum of America. The discount code will get you adult tickets for $10 and children admission for $5. The Globetrotters will appear at 11 a.m. (In addition you can use discount code SMA on the Harlem Globetrotters or Ticketmaster websites for discounts for the Globetrotters at Madison Square Garden (Feb. 13;) IZOD Center and Prudential Center in NJ (Feb. 14;) Nassau Coliseum on Long Island (Feb. 15;) and IZOD Center in East Rutherford (Feb. 16.)

This Sunday is Kids Day at the Aces Brooklyn’s Eastern Professional Hockey League match in Brooklyn. Admission is free for kids under 12 when accompanied by a paying adult.

8Coupons.com offers a frequently changing, sometimes exceptional range of NYC discounts.

Bargemusic plays a free concert about once a month, including this Saturday.

Get your third-night free at a number of fancy hotels including The Plaza, Palace Hotel and The Carlyle, through February.

A little farther out on the calendar, March 16 will be the day reservations open for 2009 Spa Week (which will take place April 13 through 19.)

A final note, while you’re out there taking advantage of the savings, be kind to your servers. As NYC & Co. points out in its tipping guide, “New Yorkers in the service industries (hotels, restaurants and transportation) have tips factored into their wages.” That means for income tax purposes, the government assumes they’re making average tips. And if they happen to work at a place hard-hit by Eurotippers, it basically comes out of their pocket.

February 6, 2009 2:43 PM in Cheap Stuff

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