Free Outdoor Opera

Last night I scored last minute VIP seats to the Met Opera's free outdoor HD screening of Carmen on the Lincoln Center piazza.

It was great!  Here's a shot of our front row view:

The production sizzles with incredible talent, lovely sets, and wonderful dance pieces between each Act:

Thanks, A, for getting us the amazing view!!!

Free Coffee February

It appears for the entire month of February, Seamless Web is giving away free coffee at a variety of locations. See by clicking here.

Feb 1-6: Midtown East
Feb 7-13: Midtown West
Feb 14-20: Upper East/Upper West Sides
Feb 21-27: Lower Manhattan

Go out and get some free coffee!

Freebie Concert

Sorry I've fallen off the planet. It's been a week of holiday parties! Seriously - one per night since Saturday, the 12th and it's not letting up til Sunday, the 19th. They're "free" but they are also private parties and not really the material for this blog.

I did hear of a free classical music concert that my alma mater is giving at Julliard, on Friday (12/17) night. Go if you have the time!

What: Violin and Piano recital by Alicia Choi and Erika Allen (Brahms, Bach, Debussy, and more)
When: Friday, Dec 17th at 8pm
Where: Paul Hall, Julliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza (65th betw Bway and Amsterdam)

FREE and open to all! And a reception with "light fare" after the performance!

Famous Face Freebie

As anyone who currently lives in NYC will tell you, we're having a bit of a heat wave.

Highs in the 60s...and December is rapidly approaching.

So you can imagine my confusion when this sight met my eyes on the way to work yesterday:

It's faux snow! For a film shoot near the Flatiron Building. Several blocks looked like this, and it was real honest to goodness icy snow, made with ski slope machines or something.

The movie is Mr Popper's Penguins, starring Jim Carrey, who was there in the flesh shooting a scene.

Freebie snow is one thing, but I've had an interesting week in terms of another NYC free perk as well: celebrity sightings!

In the past WEEK, I have seen all of these people in the flesh:

Scott Adsit from 30 Rock eating lunch at City Bakery

Penn Badgley shooting Gossip Girl in Union Square

Stephen Baldwin eating Chinese food

Broadway legendary producer Hal Prince at the Bells Are Ringing dress rehearsal

Jim Carrey filming Mr. Popper's Penguins in the snow by the Flatiron Building

And, finally, at last night's performance of Brief Encounter, Brad from The Rachel Zoe Project!!

I literally saw all of these people IN ONE WEEK. Something's going on in the Big Apple...

Almost-Free Opera Seats

I was recently tipped off that the Metropolitan Opera has reorganized its $25 rush seating policy for weekend performances. It's almost too good to be true!

Monday, you enter an online lottery for the coming weekend's performances. Tuesday, the winners are posted online.

There is also a wait list posted, and if the winners fail to claim their tickets, the wait list has a crack at grabbing them on Thursday.

These $25 seats are bona fide Orchestra and Grand Tier seats, not standing room in the rafters!

Enter here next Monday.