Moby, can you hear me?

It's time we ventured to Loisaida, don't you think? We're talking Avenue C here people. Which used to be borderline sketchy, but there's so many bars and crowds there now that I don't think it's true anymore. Avenue D is another story. There are a few once-cool, now turned B&T joints on Avenue C. But one of the ones that remains really cool is Moby's live music spot - Nublu.

Nublu is located at 62 Avenue C. Yes, it's a late-night hipster spot. But in an awesome, not annoying way. Moby is the owner after all and he's pretty zen. It is sweaty though. And a little smelly. There's no A/C. There's also no stage for the bands. But there is something very raw about the environment that makes people want to makeout. A lot. Because they do. I've seen it.

There's no real sign outside of Nublu, so just look for this awning thing with the doorman inside. Oh, and I should mention there's always been a $10 cover when I've gone.

[side note] Am I the only one still not over the whole live band/DJ combo thing? Not that it's any kind of new music revelation. But it's still so cool to me everytime I experience it in a small venue like this. This girl pictured here seemed pretty into it too.

So if you like bumping to the beat, or making out in dark, sweaty places, you should check this place out. Maybe Moby will show up and DJ. He's done it before.

Prison or paradise?

I recently read somewhere that Joran van der Sloot's jail cell in Peru is 10x8. (If you've been living under a rock and don't know who Joran van der Sloot is click here.) This got me thinking. My bedroom in the EV was 11x8, and I paid $1,183 a month for it. Granted, I wasn't living with criminals and I had all the normal converted 3-bedroom apartment luxuries like a separate kitchen, bathroom and half living room. But reading this bit of info made me feel a little better knowing that my feelings of living in a cell weren't completely unwarranted.

Though this blog is largely an ode to the EV and how great it is, there are certainly some negatives and the cost of living is definitely a big one. Keep this in mind before making a move to this hood. I don't regret it for a minute, because you're only young once! But I couldn't live there today, unless of course I had a few million in the bank.

Hip to the hop

Whoa, did I see some crazy dance moves at No Malice Palace on Saturday night. Moves so fast and complex that they cannot be recorded by film or digital media, so you'll have to just use your imagination.

Located at 197 E. 3rd St., No Malice Palace is a great place to get your hippity hop on in a non-clubby, non-pretentious environment. The only real sign, seen below, is on the inside of the bar.


Their DJ is great. I can't remember the last time I got to sing along to "Got your money" by ODB (that's Ol' Dirty Bastard for those less in the know). Actually, didn't he change his name to Big Baby Jesus? I digress.

Some negatives about this bar include: there's no beer on tap. I've been there when there's a line and when it's been too crowded. And in terms of the crowd, it's pretty mixed, but leans to the younger side, so it might not be as enjoyable for ladies 30+. I would say the same thing for guys, except that guys seem to like younger girls for some weird reason.

To find No Malice, look for the green light. It does look pretty sketchy outside of the bar with that black curtain over the window. But inside it's fairly normal. Just a long space with a bar up front and then couches as you head towards the back where the dancing happens. There's also an outdoor space, but it closes at 11 on the weekends.

Next time I get the urge to start a hip hop dance crew (which is pretty much everytime I catch an episode of Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew) I am heading to this spot to bust a move.

Basement of love, part 2

The companion bar to Lovers of Today is Cabin Down Below, also known as Cabin. Also located in the basement at 132 1/2 7th St., Cabin is even harder to find than Lovers of Today.


This is because even when you walk down the stairs to the basement, you can't really see the entrance to Cabin in the back, and you are immediately drawn to the entrance of Lovers of Today on the right.


Cabin is more divey than LOT, but not as divey as you would expect a basement bar to be. The space is also bigger than you would expect, broken up into a few smaller rooms. The crowd is a fairly hipster-y and I did sense 'tude from the doorman. So needless to say don't show up in a polo shirt and running shoes. There is no beer on tap at Cabin, only bottles. One of the biggest pluses (besides feeling really proud of yourself for finding this place) is the good music, though it is a tad loud since the atmosphere is otherwise fairly chill. Overall, this is a good spot to escape from the college/B&T crowd that has been pervading the EV as of late. But not a good place if you have a strong aversion to hipsters.