Secrets of NYC: Moving into the East Village - Day 1

Last night was my first night in the East Village – and I’m going to start by attempting to make a (almost?) daily blog the best venues for dining & drinking as well as my adventures in the Big City.

A tame but still engaging first evening in the East Village neighborhood included discovering my (likely) hang-outs as well as finding exactly where I can take my (college) dates.

My likely go-to spots - fro-yo & Thai

Yelping along 2^nd Ave – after moving in – I quickly lined up the restaurants that I will (eventually) have to try (4 Yelp starts is my minimum). A seafood place with outdoor seating – The Mermaid Inn – and Mexican called the Black Ant – more on those soon. However, 16 Handles I know will be where I spend most of my time – hanging with Vincent – and (apparently) a new girl, Nikky (just a guess at the spelling). I’m sure you already know, you just ask for those tiny taste cups and “taste” all 16 handles – it’s fro-yo ‘til you’re full!

Just a block away, will be my go-to Thai place (a definite requirement for me) – a hole-in-the-wall for just take out (unless you like hangin’ with the staff?) that’s cheap and (from the ratings) very good, EastVillage Thai! However, I can imagine that Thai food is better in Hells Kitchen – I know that it can’t beat my favorite NYC Thai place, V{iv}.

At my birthday event last week in HK with the Jakes!

But what’s more important – is I’ve discovered where I can take my boys to drink – I ran into a boy and his girls (literally, 8 of them) waiting for a table at Dahlia’s for Cinco de Mayo. I ran my hand through my hair – and with a crowd of folks hugging the sidewalk, waiting – I found my line:

“Hey how long did she tell you the wait was?!”

Adorable, smiling and pock-faced Brian, student at Pace humored me, and his (one of many) girlfriends said she had a friend with the middle name Ashton too! However, he definitely a LI/Pace gay – when I told him I’m from outside Minneapolis he said, “oh Indiana?”

I went and checked the wait – yep 45 minutes. Well I returned and told him that my friend (who “was coming”) probably couldn’t wait that late to eat.

My new place in the East Village -
233 E 9th St

That’s when I somehow scared him off, though I remained to chat with two of his girlfriends about the neighborhood. Did he suddenly realize my motives? Who knows. I never can seem to earn the trust of boys who have too many girlfriends (or are a little too blonde). Anyway – thankfully I can take my boys out here, since word is they often attract the young college crowd (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).

So I got my hand-shake and “nice to meet you” (after an awkward few moments behind him as I tried to “say goodbye”), I found some tacos myself over at the Taco Box at Bowery & 4^th Street; $4 is a lot for a few bits of meat – but it’s nice to eat out along the street (now that the weather makes it possible).

The neighborhood is truly bro – but the gays are poking around for sure - and the college crowd is in force (thanks Grindr)! I think (maybe) I’ll find it easier to handle than the “sea of twinks” that is 9^th Avenue in Hells Kitchen.

But it’s only day 1!