comedy

illuminati comedy

nolita / comedy / $

Illuminati is an under-the-radar comedy series with shows almost every Wednesday night at 8 pm at Gelso & Grand, a cute Italian restaurant in Nolita. There is no cover charge, only a one-drink minimum! Be sure to RSVP in advance on Eventbrite to reserve your spots. I would show up around 7:30 pm or earlier to ensure you get a seat as it gets CROWDED, or you can pay $10 to reserve a seat. There are around four or five different professional comedians who perform each week, and the two hosts are also fairly entertaining. The food at the restaurant is also really delicious. I’d recommend the Quattro formaggi pizza (a decadent four cheese pizza with fig, white truffle oil, and Aleppo honey!

comedy at the original barber shop

east village / comedy / $

This byob weekend comedy show takes place at a barber shop in East Village.

art

gallery openings

various locations / free

Every Thursday night between 6 and 8 pm, several art galleries around the city (mostly located in Chelsea, UES, LES, Soho, and Tribeca), host opening/closing receptions for their current exhibitions. Along with an interesting crowd, there is also plenty of complimentary wine to give you a cultural spin on your weekly happy hours. To find a full list of participants, you can reference the below sites.

artnet ny art beat

museums

free museum days

various locations / free

Many of the museums in the city actually have select dates/times with free admission! However, keep in mind that there are often long lines and crowds of visitors involved for the popular museums that offer this perk. Nonetheless, if you’re willing to brave the crowds or just want to check a new museum out, this is a perfect low-budget way to do it. If you play your cards right, you could very easily visit many of the museums in the city without paying a single cent! 

• Whitney Museum of Art 

• Morgan Library and Museum

• MoMa – I would really not recommend coming here on free admission night because I can only imagine what a zoo it would be. However, just wanted to list this on here along with the others. 

• Rubin Museum of Art 

• New Museum