JoonBlog New York

This Summer in the Hamptons - The Share House

Ahh, summertime in New York City. The approach of one of our favorite seasons brings about thoughts of outdoor eating, walks in the park, sports and of course the search for that perfect share house in the Hamptons. The procedure can be quite grueling if you aren’t one of those lucky ones who either has a friend who runs one, have been doing the same house for 5 years now, or for the “ultra lucky”, you own your own pad right next to Puff Daddy. But for those of us out there that are looking for that “share house experience” here are some helpful hints:

1.Do your research. Figure out if you want to be in South, East, West, Bridge, Quogue or the Hampton Bays. They each attract different age groups, different walks of life and there is a difference between them all.

2.Don’t be afraid to meet a lot of different share houses. Chances are when you meet them , you will just know. Kind of like the right relationship. Go to the happy hour get-togethers, answer the Village Voice Ads. Yes, the regular people take out Village Voice Ads and answer them.

3.See if the share house you are interested in has a website. A lot of share houses nowadays have their own websites : For example : www.hampton-summer.com, www.marcelshouse.com, www.davidshapiro.net. You can see pictures of the house, it lists all of the amenities and explains the dates of your share.

4.Ask Questions. Here are a few:
How many people per weekend? How much is it to bring a guest? How often is the house cleaned? Do I have to bring my own linens? Does my room have its own bathroom? Do you have connections with the bars and clubs in the Hamptons? What happens if I miss my weekend, can I swap with another person? When do I have to pay in full for the share? Is there parking for my car? Who “runs” everything in the house each weekend?
Trust me ,you should leave nothing up to chance.

Give us some pointers below….

4 AM Feeding

New York City, the city that never sleeps. And for those of us who live, party or work in the city that is open 24 hours a day, we surely need to eat 24 hours a day. So here at JoonBug we have put together our top picks for that late night feeding that we all agree is so unnecessary when we think about it the next day yet SO necessary when we are making those “clear headed” decisions at 4 am. Here are some of our favorites:

Cafeteria: 119 7th Avenue, Manhattan (212) 414-1717. The American-Style Cuisine is famous for its macaroni and cheese and its waffle banana split. Dieters beware; this place will rekindle your love affair with carbs.

Mamoun’s: 119 MacDougal Street, Manhattan (212) 674-8685. Mamoun’s Falafel is the best way to feel completely satisfied for under $5. Falafel, chicken kebab, hummus, if middle-eastern food is your thing, this is the place for you.

Florent: 69 Gansevoort Street, Manhattan (212) 989-5779. If you are out and about in the ever so popular Meatpacking District, this late night eatery is one you don’t want to miss. Just a stumble away from PM, Lotus and the Soho House…..

L’Express: 249 Park Avenue South, Manhattan (212) 254-5858.
Late night, this is the place to be. The energy at L’Express at 3:30 am you would think it was Saturday night at 9 pm. Quick Service and Great food, this one is a keeper.

Coffee Shop: 29 Union Square West, Manhattan (212) 243-7969.
This one is an oldie but a goodie in the scene of late night eatin’. Its Brazilian inspired menu and your ability to be endlessly occupied by people watching make this Union Square’s destination for late night eating.

Grays Papaya : Every other Street Corner in Manhattan. C’mon we have all had those nights. A little too much to drink, a lapse in judgment, and before you know it you are going for the $4 special: 2 hot dogs, fries and a fruity concoction. No regrets here.

Anytime: 93 N. 6th Street, Brooklyn (718) 218-7272. Williamsburg is one of the hottest neighborhoods outside of Manhattan so it is only expected that they have a late night hotspot as well. I hear the tater-tots (so old school – literally elementary school) are to die for.

Let us know what you think.....

The Return of the Mega-Clubs?

They're Old School-sized. But are they antique?

In the beginning, there was Studio 54, which in turn spawned...

The Mega-Clubs.

Twilo.
Limelight.
Palladium.
Club USA.
Danceteria.

And then, some bad stuff happened…

Has anyone else noticed how many new clubs are opening? Not the average city turnover of “here-today-vanished/renamed/or-under-new-mgt-tomorrow” places but a renaissance of new (improved?) mega-clubs. Citysearch.com describes the spankin’ new LQ as “Manhattan's latest addition to the mega-club revival” but we know it’s up against some mega-competition for that title.

Deep. ( 16 W. 22nd St. btwn 5th & 6th Ave)
Avalon.(6th Ave btwn 20th and 21st Streets)
Crobar. (530 W 28th St. between 10th & 11th Ave)
Spirit. (530 West 27th St btwn 10th & 11th Ave)
Sound Factory(618 West 46th Street)…yes, we know they’re not new but with their current troubles we're sure we’ll see at least some new management soon.
Quo (will be on 28th btween 10th & 11th) Scheduled to be open in a few weeks)

Several of these clubs (Avalon and Crobar) have taken a cue from multinational corporations, branching out to multiple cities with the same hip vibe in each, like drum n’ bass dance embassies of a more stylish dimension. The interior spaces of these places are all enormous, room to land a helicopter or two inside without knocking lit bottles of Stoli off the bar. But is this exactly what they’ll have to do to get your attendance back?

•Have you been to these new supergiants yet?
•Do you like ‘em better than the smaller, lounge-y spaces you've had to go to?

Speak your mind below

The Hot Ten: Reasons I Can’t Survive if that Picture Goes Live

For Wednesday, March 17th 2004

Hi JoonBug Fans!

St. Patty’s Day is here, and if you’re reading this, you probably haven’t “caught the Holiday flu” and started drinking at dawn. We feel for you. Truly. But you’ve got to be careful. Green beer, bitter cold and public nudity dares can mess with your good judgment, causing you to do wild things you think you remember clearly.

If you’ve ever had a holiday party foul, you’ll love our first ever Hot Ten for Wednesday. You’ve all seen our faithful photographers at the best events, probably been handed one of our cards telling you “You’ve been bitten by the JoonBug” and seen your party pictures on our site, proving to your friends that you had a better time that night than they did. This week we’ve decided to show you the other side of the line you never, ever cross, and reveal to you the best reasons to have a glass of water every couple of pints…

JoonBug’s Hot Ten for Wednesday: Reasons I Can’t Survive if that Picture Goes Live (We’ve actually heard these in one form or another)

10. I look waaaaaay too drunk.
9. I haven’t seen the sun since October. You used a flash. Palechicks.com has me on their homepage
8. I called in “sick” today because of that party. My boss will find out why, she checks JoonBug, too!
7. I’m a model. No, really! I’m huge in Japan. You need to credit me and my career on your site.
6. That’s not a cigarette in my hand.
5. I accidentally “Pulled a Janet”, and my ex-boyfriends won’t stop calling.
4. I’m hiding from my parole officer! Get me off! Get me off!
3. I’m cuddling with my sweetie in that picture, and that ain’t my wife.
2. I’m hugging a guy buddy, and we look a little too close, y’know, dude?
1. There are 25 pictures of me and Sugar on your site from last night. We were dancing, posing and kissing. We didn’t go home together, but I got digits and called her just now. Found out Sugar’s the best transvestite in the Meatpacking District.

*Could swear this has happened to you? Share the story of your embarrassing photo moment below...