A Lovely Bit of Culture...

If you’re shy and sometimes short on words like me, museums can be a great place to take a girl. It’s easy to make conversation when there’s a dinosaur in the room, a Manet on the wall, or a life-size model of a whale hanging from the ceiling. In New York however, there are so many museums that deciding the ideal one for your date can be confusing.

Below, I took a handful of museums and wrote a few reasons for and against taking someone special there.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
For: The old stand-by date museum. This museum is one of the world’s largest, holding pieces from some of the most highly regarded artists.
Against: A little predictable as far as museum dates go.

American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West and 79th Street
For: I feel like a kid in this museum. There is such a great variety of interesting so many things to see. If your date is not interested in South American cultures, there’s always the thirty-four ton meteorite. Is she not a fan of North American birds? Just continue on to the Hall of Human Origins. By far, my favorite museum.
Against: Often overcrowded and full of real kids.

Whitney Museum of American Art
Madison Ave at 75th Street
For: There is a really great place to get dessert across the street.
Against: As innovative and thought provoking as the modern and post-modern exhibits are, there’s not much room for romance here. The combination of exposed concrete and avant gardefilmdoesn’t set the right tone. In addition, I felt I was constantly at risk of getting into the “What is art?” argument on a first date when viewing exhibit in which consisted of a video game projected onto the wall.

Neue Galerie for German and Austrian Art
1048 Fifth Avenue at 86th Street
For: A smaller, more intimate museum that is much less touristy than the others. Taking a date to such a specific gallery makes you seem as if you really know your art. Also, the hot chocolate in their restaurant is the best I’ve ever had.
Against: The admission fee is a little high for how long it takes to view the entire museum.

Written by: Joe Pera - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger

An Old Timey Date...

Sunday evenings are perhaps the most depressing of evenings. Condemned to think about the upcoming workweek while watching Celebrity Apprentice is an unsatisfying closure to even the best of weekends. However, one Sunday evening a month is not so bad. Matt Diffee, a cartoonist for The New Yorker, hosts the “Steam-Powered Hour”, a live variety show featuring bluegrass music and comedy.

Though it seems like an odd combination, especially for New York City, the show is unique in how the musicians tell jokes and the comedians sometimes show up with instruments. Hosted from his on-stage rocking chair, Matt sets the laid back, easy tone that makes it easy to imagine that you’re in the living room of an old friend from Kentucky. (I tried to think of other ways to describe it, but couldn’t).

Having ties within both the comedy and bluegrass industries, Matt is able to bring in exceptional performers. Past musicians include Gillian Welch, The Steep Canyon Rangers, Chris Thile, and even Steve Martin stopped by to play his banjo. Also, comedians from Comedy Central, Conan O’Brian, ESPN, and even a storyteller from NPR have performed. Dmitri Martin has made an appearance.

On top of this, Matt presents videos and shows off his cartooning work. For a mellow, but interesting Sunday evening, the Steam-Powered Hour just feels right. If you can’t wait until next weekend to see that girl you took out on Friday night, it’s the perfect excuse. Leaving, at least you’ll be happy you didn’t spend that time with Mr. Trump.

The final show of the season is on May 17th at 8pm at the Tank Theatre 354 W. 45th St.. For information, http://www.steampoweredhour.com/.

Written by: Joe Pera - SpeedNY Dating Resident Blogger