Let the Good Times Bowl

Bowlmor Times Square opened to the public last night. The space is a world apart from its sister location near Union Square...it's both cavernous and cozy all at the same time. There are multiple lane areas, each with its own New York-y theme, including Chinatown, Times Square, Central Park and Prohibition. And for food, consulting chef David Burke works his magic. For video, click here.

Hurricane Storms into NYC

Feeling in the mood for a little tiki but also think it's a little tacky? Get yourself to The Hurricane Club, the brand-new bar and eatery from the Fourth Wall Restaurant Group (the same folks behind Quality Meats; Park Avenue Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter; and the Post House).

It's too tempting to resist saying that I was blown away by The Hurricane Club, particularly in the way it achieves such a cozy elegance despite its large scale. The soaring main dining room is buttressed by several smaller "cave rooms," which despite being on the sidelines still provide great people-watching.

The tiki touches are subtle but fun; most of the Polynesian design elements require close inspection to suss them out, which makes the Hurricane Club experience all the more intriguing. Don't miss the ten-foot-high barnacle chandelier suspended--not in the entryway, but in the single-person bathroom in the seahorse-sconced Lagoon Lounge. The cocktails are plentiful...so much so that they are numbered rather than named, with your choice of poison coming in everything from drilled-out coconuts to large bowls for sharing.

Watch out for a swank, still-to-be-named lounge next door as well as a private space called the Volcano Lounge. Let the lava (though not the lava lamps!) flow.

For my Citybuzz tour of the Hurricane Club, including our interview with Fourth Wall owner Michael Stillman, click below.

Pop Goes the Treat Store!

From the Naked Cowboy to the studios of Good Morning America, Times Square has just about everything. (Except locals, of course.) But you now have one more reason to make the trek to the Theater District...a pop-up store dedicated to...Pop-Tarts!

If you thought the Hershey's Store was fun, just imagine the trouble you can get into while sinking your teeth into one of these wholly unhealthy, but wholly yummy breakfast treats. The store opened this week and will remain in business as a guilty pleasure at least through January.

Insider Tip: Try the Pop-Tarts Sushi. (Yep. You read that right.) Good news: There is no fish in Pop-Tarts sushi. To Visit: Head to 42nd Street, between Avenue of the Americas and Broadway -- though not on an empty stomach. (Don't say you weren't warned.)



Call Me a Cab!

How would you feel about standing on this floor tile at the brand-new Gansevoort on Park Avenue South?
The balcony of the property's sky bar (21 stories up, mind you) is filled with them!

I'm Melting!

Although there's not much chance of anything melting today (temps are not going north of the mid-40s), if you're a fan of gelato, you owe it to yourself to get to Melt, Manhatan's newest gelateria. Today only, the shop, which is located at 1053 2nd Avenue (between 55th & 56th Streets), will attempt to set a world record for the most cups of gelato served in one day. Help them achieve their dream by popping by and requesting your free cup. And tell them New York Insider sent you!

I'll Get You, My Pretty!

You'd have to believe that the after-party for a Broadway show called "Reasons to Be Pretty" would not be lacking in beautiful people. And sure enough, it wasn't. Neil LaBute's play opened at the Lyceum Theater last night and the stage door was scarcely closed for the night when the gushing critical reviews started pouring in—and buzzing around the post-show bash, which was held at Hudson Terrace. Among the boldface names in attendance included the show's cast members, Marin Ireland, Steven Pasquale, Piper Perabo and Thomas Sadowski, as well as actors Anson Mount (left), Saturday Night Live's Rachel Dratch, Tae Diggs and his pregnant wife, Idina Minzel and Jenny Powers, now starring in the off-Broadway show "Happiness." Apart from winning mad props from the critics, "Reasons to Be Pretty" also deserves praise for its tongue-in-cheek URL: www.doesthisplaymakemelookfat.com. As for the guests at last night's party, the answer to that question was a definitive no.

For more photos, click here.

Suppertime!

Oh, what a year it's been. It seems like just yesterday that the Supper Club New York landed on our doorstep from across the Pond. And yet, in the twelve months since, the members-only social club has risen in stature to the point where boldface names and media influentials alike despair when they're unable to turn up for one of its events—from murder-mystery dinners to private brunches. So it seemed only fitting that a proper party was thrown in honor of the Supper Club's turning one year young. Held at the recently opened Haven, in midtown, the festivities were underwritten by Plymouth Gin and highlighted by Heatherette's Richie Rich popping out of an oversize cake and then singing "Happy Birthday" with American Idol contestant Joanne Borgella. Bet that didn't happen for your first birthday.

For more photos, click here.

Let the Eating Begin!

As night fell over the foodie mecca that is Chelsea Market, the epicures descended en masse. Marking the kickoff of the inaugural New York City Wine & Food Festival, tonight's open house at the home of the Food Network was a culinary extravaganza (and a sold-out one at that). Bobby Flay caused a paparazzi-like stir as he passed out burgers and posed for pictures. Simultaneously, purveyors including Ronnybrook Farm Dairy (which was freely distributing brandy-flavored milkshakes); Chelsea Thai Wholesale, (which delighted palates with a spicy papaya dish); and Yellow Tail, (which offered a glass of the good stuff around every corner) kept patrons happy on a night that foretold great things for this four-day bonanza. Apsen Food & Wine and South Beach Wine & Food....eat your heart out! All proceeds from the smorgasbord of events over the next few days go to support the Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength. For a list of the (sadly) mostly sold-out activities, click here.

No, T5 is not a Terminator Sequel...

...it's the newest passenger facility at John F. Kennedy airport and the shiny home of JetBlue, which opened to dignitaries and media today. Among the luminaries who showed up for the ribbon- cutting included Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Radio City Rockettes and Queer Eye's Ted Allen. Fronted by the historic former TWA terminal designed by Aero Saarinen and opened in 1960, the new Terminal 5 has been built to handle up to 20 million passengers per year. The 635,000 square-foot terminal cost just under $800 million, a sum funded largely by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The swank terminal opens for passenger operations next month. The bad news? There are no guarantees that you won't still have to endure the flight cancellations and long delays for which New York's area airports are famous. The good news? At least you have a spiffy place to explore while you wait. %%showphotos [setid=72157607522144410 ]%%

Doubles or Nothing

Denizens of Doubles, the subterranean private lounge at the Sherry-Netherland, got the chance to sample the space's new look at a packed-to-the-banquettes party tonight. The redesigned interior, created by Thomas Britt and Valentino Samsonadze, seemed to get the thumbs-up from most members of the high-net-worth set. (None of whom seemed the least bit interested in the massive jar of jelly beans seen at left.) Erected during Prohibition, the Sherry-Netherland was built without a large dining facility, so Doubles is more of a bar-lounge than it is a restaurant. Food or no food, however, the space has had an active life, not least of which was its turn as a discoteque known as Raffles during the 1970s. Sadly, there is no mirrored ball anywhere to be found in the Britt-Samsonadze revamp. So much for "The Hustle." For more on the opening, check out George Gurley's very fine piece in the New York Observer.