Where the singles are

What do you want for Christmas: a tall blond? A sassy redhead? How about just someone to play bad Santa with? Whatever you're looking for-and for whatever reason you want it (hey, we don't judge)-here's where to find the city's desirables on any day of the week.

By Time Out editors Wed Dec 3 2008

Libation

Thursday

Libation at Sullivan Room is a global-soul dance party deejayed by Ian Friday. The soiree’s host, Manchildblack (hmmm…), suggests arriving when the doors open to scope out potential “multiracial, polysexual” hookups at the bar for the first hour (that’s when the two-for-ones go down). Later, it’s all about dancing, or as he puts it: “You won’t get anywhere sitting on the sidelines.”
Sullivan Room, 218 Sullivan St between Bleecker and W 3rd Sts (212-252-2151). Every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 10pm, $10.

Isn’t it hard to meet somebody during a burlesque show? Not during intermission at This Is Burlesque. The complimentary “P.I.N.K. Pastie” shots contain guarana, sure to kick sex drives into high gear (as is the hot bod of TIB star Angie Pontani, Miss Exotic World 2008). And, as Pontani relates, everybody’s type attends: “We had one night where there was a guy celebrating his 80th birthday sitting next to the Strokes.”
Corio, 337 West Broadway at Grand St (212-966-3901). 8pm, $25.

Since 1999, gay party Pop Rocks! has unabashedly embraced the motto “Booze, Boys and Britney.” The midtwenties crowd at this radio-surveying weekly shindig can be found gyrating on the sweaty floor or enjoying $2 well drinks (till 11pm) on Bar 13’s heat-lamp-fortified roof. Wherever you may find them, count on your coguests to be “fun, flirty and cute,” as one single soul puts it.
Bar 13, 35 E 13th St at University Pl (212-979-6677, myspace.com/poprocksnyc). 10pm, free.

“Cheestastic pop music, no matter how cynical or cool you are, just makes you have to dance. Oh, and Bar 13 has an awesome roof deck for conversation, smoking or just cooling off.”
—Benjamin Solomon, seen at Pop Rocks!

“Hipsters, musicians, fans of bluegrass, closet banjo players, girls who want a twirl or two…” No, this isn’t the cast of Deliverance—it’s Dock Oscar’s snapshot of the wide array of people who attend his Kings County Opry—a rotating, old-style country showcase. He recommends eyeing the eclectic bunch between sets, at the front bar or outside—Bloomberg be damned—in the “smoking zone.”
Freddy’s Bar & Backroom, 485 Dean St at Sixth Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-622-7035). Every third Thursday of the month at 8:30pm, free.

—Colin St. John

NEXT: FRIDAY »

Symphony Space’s Unwined

Friday

Author and designer Kris Waldherr hosts Friday Night Salon, an evening of conversation and wine at her studio-gallery. Refugees from the Chelsea art scene show up for perusal of Waldherr’s medieval-style illustrations and the Joanna Newsom types they attract. Of particular interest to love seekers: semiregular gratis tarot readings—inspiration for meeting your Venus match. Kris Waldherr Art and Words, 1501 Newkirk Ave at Marlborough Rd, Ditmas Park, Brooklyn (347-406-5811, kriswaldherr.com). 5–8pm, free.

You’re going to a bar tonight anyway; choose one where you can just plant yourself down and have the hotties come to you. “I go to places with communal tables for dinner, since everyone ends up talking,” says a newly single New Yorker. “Bar Boulud (1900 Broadway between 63rd and 64th Sts; 212-595-0303, barboulud.com) isn’t a ‘pickup’ place, but the people there are really nice.” Other spots with communal tables that force friendships (and more?) include the city’s biergartens—Radegast (113 North 3rd St at Berry St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-963-3973), Loreley (7 Rivington St between Bowery and Chrystie St, 212-253-7077 ) and Zum Schneider (107 Ave C at 7th St, 212-598-1098).

With five hours of unlimited sangria refills, Symphony Space’s Unwined isn’t so much about winding down at the end of the week as it is about ramping up for the weekend. The usually mellow tapas-and-chitchat spot swells into a crowded dance space when the DJ or live musicians take over at 9. Some might complain that it’s hard to talk over the fray, but why shoot the shit when there’s booty shaking to be done? Unwined, 2537 Broadway, entrance on 95th St (646-403-3215, unwinednyc.com). All you can drink sangria 7pm–midnight, $15.

“Things get busy by 9. It can be hard to mingle, but I’ve met guys and talked to them outside.”
—Lisa Grimaldi, seen at Unwined

—Matt Schneiderman

NEXT: SATURDAY »

Nacotheque

Saturday

At El Museo del Barrio’s 7th Annual Coquito Tasting Contest, you’ll sip and rate different kinds of coquito, the Puerto Rican equivalent of eggnog, while spoken-word poet Emanuel Xavier and traditional Puerto Rican musicians El David and Nelson Baez perform. Peak singles time: the 7:30pm intermission. By then the rum has gone to people’s heads.
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave at 104th St (212-831-7272, elmuseo.org). Dec 13 6:30–8:30pm, free.

Pratt kids, lifelong Bed-Stuyers and queer folk the borough wide flock to the wildly popular monthly party That’s My Jam to groove to the bhangra-tinged mix of resident DJ Tikka Masala. The party starts out mostly female, notes Masala, with guys trickling in around midnight. The action spikes between 1 and 3am, when the tipsy crew’s focus turns to dancing and socializing. Sputnik, 262 Taaffe Pl between DeKalb and Willoughby Aves, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (718-398-6666, barsputnik.com). Next night: Dec 13 9pm–4am, $3.

“Spanish-sung” alternative-music party Nacotheque has earned a following not only for its up-and-coming acts from Latin America and Spain, but for its beautiful, multculti, straight and queer crowd. High schmoozing time is around midnight.
Fontana’s, 105 Eldridge St between Broome and Grand Sts (212-334-6740, nacotheque.com). Next night: Dec 13 at 11pm, $5.

“You can show up alone and within minutes find yourself dancing on the stage with new friends. The crowd is extremely welcoming, and you’re always bound to meet someone new…and interesting.”
—Claire Frisbie, seen at Nacotheque

At Barefoot Boogie, artistic types dance sans booze and shoes. Organized by a volunteer-run collective, the fest brings together young singles as well as families and older folks. Tunes vary depending on the DJ, but it’s usually a mix of R&B, world music and funk. Self-conscious and shy types, take heart: The unpretentious partygoers here are all about movement but not about the moves.
Insight Meditation Center, 28 W 27th St between Broadway and Sixth Ave, tenth floor, No. 27 (barefootboogie.org). Next nights: Dec 13 and 27. 8:30–11:30pm, sliding scale admission $10–$15.

—Monika Fabian

NEXT: SUNDAY »

Eagle Bar Beer Blast

Sunday

The Eagle Bar Beer Blast singles fest is more toned down than down and dirty: It may take place at New York’s favorite leather bar, but on these nights, the core audience includes just about every all-American gay boy in town. “Sunday has an entirely different crowd than the rest of the week,” says reveler Will Carpenter. “All your buddies who are single get together and hit the Eagle.” And with pints, Cuervo and Jäger shots for $3 each, you’d be crazy to stay home.
Eagle Bar, 554 W 28th St between Tenth and Eleventh Aves (646-473-1866, eaglenyc.com). 5pm–midnight, no cover.

We know, ladies—you thought yoga classes weren’t a great place to meet dudes. The exception to the rule is at Yoga to the People, which has an impressive amount of testosterone in regular attendance. Try the 90-minute class at noon, or go all-out romantic at the candlelit 60-minute classes at night. Downward dogs are far sexier without overhead lighting.
Yoga to the People, 12 St. Marks Pl between Second and Third Aves, No. 2R (917-573-9642, yogatothepeople.com). Noon, 7, 8:30pm; suggested donation $10.

It’s Sunday in the park with George—or Quincy, or Noga, or dozens of other four-legged beasties. The New York City Schnauzers Playgroup, about 40 people and their pups, meets the second Sunday of each month. Organizer Savannah Burnett says it’s not just the dogs that sniff each other out. “I’ve met some of my best friends here,” she tells us, “people I never would have met in other aspects of my life.” As for romance? Let’s just say we’ve heard that puppy love is not limited to the pets.
Madison Square Park Dog Run, Madison Ave at 23rd St (schnauzer.meetup.com). Next event: Dec 14 at 11am, free.

“Two guys met here and got married,”
—Savannah Burnett, seen at the Schnauzers Playgroup

—Erin McHugh

NEXT: MONDAY »

Trivariety

Monday

At Trivariety, a new trivia-meets–Tin Pan Alley variety show for extroverts, questions and name-that-tune songs are acted out by a rotating cast of local musicians and actors. Singles can play alone or scout out the smarties and join forces during the halftime break, when the ice is officially broken. At the end of the night, much of the crowd retires upstairs to the bar at Lucky Cheng’s for karaoke. Trivariety usually takes place every other week, but check the Facebook group for details.
Fortune Cookie Lounge, 24 First Ave between 1st and 2nd Sts (212-473-0481, fortunecookiecabaret.com). Next show: Mon 8 7–9:30pm, $5.

“It’s a great place for meeting people—people who were sitting alone ended up joining teams. I was on the losing team and we still won a bottle of booze! You feel like you’re playing in your living room, except there’s an MC.”
—Erik Lillimagi, seen at Trivariety

Project Film School offers a weekly screening of a foreign or hard-to-find film, along with theory-based postmortem discussion. “This is something you usually do alone in front of your television,” says 26-year-old founder and codirector Gina Telaroli. “PFS gets lots of cool people who like the same thing together all at once.” On the last Monday of the month, PFSers take a field trip to a movie house and usually hit a bar after the credits roll. At this rate, solo movie nights will be a thing of your past.
DCTV, 87 Lafayette St at White St (212-966-4510; dctvny.org, projectfilmschool.org). 7:30pm, free.

Ice cubes in your cabernet? Chianti from a box? Wine schmucks should head to Astor Center for “The Elements of Wine: Wine Tasting, Wine Pairing, and More.” Here, company owner Andy Fisher teaches the basics of vino to precocious NYU seniors, over-40 sophisticates and everyone in between. You’ll taste seven varieties and leave with new knowledge, a buzz and maybe even a fellow imbiber’s digits.
Astor Center, 399 Lafayette St at 4th St (212-674-7501, astorcenternyc.com). Dec 15 at 6:30pm, $75.

—Kelly McMasters

NEXT: TUESDAY »

NYC Foosball Tournament

Tuesday

If mental sparring gets you going, check out the politically minded peeps at Drinking Liberally Steps Out, the monthly happy hour for the out crowd with big issues on the brain. While it’s likely you’ll chat up someone with pointed opinions, “we don’t always talk politics,” says organizer Matthew Carlin. “And we’re very welcoming when someone new comes.” Carlin says he’s seen more than a few heated debates turn into postmeeting nooky: Common interests plus two-for-one drink specials equals all kinds of fun.
XES Lounge, 157 W 24th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (livingliberally.org/drinking/chapters/NY/outnyc). Third Tuesday of each month at 7pm. Next events: Dec 16, Jan 20.

“Sometimes we get girls saying, ‘Wow, you guys are really good. How’d you get so good?’ We’re a close-knit group, but we don’t exclude anyone.”
—Gus Daphnis, seen at the NYC Foosball Tournament

Dating is all about playing games, right? Make that literal with NYC Foosball Tournament nights every Tuesday at Fat Cat. Attracting tabletop pros and those who just like to watch, the tournaments are prime territory for nabbing dateless dudes. “If you have a passion for something and you get together with other people that share the same passion, you will automatically make new friends,” says NYC Foosball head honcho Victor Lam. “That passion for foosball is such a small niche, you usually make friends even faster.” Fast friends with smooth moves? Now we’re talking.
Fat Cat, 75 Christopher St between Bleecker and W 4th Sts (212-675-6056, nycfoosball.com). 7:30pm, $5.

Should you prefer a dose of holiday spirit to usher in your hookup, head to the Bowery Poetry Club for an evening of interreligious festivities. Gastrophonic Stimulation: Latke + Eggnog Night features dirty riffs on classic holiday tunes, crunchy potato pancakes and boozy nog, otherwise known as mistletoe in a glass. This may be holiday themed, but since it’s hosted at the central breeding ground for artsy angst, expect the cheer to be tempered with a dose of good ol’ New York cynicism.
Bowery Poetry Club, 308 Bowery St between Bleecker and E Houston Sts (212-614-0505, bowerypoetry.com). Tue 9 at 10pm, $12.

—Erica Orden

NEXT: WEDNESDAY »

Peoples Improv Theater

Wednesday

Get your humor juices flowing at Wednesday night’s evening of free shows at Peoples Improv Theater. The night culminates in a jam, in which audience members band together and play in impromptu comedy teams—your chance to try your lines on that performer who’s made you hoot all night.
People’s Improv Theater, 154 W 29th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves, second floor (212-563-7488, thepit-nyc.com). 7–11pm, free.

Wednesdays at Nublu, there’s a party starring Forro in the Dark, a six-piece band sometimes topped with a David Byrne cherry. The word for Brazilian music genre forró is said to have roots in the Portuguese term for “commotion,” so don’t come if you’re interested in conversation: Communication at these jam-packed, gyrating nights is of the physical variety.
Nublu, 62 Ave C between 4th and 5th Sts (nublu.net). 11pm, $10.

“The seating is so cozy and the boys so cute that it almost seems a shame to want to crawl across the table (to meet one) and ruin the great service that differentiates the series, along with Amanda’s electrifying ambience, from any other show in town.”
— Lauren Cerand, seen at the Happy Ending Reading and Music Series

Expose yourself intellectually at the Happy Ending Reading and Music Series, where writers, storytellers and musicians put on outside-the-box performances. It’s not just about erudition: Senior curator Amanda Stern encourages attendees to “imbibe heavily and leave with someone new.” If all else fails, stick around for Get Pregnant, the snarkily named weekly hip-hop and reggae party. We recommend using protection.
Happy Ending, 302 Broome St between Eldridge and Forsyth Sts (212-334-9676, happyendinglounge.com). Reading and music series: second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 8pm; Get Pregnant: every Wednesday at 10pm.

—T.J. Carlin

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