Who doesn’t love a good train wreck like Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears? For us “ordinary folk” (those of us who wear Old Navy, drink PBR and dream of tetris being an Olympic sport) there’s nothing like a healthy dose of tabloid exploitation on those who live in (what at least appears to be) an alternate universe… where dogs wear juicy couture, cars come equipped with mini-bars, breasts double as flotation devices and pocket lint is laced with cocaine.

Is it true though? Or are the tabloids just running exaggerated fantasies to harpoon mass appeal? It’s hard to know because these grandiose lifestyles are perpetuated by the attention drawn to them (unless the celebrity is actually talented). Case in point — the Kardashian sex tape.

Bad publicity is good publicity, I suppose… especially for the venues that become associated with celebrity attendance (who doesn’t want to go to places where you might see a rockstar in a bar fight or catch Paris Hilton stripping down to… well… a slightly more naked version of her usual self?).

When talking about club publicity, nothing turns up the temp on a particular venue more than the drug habits of the celebrities. The scandalous behaviors of one Miss Britney Spears has made headlines for a variety of clubs in New York including an all time personal favorite, Marquee. Yes, she has been caught using drugs in the public bathrooms all around town and she’s not the only one. The question then becomes, of course, how many drugs are being done in these places? Certainly you run a high risk (pun intended) of being caught abusing drugs if you are a celebrity, but what about us ordinary folk? Are drugs swimming through the clubs as the tabloids would have us believe? Read More »

“What did you do last night?”

It’s a question that often goes unanswered and maybe that’s for the best because the only clues you have are rather discerning (ie. waking up in someone elses’ pants or finding a tattoo of betty boop on your ankle or perhaps finding that you have a plane ticket to miami mysteriously scheduled for the following weekend). This past weekend I would discover that these are not exaggerated tales attempting to glorify a night of reckless drinking… they are (and I am living proof) ridiculous truths.

Like so many other New York hot spots, “Pink Elephant” is surrounded by velvet ropes, bouncers that answer to “Gus”, disco balls, teensy girls in teensy skirts, drugs, overpriced drinks and that guy who had one-too-many performing a very public (and very unsolicited) strip show. I came here with some friends and we got in, having mistaken it for another club called “Mansion”… but this was one mistake I would not regret. Read More »

There’s not too much about this bar that is different from any other midtown hangout. The lights are dimmed, the music is eclipsed by the steady drone of polite chatter, there is a distinct smell of polo sport and a single yawn dances contageously around the room. In any other bar, I wouldn’t have even stayed for a first drink…except that in the middle of this southern-style dive there is a mechanical bull.

Yes, a bull… as in, the land-faring version of a shark… so unpredictable and deadly that has generated sensational cinematic classics. When is Speilberg gonna make a “Western” version of “Jaws”? The time is now.

The place? Johnny Utahs.

It appears that until this moment, only a few guys had dared to take on this mechanical snorting monster. Self-induced humiliation can certainly be appreciated, but the crowd starts losing interest after realizing the predictability of how this battle of man versus beast will end.

Until… UNTIL!… the crowd parts. Laughter preceeds her entrace into the ring as a girl in a short skirt giggles sloppily toward the bull. As she makes an attempt to mount this robot-beast, something remarkable happens to the crowd. Read More »

Going out in the city can be daunting. There are so many factors to consider— is this going to be a night of a) bar hopping, b) clubbing, c) karaoke, d) comedy, or perhaps, e) some impromptu party at some guy’s apartment in Brooklyn who goes by the name “Pi”??

Indeed, any of these possibilities could result in the ultimate goal… drinking, having fun and laughing your pants off (literally and figuratively, but hopefully not at the same time).

Unless you are in “the scene” or “know people” or have a third boob, it’s not always easy to get past the doormen and into the places that you heard Ashton Kutcher hit up last weekend…But I’m here to tell you that “the scene” is not all its cracked up to be and it’s nearly impossible to keep up with because the lifespan of a trendy bar or club has a suspiciously similar longevity to that of a botox injection… coincidence? I THINK NOT! The socialites of New York dare not become “regulars” anywhere… except in the chair of the best surgeon in town.

If, however, you are so compelled to risk a dehumanizing rejection at the velvet ropes of say, Tenjune… I would do the following… (where there’s a will, there’s a way..)

1. Throw a couple names at the doorman like “I’m here with Scooter’s party” or “Is Terrick working tonight?” Read More »

[Read the first installment of my study abroad experience: What Brochures Don’t Tell You About Studying Abroad]

Since I knew no one in Dublin and had never been there before, my Time Out: Dublin guidebook was my new bible. It had several pages of maps and a pretty extensive listing of shops, bars and places to eat. As I learned my way around the city (sort of) and tried to fill up my empty days (I came almost a week before registration, so I couldn’t even use the campus computer labs or the library), I discovered a few discrepancies between my guidebook and my own personal experiences. I’ve summed up a few of them, for your enjoyment: Read More »

You’ve seen the commercials. What happens in Vegas stays there, but damn if you won’t come home with some phenomenal stories. Whether you’re planning senior year spring break or a post-graduation celebration trip away, Las Vegas will show you a good time without breaking the bank.

Essentials for Your Vegas ‘08 Trip

1)Cash
2)Group of girlfriends you won’t need to keep on a kiddie leash/babysit at the bar
3)3 nights’ worth of cute little dresses
4)Your A-game
5)An open mind

How to do it on the cheap?

Paris Hilton herself has said that Vegas can only be done for about 4 days. Your flight could easily be the most expensive portion of this little adventure. Hotels are constantly giving deals to pull crowds to the casinos, so you can even stay on the strip pretty reasonably, especially if you’re staying with a group of 4 or more. Read More »