The NY Minute: Club Hoppin’ and Celeb Spottin’ with Troy Gordon

“The New York Minute” profiles people in the City who provide resources and services that help exponentially increase your fabulousness without having an inverse effect on your bank accounts.

It’s recently dawned on many of you ladies that the summer’s almost over and you haven’t gone out nearly as much as you should have (some thanks to your fiscal cut-backs, but more thanks to the monsoon-like showers we’ve been having…btw, wtf?). Time to cram three months’ worth of nightlife into three weeks! Afraid you’ll break Fabulously Frugal Guide to Sexy Savings Rule #2 in the process? Fear not. Troy Gordon is at your service.

Troy@Hotel Gansevoort

The Trinidad native and former Wall Street rookie infiltrated the meatpacking district’s club circuit after graduating from Fordham University and never looked back. Now, you can find him at any combination of 1Oak, Greenhouse, M2, Kiss + Fly, Marquee and the Gansevoort (to name JUST a few) on any given night (and I do mean ANY given night – this man does not sleep).  With several club openings, re-openings and renovations slated to take place in the meatpacking district this Fall, who knows where he’ll end up next.

Unlike other elusive club promoters, Troy wants to spread the love. He does so on his blog, TheGordonBrief.com, where his stories of encounters with super-celebs and buxom babes give you the Perez-style juice from NYC’s most popular nightclubs. He invites anyone (and by anyone he means guys willing to buy bottles and attractive girls) to hit him up for a hook up at the door and chances are (if you’re dressed for the part and have an attitude to match) you’ll skip the line and the cover charge, roll inside with him and hang out at his table all night.

Feeling a little too shy to reach out to a complete stranger? Don’t. Troy loves to meet new people. He also enjoys long walks on the beach and hates capital letters. Here’s a little Q&A with the up-and-coming nightlife concierge extraordinaire:

What makes you a unique club promoter? i dont think there are other promoters out there that are as honest as i am. if i have to tell a girl not to come out with me on a respective night because the crowd music or vibe won’t suit her i will.

What advice would you give to girls and guys who want you to get them into the clubs you promote? always dress well. be polite to the doormen. don’t be rude because that immediately ruins your chances.

Best and worst thing about your job? best thing i would say is meeting a lot of people of importance in different arenas of life. worst thing is dealing with very snobby and impatient people who think they are better than the rest of us and they must get what they want without question without paying a dime for it.

Who’s the biggest celebrity you’ve ever rubbed elbows with? a few. ciara @ M2, chris brown @ marquee, and have been working @ the same venue as pdiddy, kanye west, lil wayne, busta rhymes and many more

Best/Hottest club right now? 1oak, avenue, the gates

Most bridge-and-tunnel, over-hyped club right now? haha I guess M2

Drink of choice? red bull. i dont drink (*Editor’s note: say what???)

Do you ever mix business with pleasure? i guess after dealing with all of my clients’ needs i try to have a dance or two but for the most part i am usually taking care of everyone’s needs and wants like an economist

There. Now you two are well acquainted so go ahead, contact him. Mention Fabulously Frugal NY and he’ll take extra special care of you .

Troy Gordon

Troy@thegordonbrief.com

646.251.5017

WTF! Across the Atlantic to Radegast…

“WTF! (Will Travel for Food)” features Frugal Andy’s epicurean jaunts beyond state borders and across boroughs (hey, when you live uptown, Brooklyn is a far away land).

Courtesy www.RadegastHall.com

Traversing across boroughs is hardly considered long-distance travel for any rational human being. But for the average Manhattanite, a trek from the far corners of West Harlem to the outskirts of Brooklyn is like flying across the Atlantic Ocean. You could literally read half a novel, catch a mid-day nap, or knit a sweater during the commute.

Nevertheless I made such a trek to a beer garden in Williamsburg on one fine Sunday afternoon to join a dear friend for celebratory birthday drinks. My destination was Radegast Hall & Biergarten, located at 113 North 3^rd St. As a wine-loving vegetarian (pescatarian, really) I anticipated swimming through a sea of loud, fist-pumping twenty-somethings to find my friend’s table upon arrival, only to end up perusing a menu decorated with wursts and lagers of all kinds, eventually settling for a mediocre basket of fries and a club soda with lemon.  It wouldn’t matter though – I was there for my friend, not the food.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a delightful, open-air, barn-like space dotted with families and sober groups of friends. Even more delightful was the delicious Floris Apple beer I discovered – a crisp, refreshing brew that can best be described as a tart apple shandy.

The first Floris Apple went down smoothly and quickly, so I immediately ordered another. Meanwhile, the scent of the grill was calling me, so I ventured over to scour the chalk-board menu.  I found myself starry-eyed over the sight I beheld – “Grilled Portobello and Goat Cheese Sandwich.” Ten minutes and $8.75 later I was devouring my little piece of heaven. The crisp sourdough bread, charred to perfection on the fiery grill, clung to the goat cheese that had gracefully spread across the surface of the thick portobello mushroom (which had clearly been rubbed with some kind of herby concoction prior to being grilled). Even better was the house mustard, a thick, ochre-colored (and slightly sweet) condiment that clumsily oozed from the sides of my sandwich as I took my first few bites.  The fries, while not exceptional, were far from mediocre and their saltiness perfectly counterbalanced the sweetness of the mustard and goat cheese.

My “trans-Atlantic” travels had been fruitful in more ways than one.  An evening of celebration led to a delightfully delectable discovery. In the words of one famous Eastern European, “I’ll be back.”

Poor Man’s Pasta….When “There’s Nothing to Eat”

If I told you that you could actually make one of the tastiest pasta meals you’ll ever eat when your kitchen cabinets and refridgerator are at their absolute barest would you believe me? Ok, so MAYBE you’ll have to pick up 2 items at the grocery, but they’ll cost you no more than $5.

Poor Man’s Pasta is a little something I once threw together when there was no time to make it to the grocery store for a few consecutive weeks and, well, I got hungry. For most people, when “there’s nothing to eat in the apartment,” at the very least there’s a half-pack of pasta laying in the cupboard, a couple eggs sitting by their lonesome selves in the fridge, and a couple stray cloves of garlic in the vegetable crisper (that shelve-like contraption in the fridge where you’re supposed to store veggies, but probably don’t).

This dish is a bit like spaghetti carbonara with a twist (and the twist makes it yummier and healthier)! I’ve made this thing for meat-lovers and the pickiest eaters and it gets rave reviews every time.

FRUGAL ANDY’S POOR MAN’S PASTA

Ingredients

1/2 pack of spaghetti (multigrain preferably, but plain will do)

3 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 medium or 2 large eggs

*4 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil (this is the “twist” I mentioned. Olive oil would also work but the toasted sesame oil has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that makes this dish irresistible)

1/4 cup of Kraft Parmesan Cheese

*1 vine-ripened tomato (chopped)

*These are the ingredients that you may not have lying around the apartment, so a pit stop at the grocery might be necessary on the way home. But hey, two ingredients and $5 is a small price to pay for 2 plates’ worth of deliciousness…

Step 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp of sesame oil, a pinch of salt and the half-pack of pasta. Boil pasta until al dente (cooked on the outside, slightly firm on the inside…takes about 6 minutes on average). If you’re a novice in the kitchen, you might want to refer to About.com’s guide to cooking pasta because soggy noodles are really lame.

Step 2

In a large frying pan, pre-heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of sesame oil on the stove over a medium fire. After roughly 60 seconds, add the 3 chopped garlic cloves and let them cook for about 90 seconds. At that point, add the chopped tomatoes, another pinch of salt and a generous sprinkling of ground black pepper.

Tomatoes and garlic frolicking in toasted sesame oil...yum!

Step 3

Add the drained pasta to the frying pan and crack the 3 eggs over the pasta.  Using a pair of tongs or two large forks, or spoons, or whatever you can find that’s long and rectangular, toss the pasta as the eggs cook slowly.  When the eggs are almost cooked (they will look almost scrambled), turn off the heat and add the 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, still tossing the pasta to fully combine the mixture.

Tossing in the parmesan cheese

Step 4

Serve and devour! You can thank me later

The finished product

Wine Not?: Astor’s Top 10 Under $10

Finding a good quality bottle of wine for under $10 usually renders one helpless amidst a selection of wines that are advertised to the masses at bus stops and Times Square billboards.

Not so if you have Astor Wines & Spirits in your life. It’s more than a wine retailer. It’s a wine mecca, arguably boasting one of Manhattan’s most diverse yet affordable collections with a passion for educating the average consumer about glorious vinos imported from all corners of the globe.

Other than the FabFrug-friendly, free wine tastings held in-store 2 to 3 times per week and the incredible cooking and wine appreciation classes at The Astor Center (the educational facility/event space located upstairs), my favorite thing about this fine establishment is its Top Ten Under $10 list, which they post to their website and distribute to their mailing list on a monthly basis. The prices listed online are identical to those in-store, so buyers have the added convenience of browsing and selecting their bottles of choice from the comfort of their couches and then picking up their selection the next time they meander over to NoHo (they’ll deliver free of charge if your purchases exceed $75).

Photo courtesy www.astorwines.com

Enough talking…let’s drink!

Astor Wines & Spirits’ “Top Ten Under $10″ for August

1. Vinho de Mesa Rosé, Famega – NV (Non-Vintage) $5.99 – Rosé, Portugal
2. Carignan, Poudou – 2008 $6.99 – Red, France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Coteaux de Peyriac
3. Evans & Tate Sauvignon Blanc – 2006 $6.99 – White, Australia, Western Australia, Margaret River
4. Teatro, Chardonnay – 2009 $6.99 – White, Argentina, Mendoza
5. Antica Vigna Rosso, Sigillus Primus, Puglia – 2008 $6.99 – Red, Italy, Apulia
6. Piazzolla Bonarda, Mendoza – 2007 $6.99 – Red, Argentina, Mendoza
7. Matelles, Merlot VdP d’Oc – 2008 $7.99 – Red, France, Vin de Pays
8. Savia Viva, Cava Brut – NV $8.99 – White, Spain, Penedès
9. Moscato Giallo “Vigna Giere”, Vivallis – 2007 $9.99 – White, Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino
10. Bourgogne Blanc, La Burgette – 2007 $9.99 – White, France, Burgundy

This Little Piggy’s Got Attitude

Though few may be aware, shoe jewelry has been around for quite some time. The problem is it’s clearly been designed for two audiences only - children and the older, less fashionable populace. Thus, the pieces floating around the web have mostly resembled Grandma’s old broaches and poofy, polyester, clip-on flowers (see Exhibit A).  Let’s not even get me started on those Jibbitz (don’t be fooled by the “boys” and “girls” links  on the page – there are grown men and women wearing these! Shame!).

Litter SF recognizes that we’re in 2009. The high-end, industrial-looking decorative chains featured in their line of shoe jewelry add an edge to any classic pump, stiletto or boot, thus expanding one’s footwear collection while making a profound statement.

Walk of Shame, $155 at www.LitterSF.com

I must issue a disclaimer – Litter’s shoe jewelry is not cheap.  Prices range between $70 and $245. However, the FabFrug school of thought does not preach “cheapness.” Instead, it advocates quality over quantity…fabulousness within one’s fiscal means…”value” if you will.

Let me demonstrate by taking it back to math class…

Situation: You own 6 pairs of shoes (ha!) that you truly love but are tired of wearing all the time and want to, at the very least, double your shoe collection.

Problem: You have only $200 to invest in new homes for your little piggies.

Work it out now: (2 pumps + 3 stilettos + 1 boot) + [(2 pumps + 3 stilettos + 1 boot) x (1 Cat Walk + 1 Crypt Walk)] = 18 different looks to make the piggies proud.

Solution: Buy Litter SF’s shoe jewelry.

Convinced yet?

Vacate for the Price of an MTA MetroCard

If you weren’t planning to take a summer vacation this year because you think your time is better spent making that paper instead of spending it, you might want to think again after you read this article from your favorite pop culture travel friends at Jaunted.com.

-Frugal Andy

Megabus Unloading 50,000 Tickets For $1 Each

By JetSetCD, 2009-08-05 13:52:17

Photo courtesy Jaunted.com

Who wants to take the bus to Albany?! We know, we know; no one really wants to do that. But now you can just for the hell of it, because Megabus has released some 50,000 tickets for $1 each.

The offer covers all of their US routes, with hubs in New York and Chicago, and works for travel dates from September 14 to November 19. Make sure to input promo code HOTDEAL for your best chance at the discounted fares. Atlantic City in late September is still warm, right? Cleveland from Chicago is a good bet for some Italian food and a long weekend away.

All you have to do to score the seats for almost nothing is log on to Megabus.com, choose your departure and arrival cities within the applicable dates (we found $1 fares available all over), and pay the 50-cent reservation fee. Therefore it is possible to score a round-trip bus ride for a total of $2.50 per person. Not bad, not bad at all considering that they’ve got WiFi now.

Related Stories:

· Megabus [Official Site]

’09 Guide to Sexy Savings…La Fin

Rule #4: Imbibe to Survive

The culinary scene in New York is to many what prayer is to the Pope – it is the most fundamental activity through which the purest form of joy and fulfillment is derived. To completely deprive oneself of the bliss that is imbibing around town is just plain torture. If you find yourself in such a bind, well, you might as well move to Buffalo. The “abstinence” message hasn’t done much for sex education in this town and it SURE as hell don’t curb cravings for food and cocktails with a side of good friends.

Coovents.com shares my sentiments and offers a phenomenal solution, bless its little heart. It provides a real-time rundown of the most affordable happy hour specials in almost every neighborhood in Manhattan, plus Park Slop and Greenpoint in Brooklyn. Impromptu $5 margaritas and mojitos at the oh-so-cute Lolita bar this evening anyone?  What’s that? You’re working late tonight? Oh, well let me use this NIFTY SEARCH FUNCTION to see where we can get a similar deal tomorrow night, or the night after, or the night after that! That’s right people, with Coovents you can plan your low-cost after-work jaunts days in advance. Don’t you want to marry it and have its babies? I sure do.

Need a solid meal to go with that alcohol? Here are a few spots that serve a belly-filling plate for under $15 (more FabFrug grub recommendations to be featured in future posts):

123 Burger Shot Beer

738 10^th Ave. between 50^th and 51^st Streets

$1 Burgers (mini-burgers, just to be clear), $2 shots and $3 beers. Need I say more?

Maoz Veg

Locations on the Upper West Side, Union Square and East Village (Times Square soon to come)

After first discovering this vegetarian felafel-joint-on-crack in Madrid in 2005, then traveling to Philly after the first U.S. location opened in 2007, then marveling as not one, or two, but THREE NY locations popped up over the course of a year and half, I have been on a crusade to turn every New Yorker, scrap that, everyone I know on the planet, into a Maoz devotee.  Trust me, when you try it you will fall to your knees and sing its praises. You’re a meat-eater you say? And? Did I ask you that? You will love it.

Pio Pio

Locations on the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Murray Hill, Hells Kitchen, Queens and Da Bronx.

At this down-home Peruvian chain, many of the entrees comfortably serve two people. Those who’ve eaten here won’t shut up about it. We get it, it’s Fab!!

Shade

241 Sullivan St. at 3^rd St.

This place is just as good as the village Creperie (in my li’l ol’ opinion) but has cozy seating available, a fully stocked bar and more menu flexibility. Both the entrée and dessert crepes cost $7.50 and $6.50 respectively for any 3 ingredients on a classic or whole wheat crepe. The whole-wheat crepe with roasted onions, goat cheese and spinach is my fave! Like the fabulous Miss Zoe, I die! There’s no website, so just trust me on this one.

Tuck Shop

68 E. 1^st St. between 1^st and 2^nd Aves.

I like this place solely because of the fact that I spent most of my teenage years buying snacks from a “tuck shop” in my high school in Trinidad. It’s the name we use for little corner stores or “bodegas” and apparently the Aussies use it too. This particular Tuck Shop sells all kinds of delicious, filling pastries like the traditional Aussie meat pies, lamb and vege pies, sausage rolls and veggie rolls, plus “sangers” (sandwiches) of all kinds. Hope you’re ready for a lesson in culinary geography, son.

’09 Guide to Sexy Savings…Part Trois

Rule #3: Look Your Best for Less

Courtesy TeamSugar.com

I firmly believe that a woman’s hair-maintenance should not have to suffer on account of her quest for FabFrug status. As a matter of fact, unless you’re capable of rocking a fly hat or a fabulous head scarf on a pretty consistent basis, a mane that’s an overall hot mess automatically takes away from one’s fabulosity and one is left being just plain ol’ frugal.

Understandably, many of the chemical processes we endure to achieve our finished, flawless looks are becoming increasingly expensive. Might I recommend turning to the apprentices of the hair styling industry for a little affordable help?

At the top hairdressing schools in NY, many of the graduates go on to become stylists at the city’s most popular salons…Ted Gibson, Devachan (for the curly girls!) et al. These craftsmen and women-in training eventually need real heads of hair to style before they can graduate. Enter the Bumble and Bumble University (Bb. U) and the Aveda Institute.

The Bb. U model project gives FabFrug divas like you and me the opportunity to become a hair model and receive free cuts and color jobs. The process is a tad complicated so I’ve taken the liberty of breaking it down for my peeps:

Step 1 – Complete a pre-evaluation form

Step 2 – If it’s determined that you have a workable hair type/texture, you will be called in to attend the next scheduled “Model Call.” These are held only twice per month, always on a Monday.

Step 3 – At model call your hair is evaluated by a Bb. U stylist and if it’s determined that you have the right hair conditions, length and texture, you’re entered into the model clientele roster.

Benefits to being a Bb. U model include:

- Free Haircuts

- Free Styling sessions

- A thorough hair assessment to determine which cuts best suit your features

- An opportunity to receive a free color job once you’ve already received a cut

The Aveda Institute is much less complicated but services come with price tags, albeit bearable ones. Cuts start at $20, color jobs at $40, highlights at $45 and there’s a very ambiguous “Caribbean therapy treatment” for $45 that I’m going to have to investigate and get back to you on. Sounds like it’ll either be marvelous, or insanely cliché and useless (fingers crossed for the former). Of course, you can rest assured that these services are performed by students who are closely supervised by licensed, experienced professionals.

Go forth and groom thyself!

’09 Guide to Sexy Savings…Part Deux

So I’m (FINALLY!) ready to reveal the remaining rules of the ’09 Guide to Sexy Savings in my next few posts. I know half the year has gone by already (feels like I blinked in February and up popped August! Damn you 9-5, damn you!), but it’s never too late to turn things around.

So here we go…

Rule #2: Summer Fun Should Not Precede Fall Poverty

Many of us have already fallen pray to what I like to call “NYC Summer Fever.” Once the temperature heats up and the layers of goose down and woolen knits get stripped away, it’s like we all begin to hallucinate that we’re made of money and it’s bar tabs, door covers and cab rides galore.

Luckily this city that never sleeps offers enough affordable activities to keep even the busiest of bodies happy.  Even better is the fact that discounts off many of these already reasonably priced activities can be delivered right to your inbox daily.

Groupon.com has to be just about the most fabulous online coupon venture ever! Once you complete the simple registration process, you’ll receive daily e-alerts with the discount of the day, which includes offers like 56% off wine classes at NY Vintners (pay $20 for a 3-hour “Wine 101,” “Pasta Making and Italian Wines” or other classes) and $19 for a full-day Comfort Bike rental complete with helmet and safety gear (a $39 value). What distinguishes Groupon from other coupon sites is the fact that the discounts and deals aren’t shitty – no cliché tourist attractions or bottom-of-the-rung restaurants and retailers. They’re actually pretty freaking fabulous. Just be sure to take advantage of the discounts soon after they arrive in your inbox as the good deals tend to sell out within a matter of hours. That’s the catch – there are a limited number of coupons available for each deal and once that limit is reached, the sale ends.

Goldstar.com is another site that prides itself on offering discounts to some of the city’s signature (and admittedly slightly more touristy) activities like yacht rides and sunset cruises around Manhattan, comedy shows, theater productions and sporting events. The reality is that sometimes it’s fun to play tourist! Pay only $37.50 for $75 tickets for the widely acclaimed Fuerza Bruta, get a 50% discount off Shecky’s Girls Night Out tickets or receive free admission to a $20 comedy show at EastVille Comedy Club.  Visit the site, sign up and let the freeness begin!