New York's Best: Cheap Dates

So, you've landed a great date for this weekend and you want to plan an impressive event. Even in NYC, you don't have to spend this month's whole paycheck to make that happen!

Check out our list of New York's best cheap date ideas for your next romantic rendezvous.

Havana Nights

Journey to the Cuban capital without leaving Manhattan, starting with dinner at Cafe Habana in SoHo. Despite the trendy location, entrees are surprisingly affordable, hovering around $12/person for a intimidatingly large plate of delicious Cuban cuisine. Try the Enchiladas de Mole Poblano: chicken enchiladas in a mole sauce with rice & beans.

Then shake your stuff at Ripley Greer studios, where celebrated salsa instructor Frank "Ritmo" Garcia leads classes for just $5 on Fridays. Begininners and seasoned dancers alike will get down with their date and enjoy the salsa beat!

Cafe Habana: 17 Prince Street, Manhattan; 212.625.2001; www.cafehabana.com; average entree: $12
Ripley Grier Studios: 939 Eighth Avenue, Manhattan; www.asuritmo.com; $5/person


Get Sporty

Sports fans don't have to sit on the sidelines with their dates. Instead, have a drink at Floyd NY, where you don't just watch the game - you can be the star of the team! Floyd NY has indoor bocce courts, and hosts the city's only bocce tournament! Join together to play another team, or compete against each other (Loser owes the winner another drink!).

Worn out from the heat of the competition? Relax at 200 Fifth, where Brooklynites from around the borough will be watching the night's game during POGO's March Madness Event (March 18th). Choose your college basketball picks and root for your favorite team. Then celebrate your victory together - or comfort each other after a defeat.

Floyd NY: 131 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-858-5810; www.floydny.com; free
March Madness Event at 200 Fifth: 200 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn; www.bklynevents.com; $5


Take a Trip to Chinatown

Manhattan's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia, and just browsing the streets and market is intriguing enough for a daytime date. But when you need a break from the crowds outside, take a breather and check out the Museum of Chinese in America, a beautiful and serene spot dedicated to Chinese experience in New York. The collections include beautiful and delicate paper sculpture, detailed Chinese opera costumes, and art pieces from the past two centuries. Admission is 2-for-1 until May, making it a great stop for a couple!

Hungry? Check out Xi'an Famous Foods for what is often hailed as the best Xi'an food outside of China. Perfect for the frugal and adventurous gourmet, the tiny space specializes in hand-pulled noodles; try the famous cumin lamb noodles, or go for the more adventurous "spicy and tingly lamb face."

Museum of Chinese in America: 215 Centre St, Manhattan; 212-619-4785; www.mocanyc.com; $7 for two (through May 31)
Xi'an Famous Foods: 88 East Broadway #106, Manhattan; 646-209-8242; www.xianfoods.com; average entree: $5


Fun & Games

Get rid of first-date jitters by laughing the night away at the best comedy show in New York. Need another reason to check it out? It's free! Join hosts Max Silvestri and Gabe Liedman at Big Terrific, where visiting comedy guests will have you rolling on the floor (We hope it's clean). SNL cast member Jenny Slate started out here, so you might catch some comedians just before they make it big.

Then go back to your childhood with the Brooklyn date staple, Barcade. With dozens of classic arcade games, you'll feel like it's 1985 again - except this time, the games are accompanied by 20 delicious beers on tap!

Big Terrific: Cameo, 93 N. 6th St, Brooklyn; 718-302-1180; free
Barcade: 388 Union Ave, Brooklyn; 718-302-6464; www.barcadebrooklyn.com

As Seen on TV

TV fanatics, rejoice: you can see all your favorite classic shows for free right here in NYC! The NY Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center has a video arcived packed with episodes of classic shows like I Love Lucy, M*A*S*H, and more. If you reserve in advance, you can also borrow from their extensive film archive and spend a Saturday afternoon snuggling in front of one of the collection's free multimedia viewing centers.

Then head over to a watering hole made famous by TV, Tom's Restaurant. The face of the celebrated diner on Seinfeld, Tom's is a local favorite, and is easy on the wallet! Enjoy classic diner fare like the hamburger special ($5) or the roast beef sandwich (6.25).

NYPL for the Performing Arts: 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, Manhattan; 212-870-1630; www.nypl.org; free
Tom's Restaurant: 2880 Broadway, Manhattan; 212-864-6137; average entree: $6

What’s Happening This Weekend?: Our Picks

Every weekend, we're bringing you five of our top events picks from around NYC. Check back next week for more ways you can eat, drink, see, shop and play around the city!

EAT

Get a head start on St. Patrick’s Day at Ulysses’ Folk House, the classic Irish pub that has Patty’s-themed events all week long. Our favorite? Their Cobblestone Brunch, featuring unlimited servings of sausage, omelets, oysters, pastries from Financier, and of course, corned beef. A complimentary Guinness makes it a true St. Patrick’s Day treat.

Sun March 14, 11am-4pm, $20

95 Pearl Street / 58 Stone Street, Manhattan

DRINK

Celebrate the opening of West 3^rd Common, a new addition to the Washington Square bar scene, with a free glass of beer or wine, plus a free order of garlic fries for the table, when you tell them the code word (“wheaten terrier”). Then sip on your drink while enjoying the bar’s selection of board games with friends.

Through March 31; free

1 W. 3^rd St, Manhattan

SEE

It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights. It's time to meet the Muppets with a sing-along screening of The Muppet Movie at the Knitting Factory. Watch the movie and join in with subtitled song selections. Fans of Kermit, Fozzie and the gang will also enjoy Muppet trivia and drink specials honoring the fuzzy friends.

Sun, March 14, 2:15 PM; $7.00

361 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn

SHOP

Pick up a vintage handbag or decorate your apartment with one-of-a-kind pieces from the Pier Antiques Show. With over 500 vendors joining the crowd, you’ll find everything from classic LPs to chandeliers while browsing this lineup along the Hudson. Curious collectors can also bring items to be appraised – You might have something valuable on your hands!

Sat and Sun, March 13-14, 10am-6pm; free

Pier 94, 12^th Ave at 55^th St, Manhattan

PLAY

Bring your puppy or just watch the canine competitors at Brooklyn’s Mutt Show. See who will win the crown in events like Sloppiest Kisser, Looks Most Like Owner and Most Nutritionally Advantaged (Fattest). Puppy costumes will also be judged, so be ready to face the cuteness.

Sat and Sun, March 13-14, 11am-7pm; $5 to watch, $10 to enter

Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 Fourth Ave, Brooklyn

How Long Is Manhattan?

And the answer is ....

B) 13. 4 miles

From the southernmost point of Manhattan island, Battery Park, to the uppermost, 220th Street, Manhattan is 13.4 miles long. Broadway runs almost the entire length of the island, stopping just north of Battery Park!

New York Trivia Tuesday

North-south blocks in Manhattan are an average of 1/20th of a mile. But how long is the entire island of Manhattan?

a) 8.2 miles

b) 13.4 miles

c) 16.6 miles

d) 11.2 miles

Check back on Thursday for the answer to this week's New York trivia question!

New York's Best: Coffee Shops

New York is known as the city that never sleeps - and a large part of that is thanks to caffeination from the city's best coffee shops. Luckily, there's a coffee spot for every scene, style and budget.

Check out our picks of the best coffee shops in New York:

Best Coffee Artisan: Abraço Espresso

Tradition is a buzzword at owner Jamie McCormick’s old-world espresso bar, where drinks are carefully crafted and espresso is always served in a demitasse. There’s no loitering here; you can take your cup outside or pretend you’re in Europe while standing at the bar. House-made pastries (including a signature olive oil cake) are another highlight of one of New York’s best coffee shops.

86 E. 7th St., Manhattan

Best to Kick Back and Relax: Southside Coffee

Take a break with a cup of joe at this laid-back and chilled-out Windsor Terrace favorite. Besides some of the best coffee in Brooklyn, their staff will willingly chat with you about your beverage of choice and help make suggestions for the casual drinker. Free wifi makes this hangout a place to while away an afternoon.

652 6th Ave., Brooklyn.

Best Student Central: Joe

A popular favorite with the NYU crowd and a common student vote for the city’s best coffee shop, Joe’s original location in the West Village became so popular that it’s now a chain of 5 – and slated to grow some more in the next year. The coffee hasn’t suffered though, and you can learn even more about it by enrolling in Joe University: a series of home brewing classes for the budding coffee connoisseur.

141 Waverly Pl., Manhattan.

Also: 9 E 13th St., 405 W 23rd St St., 44 Grand Central Terminal and 514 Columbus Ave.

Best Hidden Gem: Outpost Café

Step off a bleak section of Fulton Street and into this welcoming coffee haven, complete with backyard terrace in the summers. Long wooden benches in this best coffee shop around foster a communal atmosphere that will have you chatting with your neighbors about your favorite brews.

1014 Fulton St., Brooklyn.

Best Simple Cup: Stumptown

If you’re just looking for the best no-frills cup of coffee in New York, look no further than Stumptown. Although its Flatiron outpost in the Ace Hotel has more of a get-in get-out atmosphere than a sit-down hangout, this Oregon import deserves mention in our list of best coffee shops for its quality beans.

Ace Hotel, 18 W 29th St, Manhattan.

Did You Know ..... (Bklyn Edition)

that Red Hook was named after the red clay soil in the area -- that's the "red" part and the way the land is a "point" in the harbor, after another word that came from the original dutch settlers. Bay Ridge, just south of Red Hook, was originally called "Yellow Hook", but after a yellow fever epidemic the area was renamed in 1853.

Trivia Tuesday is Back!!!!

The first American chess tournament was held in New York in what year??

a) 1776
b) 1843
c) 1803
d) 1998