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Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

The party takes place on November 22 at 8:30PM at Sweetwater Social. (EDIT: This event has passed. Visit our EVENTS page for upcoming events.)

Every month we throw a party for all of our single friends. Why? Online dating is awful. We don’t need to tell you otherwise- in fact…you all told US. In July, we asked you what were some of your biggest pet peeves when it came to dating in NYC, and an overwhelming percentage of you wrote that you HATED online dating.

And those are just some of the safe for work ones. You can read about all of our findings HERE in our article – The All-Encompassing No BS Guide to Better Love, Sex and Dating in NYC. In it, we profiled hundreds of local New Yorkers, and a few dating coaches and love/relationship experts! In the end, we decided to throw our own party for all of our single friends! We thought it might be 30 or 40 ppl… the first party we had, nearly 200 people showed up!! Since then – it’s become a fun go-to party that we throw to see all of our friends, play games, meet new people and have a great time.

Photo by Mike Bryk

Halloween was crazy too. We had a costume theme party and let’s just say that by the end of the night, the last few stragglers were doing some NSFW type of stuff…. but alas, we’ve had quite a few dope matches!

Photo by Jordan Ashleigh
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So – make sure to tell your friends! This month we have a super special partner with the team behind LoverBoy and we’ll be offering up a special 2 for 1 deal so you can find your own LoverBoy…or Girl!

Chau Mui

Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

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(EDIT: This giveaway has ended, but sign up for The Spirits Network newsletter below to get updated for new chances to win!)

How well do you REALLY know your alcohol? Can you tell the difference between a Bourbon or a single malt Japanese Whiskey? Don’t worry, we have no e**ing clue either. That’s why we’re partnering with our friends at The Spirits Network to give YOU and 6 of your friends a PRIVATE whiskey tasting ($2,000 value) at Tribeca’s infamous Brandy Library. To enter you must:

  1. Sign up by entering your email below
  2. Follow @spiritsnetwork and @ciaooomag on IG
  3. Enter your email BELOW! The more you tell your friends, the more submissions you get!

The Spirits Network is a revolutionary new content channel and subscription box company for the spirits enthusiast. Watch hours of original entertainment and buy directly from any device with on-demand home delivery or taste monthly hand-picked spirits selections and curated boxes delivered to your door.

Inclusive of a private whiskey tasting, Hors d’oeuvres and lesson at The Brandy Libray for 6.

Rules:

By signing up for this, you are automatically entered into the weekly ciaooo! email newsletter and to receive emails from The Spirits Network. Winners will be announced on November 8th at 12 PM EST. Applicants must be US residents and over the age of 21.

Chau Mui

Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

Facebook Conversations

Today’s favorite NYC cult food is bak Kua (肉干), the Malaysian version of beef jerky. Instead of being the primo tough tendons that your friend Harry the powerlifter or Susie, the avid hiker likes to snack on for protein, Malaysian beef jerky is moist, tender, cut into little 3-inch squares and charcoal-grilled to perfection. It’s a special treat for kids after school or a to-go snack for those on the go.

Mountain of Malaysian Beef Jerky

Bak Kwa originally had its roots in China, where it was air-dried and especially popular for the Lunar New Year because, well, it’s red, duh, and Chinese people love anything red to signify good luck.

When the Chinese started immigrating to Singapore and Malaysia, the locals gave it their own spin, mostly, by grilling it over charcoal instead of air drying it for that smoky perfection. Additionally, they marinated it so that the bite is sweet, marinating the meat in various sauces from sesame to soy to oyster.

While there are quite a few variations of jerky in Chinatown, our favorite is located on Elizabeth street. It’s the aptly named, “Singapore Malaysia Beef Jerky”, a tiny 20+-year-old neighborhood staple. Like the mark of a true hole in the wall, the first thing you’ll notice is the scent of crisp, charred smoke with a hint of sweetness wafting through the air. Despite the shops “less than stellar” ambiance, you’ll still walk in.

Mrs. Wong

Many of the employees have worked here for years, including Mrs. Wong (or Wong Tai in Cantonese) who has worked in the establishment for the past 8 years. This part of Chinatown has Cantonese speaking residents, but the owners started in Malaysia and brought the jerky to the states.

Grilling fresh jerky!

Marinated in a variety of spices, soy sauce, and sugar, the shop has a few different varieties of pork, chicken and beef jerky, both spicy and non-spicy. When we visited the shop, it was packed with parents bringing their children for an afternoon snack, locals needing a quick bite, and curious tourists.

The shop is worth a visit, and if you’re looking for a new cuisine to try – make sure to stop by the Singapore Malaysian Beef Jerky!

Chau Mui

Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

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The Upper West Side’s Shady, I Mean, Shanty Past

Before Seinfeld made the Upper West Side the playing grounds for a show about nothing, the UWS was a shantytown of squatters. 

After Central Park was built in 1853, thousands of lower-income tenants were displaced and created makeshift villages and shacks along the West Side. It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century when large developers (no, not Whole Foods) started building grandiose apartments (like the San Remo that Steven Spielberg calls home), that pushed squatters out and brought yuppies in. I guess you could say yuppies were the hipsters before hipsters?

Photo via Public Domain of Shantytown in 1880.

The Upper West Side Now

You get a lot of the touristy crew around the Museum Of Natural History and Central Park, but other than that, the UWS is one of those neighborhoods that feels neighborhood-y. Maybe it’s the 79th street Farmer’s Market that takes place every Sunday or the cute brunch spots like Jacob’s Pickle that line up Amsterdam Ave, either way, it’s a place definitely worth exploring on a sunny Sunday with friends who won’t complain about going up past 14th Street.

Our guide this week is the swing dancing, Spanish-speaking, business professor (he earned the first doctorate ever in positive psychology), and start up advisor, Orin Davis aka smartest guy I know. 

Having lived in the UWS for the past 5 years, Orin knows the ins and outs and showed us some of his very favorite local hangs. Follow @ciaooomag and @drorindavis on Instagram!

Eat

Photo via Foursquare
Eat

Matto

When You’re Broke as a Joke
Literally everything here is $2. Don’t ask me how they do it. Espresso? $2. Italian hot chocolate? $2. Chocolate chip cookie? $2. Soup of the day? $2!!!!

Photo via Sideways
Drink

Grill 212

This authentic Yemenite and Middle Eastern restaurant serves up some of THE most explosive flavors. A husband and wife team run the shop and blend up their own “secret” spices daily and make an incredible homemade hot sauce called S’chug (click to hear pronunciation). Go for the Yemenite Soup, Kibbeh, Hummus with Shwarma, Moroccan Cigars and Kofta. BEST HUMMUS & FALAFEL I’VE EVER HAD.  BUT there are Israeli drinks in the cooler here that are a must try! Including the Malted Beer. PS- tell Ricky we sent you, and she’ll take care of you!

https://www.edgarscafe.com/gallery
Eat

Edgar’s

When You’re Digging Some Sweets
The original location was on the same street Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Raven” for 25 years before it moved here. Something about the ambience here is kitschy meets adorable. The ravens above the door. The massive painting of Edgar Allen Poe. The cracked ceiling and brick walls. It’s a great spot for a date or wine with friends- definitely recommend coming here for dessert and drinks. The cheesecake is DI-VINE.

Drink

https://www.yelp.com/biz/irving-farm-new-york-new-york-10
Drink

Irving Farm New York

The lines get long, so be wary, but it moves fast. The shop stretches back but you might have to wait a bit to get seating. It’s a good spot to meet friends to begin your adventure!

 

 

Shop

https://wales247.co.uk/flying-tiger-copenhagen-stores-in-wales-bristol-support-autism-hour/
Shop

Flying Tiger

Tchotchkes and knick-knacks, there are all sorts of random things to buy here for pretty cheap. Kitchenware, Halloween fish masks, art supplies, it’s like a junk drawer at grandma’s house. Quality might not be the best, but hey, you get what you pay for.

 

 

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/book-culture-on-columbus-new-york-2?select=gTk-EKrdZvfNeEybcT9uFg
Shop

Book Culture

This book shop has “blind dates with a book” where the books are wrapped in brown paper. You don’t know what you get until you open it! There’s a note with similar book titles on the cover, and each book is similar in style to the suggestions listed on the cover.

https://streeteasy.com/property/9256911-620-west-end-avenue-3a
Shop

Barzini’s

This grocery store has brie cheese for $1.99!! Way cheaper (and smaller) than Zabar’s, but if you’re going for the experience, or to find something special, hit up Zabar’s.

See

https://shalommorris.com/2015/10/23/shearith-israel-new-york/
See

Spanish Portuguese Synagogue

The Spanish Portuguese synagogue is the oldest congregation in the US, and the building is beautiful. You can book and attend a free tour on their site.

Customers relax at the cafe at the 79th Street Boat Basin in Manhattan, New York on August 24, 2005. The 79th Street Boat Basin is the only city-operated marina in Manhattan and has a waiting list of more than five years. Photographer: Jennifer S. Altman/Bloomberg News
See

79th Street Boat Basin

Most tourists go to Central Park, but locals also hit this one and I love the views. Plus in the summer time it’s a bar!

https://www.symphonyspace.org/your-visit/peter-jay-sharp-theatre
See

Symphony Space

Most people go to Broadway (42nd st.), but this place is so far uptown people don’t even realize it’s up here. Tickets are $21 for ages 30 and under and $24 for regular tickets.

Chau Mui

Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

Facebook Conversations

Lawrence Alexander is the epitome of “making it” in New York City. A professional dancer in Broadway’s “The Lion King” for the past 8 years, the Boston Conservatory grad danced his way from Kansas City to Broadway. Now, he’s making the leap from dancer to solo artist with his new album, “3 is the Golden Ratio”, and we’re here for it.

“3 is the Golden Ratio is about energy. That free energy, where you can be black, white, gay, straight and still flow within the universe.”

Standing at 6 foot 4 and a half in a shimmering, pinstripe suit in the packed streets of 5th Avenue, Lawrence Alexander stands like a bronzed Adonis. As he speaks, his hands alliterate the words in a way only a dancer could, gesturing with the fervor of an Italian in a heated debate and the expert fluidity of a professional finger tutter.

This past week, Lawrence released his debut EP, “3 is the Golden Ratio”, a triptych dedicated to the fluid energies of nature. Lawrence recorded the piece across two months of jam sessions with no other but Iqram Magdon-Ismael, the co-founder of Venmo and founder of Ense.

Perhaps most special about his EP, however, is the unedited, raw format in which it’s presented. “We didn’t set off to create an album. We just were sitting together jamming. It all came together naturally. What you hear in the album is the actual first time that we sat together. We simply couldn’t recreate it. We wanted it to feel that raw energy” Lawrence tells us.

“Don’t let anyone dim your light. We all have a purpose and you have to live as big as you can. You’re important”

The three tracks, “It’s the Rhythm”, “KC Boy, Until” and “I Live” all pull from his real-life experiences. “KC Boy, Until,” tells the sentimental story behind leaving one’s hometown (Kansas City) and never forgetting the roots that made you who you are. “It’s the Rhythm” questions the world of drag culture. “Right now, drag queen culture is so popular. It’s about this fierceness. This confidence. This swag, if you will and it’s so accepted. But does it mean that I have to act like that to be fierce? Do I need to dress like that to be accepted?”

3 is the Golden Ratio Cover Art

The track “I live” talks about living life to the fullest, living freely and happily within yourself. “3 is the Golden Ratio” is a lyrical testament to the universal emotions of identity that we all struggle with, and coming to terms with them and accepting ourselves, full circle. It’s a beautiful celebration of angst and acceptance.

  • 9 year old Lawrence’s first performance
  • Broadway Bares

A Star is Born

For Lawrence, this was the first time he was able to work creatively with freedom. His first gig was at the Kansas City Starlight Theatre at 9 years old, which led to a performance at The Apollo to a stint at the prestigious Alvin Ailey School. Since then, his performances have brought him to work with everyone from Beyoncé to Broadway, where he is currently performing in Broadway’s The Lion King.

You can listen to the full EP HERE and follow Lawrence Alexander on IG HERE.

Chau Mui

Chau is the original New York City stoop kid who cut her teeth hanging out in Union Square, ate soup dumplings in Chinatown and explored this great city by train, foot and everything in between.

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