Going out in NYC

As most of you know, going out in the city for a night of drinking or to a club is a hefty burden on your wallet. I have recently hooked back up with some old friends and started going out again. I hadn't for some time and I am pretty shocked at the cost of things. New York imposes some of the heftiest taxes on alcohol and cigarettes in the country, making it expensive to smoke and drink. Two of my favorite pasttimes. I had quit smoking but took it back up again. I stupidly thought I could be a "weekend smoker" umm no, I was wrong and now i'm an addict again. With cigarettes now costing over 10 dollars a pack, (the most expensive in the nation) it is quite an expensive habit. Many things under Bloombergs administration have gone up, the price of a parking ticket is now 110 dollars which to me is a sin. I can't stand Mayor Bloomberg and think that his running again for a third term, which by the way was voted down by voters is close to a criminal bid for power. Anyway, moving on, if you're going to go out you have to either have some rich friends, buy a bottle of something and pound down a few shots before hand or hit the happy hours hard and then pace yourself until later. Of course your tolerance can dictate how much you will spend. I can drink a bit so it's not uncommon for me to have four or five beers and three to five shots in a night although that is a lot for me. I recently was in a bar and ordered a shot of grey goose vodka which is my favorite. It is considered a top shelf drink meaning they gouge you for more money. When the bartender gave me my shot, which wasn't even three fingers, I was pissed to find out she charged me 9 dollars! Do you expect a tip for that too? I drank through the night and never even got a free round, which is what most bartenders would do if your dropping some money in the place. Maybe it's due to the recession but no one wants to give anything away anymore. When I asked the bartender in my drunken slurring voice what was up with a free round, she said they aren't allowed to give out free rounds. I asked to speak with the owner who wasn't there of course so I just took my medicine with a grain of salt. Back in the day when I was more flush with cash I would always tip the bartender well, sometimes overtipping with the knowledge that later I would get a free round or two. Not anymore, apparently. It is easy to drop 100 dollars in an evening in New York going out, I have realized I can't go out as often as I usually do. If your going to a club, bank on paying 20 dollars just to walk in and paying close to ten dollars or more for a mixed drink that is probably watered down. There are some cheaper alternatives. If you hit the happy hours hard, go to local bars that usually have cheaper prices or buy yourself a bottle of something and pound down a few shooters before meeting your friends. You can always drink on an empty stomach to get drunker faster but then you run the risk of puking on your shoes or in the street later which is never fun. I could tell you many drunk stories of almost not getting home or throwing up but what fun would that be? Everything in moderation that's what they say and pacing while drinking is obviously smart. Water is the key, a glass or two in between shots is smart, but who is thinking clearly after a few shots and a few beers? Not many people. New York is expensive, plain and simple, but there are some places where you can actually drink for not as much money, they might be a bit seedy, or not your cup of tea but hey we have to do what we have to do in these tough times to get wasted right? I am not telling anyone to drink, you can do what you want of course and it is a drug like anything, but it is America's favorite past time no? Maybe the country would be better off having all drugs legal, the government could tax them and make a profit, people are going to do what they are going to do regardless. I enjoy going out downtown, it's my area and I don't like to stray above 42nd street too often if I can help it. Last night I stuipdly decided to try to ride my friend home on the subway, he lives in Inwood way the heck uptown on the A train line, the last stop in fact. He tried to talk me out of it of course but I was drunk and hey I like an adventure and had never really been up to Inwood area. We slogged along the C train line going local which took forever. By the time we got to 125th street I felt like I had been on the train for an hour. All of a sudden the idea didn't seem so great and the people on the train had grown tired of us clowning around and making some noise. So I got off at 125th street and tried to make my way home. A D train came and I just jumped on it even though I needed the A or C, it went express and in between bouts of sleep I somehow got off at West Fourth street and got an E train home. Note to self, if riding the train drunk, try not to fall asleep, this is how you get "rolled" or mugged which of course is never fun. I am lucky in that I am told I look like a cop and the police do have a program where they have pretend drunks that ride the trains and fall asleep to catch people who prey on these unfortunate souls. It wasn't too late and I made it home safely, had a slice of pizza from the fridge, took the two aspirin before bed, which is key to surviving a night of drinkin and woke up feeling ok.
Going out in New York can be really fun if not expensive, you just have to pace yourself and find creative ways to save money, maybe the flask will become popular again, I think it would be cool to have a flask but most clubs frisk you now before entering, I wonder if they would take a flask from you if you had one so you have to drink in the club. I guess so but it's worth a try. I guess living in New York City is a privelege, one you have to pay for but I think everything here is way overpriced or at least some things are. It is always good to go out with a few friends, don't let them cheap out on buying a round, at least that way you can share the burden of paying for things, a drinking tip from a friend of mine, drink some milk before going out, it coats your stomach a bit and you won't get drunk as fast. I don't get the idea of this, why else would you drink? I want to get drunk and faster is better, but know your limits and of course don't drive drunk. New York is great for drinking, you don't need to drive, take a cab or the train or walk a bit to clear your mind. Most of all, know your limits and be responsible. More to come soon.