As I mentioned before, I have no job and I’m leaving mid
September so getting a new one is not feasible. So for the past 2 weeks and another 6 to go I will be
doomed to the boredom of me, myself and I. Luckily, it is summer and even more luckily I am still
living in the NYC. Living here
makes having innumerable hours a day full of potential and vivre if you are
savvy and a bit prepared even if you have little play money.
Besides the possibly life fulfilling aspects, we have jobs
to make money so that we can have lives, do things, and experience life. When that is stalled, put on hold or
not cycling back into itself as it usually does, you have to be creative so that
you can maintain that delight of living which is necessary for existence. I
have experienced this in some ways before but this most recent period has me
pondering on money and culture and how to go about that. This has lead me to share with you some
tips and guides of places to see, things to do and general small things that
may help entertain me/you when we have to save our money.
Galleries - Of course most know that galleries in NYC are
free. This is still true and even
though August is the dead month for this, it is still nice to peruse the spaces
even if they tend to be conglomerations of group shows. Though openings are basically over
until September, they are still a good place to get that social buzz and a free
drink or two if you need. I hate
doing this but hey, it’s there if you want it.
Museum - The Met is thankfully still suggested donation as
is their uptown Cloisters. This is
always a relief albeit tourist filled in the summer. Most other museums patronizingly grace the masses with free
slots of time at least one day a week.
If you want to wait in line and try to squeeze in to see a show, then
this is an option but summer is a drag for the big spaces like MoMA and the
likes. Instead use this time to
visit less visited places like The Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria
Queens. I did just this thing last
Friday, when they have free admission and then after had a lovely Greek
meal. There are many many off the
path places like this, I recommend visiting these versus the mega museums.
Free Bar Food - There are a few places that give you free
food with drink. The one I love
the most is Spain, a relic of a restaurant off 6th Ave that has
shabbily tuxedoed waiters, Estrella and a seemingly unlimited supply of
potatoes with hot sauce and tiny meatballs. It’s not the best bar, it’s definitely not the best food but
it is a hovel of a time warp that you can feel the decades have rolled over.
Beach - I luckily have a car and I drive to Jacob Riis as
many days as I can. I purchased a
season pass for $65 and I just lounge about, read if I can and swim in that
ever changing ocean. It is the
cheapest, most relaxing, fun way to spend an afternoon with friends, loves or
just by yourself.
Books - I love the public library, as I have mentioned
before, and I use it in spurts as I desire but there are times that it just
doesn’t have what you want or need, especially if you are trying to read art
theory and that lot. So the first
place I go to is my friends, after that there is the crazy internet which if
you search well and search correctly will enable you to find downloadable versions
of almost anything. A true wonder
that is as revolutionizing as the printing press. (I am a boob with ‘getting’
technology so was told that putting “.epud” after a title is the easiest way to
find it, duh to most but wow to me)
Panels/Screenings etc. - There are a lot of sites and such
for cultural events calendaring. I
myself have not found any that I really “like” or use but they are there. Some like, Art Haps and Platform for
Pedagogy are helpful in one’s quest to find that brainy thing to do this
week. Also, I subscribe to New
School’s events calendar, as I tend to like some things they do and they have
diverse subjects covered. Other
universities have these listings as well and most are free and open to the
public.
Food/Drink - Eat at home, make your own food, it is fun and
I have to admit I like my cooking way more then most restaurants. Cooking for and with friends is also
super fun and way better then that awkward, let’s go to a restaurant with a
bunch of people and you get the bill and somehow everyone owes $75 even though
you only got a salad, situation.
Drinking is a money pit for sure so balance this by investigating
local happy hours and also there are great places that have wonderful wine and
spirits at discounted cost. It is
worth the extra trek to stock up on things you like that you can share with
company.
Walk - It’s free babies! Walking in the city is the best if you have the time to do it. It shows
you and reminds you why you live here in the first place and it bumps you into
new people, places and wonders.
