Per Annum Company Blog | The Forward Thinker

Fun at the Fat Cat

There's something to be said for a good bar where you can down some beers, hang out with friends, watch people come and go, and all the usual things -- but such bars are so commonplace that they can get dull after a while.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a bar where you can do all of those things... and play ping-pong, too?  Fortunately, such a bar exists in the heart of NYC's West Village:  FAT CAT.

Walk down the steps and into the Fat Cat's lair and you are greeted with a veritable smorgasbord of activities.  There's ping-pong, of course, as well as billiards, shuffleboard and foosball -- plus board games, including chess, backgammon and my personal favorite, Scrabble.  The bar charges a fee to access the games, but it's not unreasonable.  Fat Cat is also renowned for its live jazz, which occurs every night -- usually three acts per night, plus a late-night jam sessions which last until the closing time.

As for the drinkage, Fat Cat does not sell booze, but has an eclectic collection of beer on tap, plus various malt drinks.  (Beer is more conducive to gaming, anyway, I think!)  There's a small cafe with bar snacks, various tables, couches & booths scattered around, and the bar is also an internet hotspot, so feel free to bring your portable devices!

All in all, Fat Cat is a great place and typically draws a fun-loving crowd.  So, if you ever have a hankering for a crazy German beer and a heated game of foosball, you now know where to go!

Fat Cat is located at 75 Christopher St. and can be found online at http://www.fatcatmusic.org or on page 43 of your 2009 Manhattan Diary.

Now That’s Manhattan…

What is the one place one should go to truly experience what Manhattan is all about? Hands down, Macy’s in Herald Square. Now, don’t throw tomatoes at me just yet! I know there are a gazillion other places I could have named that show off the glitz and the glam. But to me, Macy’s represents all of what I love about Manhattan.

The Location:
Located in the heart of Midtown, Macy’s is a landmark for both tourists and locals. It is on 34th and Broadway, and can be found on page 26 of your 2009 Manhattan Diary.

The History:
If anyone has seen Miracle on 34th Street, I don’t think I have to go any further. Does the Thanksgiving Day Parade ring a bell? Built in 1902, and billed as the "world's largest store" since 1924. There is a lot more where that came from. Check out Wikipedia for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macy's/.

The Selection:
8 floors of shoes, apparel, food, you name it!

The People and the Magic:
From the hustle and bustle, to the sales, the elevators and old-time escalators, the constant motion of people of all different nationalities and places around the world... it's like Manhattan within Manhattan. Christmas in New York would not be the same without the window display at Macy’s.

So what are you waiting for -- shop till you drop and be a part of that Macy’s Magic!

HALLLOOOOO Good Food!

I really wanted to share with you a special place called Hallo Berlin -- it's a fantastic and very affordable German restaurant at 626 10th Ave. (Hell’s Kitchen Area).

I was so excited to see this listing in the 2009 Manhattan Diary -- page 37 to be exact. The first time I went was about 5 years ago and I've always sworn to go back.

What I like about NYC is that you can have exactly what you want whenever you want it. The best music, dancing, food, libraries, museums -- you name it! The best thing for me is that you have so many different cultures right at your fingertips. Hallo Berlin has the perfect mix of culture, good food, great prices, and a splash of a tradtional German environment right here in our own concrete jungle. It doesn’t get too crowded, and with its picnic table setting, it makes for a great night of laughing the night away with friends. After all, what’s better than award-winning German food and beer!

I am getting hungry just writing about it. Next time you are in the neighborhood, check this place out and bring your old friends along with ya!

Hotel ZaZa

I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Texas, just outside of Dallas. I took along my Metro Diary, curious to see what gems from the Lone Star State made it into the book.

I was delighted to see that Hotel ZaZa had made the cut. I spent a very memorable New Year’s Eve there in 2007, when a “Heaven & Hell” party that managed to be both elegant and trendy was hosted in ZaZa’s ballroom.  A few friends and I had booked ourselves a room for the night, and we spent the time before the party thoroughly enjoying it.  Quirky touches, like a “Sit on Me” chair cushion and a fully loaded goody bag, made it eccentric enough to be fun without ruining any of the class that you would expect from a top-rated hotel.

ZaZa isn’t cheap, but it isn’t totally over the top either. The staff is friendly, the beds are comfy, and you can even bring your dog, if you want. It’s a little too fancy (for me) for regular stays, but for special occasions, it’s at the top of my list. You can find Hotel ZaZa on page 24 of your Metropolitan Diary.

P.S. I just heard that this year’s party is entitled “Mystique,” and, according to my sources, “will channel a decadent Venetian ball with masked guests, dancing and a champagne toast.”  Learn more at PegasusNews.

Viva Aventura!

I recently went on vacation to Aventura, Florida. The people were nice and the weather was perfect. Although I really like to get away and experience something different, it can also be interesting to do the normal things you would do at home but in a totally different place with totally different people. Going to the supermarket, the movies and the mall are all things that I would do here in New York, but it feels like a new experience when going to those same places in a different part of the country. Sometimes it’s the small things that decide whether you would come back to visit, want to move, or appreciate home.

One place I really liked was Aventura Mall, a listing in our Metropolitan Diary. It was big but not overwhelming, had a movie theater that I went to almost every day, a great entrance and a great variety of stores. You know those obnoxious kiosks that most malls have? Well, this mall actually had kiosks that I would visit. The sales people weren’t too pushy and there was even one kiosk that was just there to sell all kinds of tickets, which I found to be very helpful. The mall had all the great stores like BeBe, the Mac store, and Bloomingdale's, but also had stores you don’t see very often like the Ferrari store, Michael Kors and Ted Baker. It was also very refreshing to see the fabulously designed store fronts that you rarely get to see in malls these days.

Although I didn’t realize it at first, Aventura Mall became a staple in my trip and I wouldn’t have had the same experience if I hadn’t gone. So if any of you plan on visiting Aventura I suggest you go and check it out. You can find the address and phone number on page 42 of your Metropolitan Diaries. Good times!

Holy Basil

Thanks so much to everyone who has been commenting! We’ve gotten some great suggestions and words of encouragement – keep ‘em coming, we love hearing what you have to say.

Last weekend I went to Holy Basil, a Thai restaurant listed in our Manhattan Diary. Located on 9th and 2nd, it’s in the heart of the East Village on a piece of road that’s full of restaurants, bars, and a yummy frozen yogurt place. It’s tucked between two pubs, and from the outside looks pretty nondescript – deceiving, as the inside is anything but.

I went with a couple of friends; we showed up around 8:30, and the wait for a table for three was about 30 minutes. Not bad for a Saturday night. They took my cell number, which meant that we were free to hop next door for a quick drink – the bar at Holy Basil was pretty crowded. The wait was shorter than expected, and by 8:50 or so we were seated with menus.

As newly working young adults we tried to be thrifty, and shared a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon rather than indulging in some of the pricier cocktails, but I’ll definitely be going back and will be trying something more exciting (Lychee Martini, please) next time. We each got a different dish – Chicken Pad Thai, Bangkok Duck, and Pad Khing Puk. I tried them all, and all were delicious. Just enough spice to really let the Thai flavors shine through. While my favorite Thai food comes from a tiny hole in the wall in Maine, this place came pretty close to beating that – not an easy feat.

The atmosphere is a little hip, a little fancy, but the prices are very budget-friendly. Holy Basil is definitely a steal – we each ended up paying about $20, and it would have been much less without the wine. It’s nice enough to impress someone on a date, but casual enough to wear (nice) jeans – a perfect balance. With high ceilings, dripping black chandeliers, loud music and conversation, and low, low lights, it doesn’t feel exactly Thai but still delivers on the classic Thai dishes, with a friendly host and wait staff.

Well done, Holy Basil. You’ve made it into my book.

Check out their menu online.

What are some of your favorite local haunts?