Originally titled “Down There“, this is one of many great noir books by the hugely prolific David Goodis, crime noir fiction writer extraordinaire.

This is classic noir that is bleak and rough, where the Northeast winter is vividly cold and unwelcoming. It concerns the derailed life of a once hopeful piano player now stuck entertaining drunks in a dive in Philadelphia. Many of Goodis's books were out of print for a long time as they were originally serialized in cheapie pulp magazines with salacious covers.

The 1962 Truffaut film Shoot the Piano Player garnered new interest in Goodis and this book was re-released under the same title as the movie. Vintage paperback is printing several Goodis novels these days so pick one up and get noir.

I like Beck, even at times to an obsessive point, but for some reason with each reinvention he goes through, I find myself to be very fickle and fall out of love with him as quickly as I fell in.

One Foot is an exception, I can always enjoy a listen to this lo-fi gem recorded on the cheap in Calvin Johnson's magical basement with Love as Laughter's Sam Jayne helping out with vocals. It is a folksy and odd listen but resonates with emotion and honesty.

Am I the only one nostalgic for House of Style? Todd could whip up all sorts of dorm room craftiness for preteen girls that dreamed of the day they'd have a dorm to craft up. I specifically and rather vividly remember a segment about dying your hair with koolaid and I have some high school friends who can attest to the results… um not great, but better than Manic Panic blue.

He continues be a pioneer in the do-it-yourself field, or at least do-it-for-cheaper with lines at both Target and La-Z-Boy. But the best thing about this southern penny pincher is the sheer charm and cheer he's brought to the world of design. With his guidance anyone could be an Eames or a Draper.

A while back Jim and I started taking our lunches to work to save money. But this is one of the only places where lunch is actually cheaper to buy from than bring a frozen entree. Not only that, it's my favorite place for to go lunch in midtown, and makes the top choices in all Manhattan. The variety and uniqueness of the options is astounding and so much fun for an adventurous eater.

My favorites have been the omusubi in either spicy tuna (which is cooked, not raw tuna, it surprised me at first, but now I find myself daydreaming about it around 11:00) and the roe pizza, a 6″ soft pizza with a cod roe spread and nori sprinkled on top. Other good ones are the tuna melt, that looks like a donut, the hand rolls, and the yakisoba sandwich – a long roll filled with sweet noodles.

There is so much more to try, including an array of pastries from La Parisienne and, of course the Beard Papa counter. There are tables, but to say this place is bustling would be an understatement, so plan on taking out instead.

While I'm sure there is some hipster backlash about this beloved LES hangout, you can't beat $1.50 PBRs and a friendly environment.The jukebox is inoffensive and just loud enough without ruining conversation and the over all vibe is of a friend's basement in 1979. In fact, its (dorky) nickname is “that 70's bar”.

With so many benefits and no cost to you, hug someone you love today before the future becomes so alienating that you have to do it virtually.

Every year I do what I call a book drive, which is a complete misnomer as the only people that benefit are myself, Jim, and a few friends that borrow my books.

More accurately, I purchase about forty used books from Amazon to sate our reading for the year. I've only had one book not arrive in the three years I have been doing it. Although, to be forthcoming, a friend of mine had a terrible experience when a book she ordered arrived with a pore strip attached. Not cool.

Still, you can get most books for mere pennies and a flat rate of ($3.49) for shipping with the convenience of on line shopping, including my favorite — The Wish List. This allows me to keep a list throughout the year of books friends have mentioned or I've read about and don't want to forget.

The best benefit is that you do not have to wade through dusty confusing bookshelves to find what you want, yet you are still not going corporate and putting mom and pop bookstores out of business. The used books come from books shops all over the world.

You don't know how many silences I had to endure on the phone when I was asking if anyone wanted to go see some stand up comedy.

I'm sure they were envisioning men in jeans and sports coats with their sleeves rolled up saying things like “Why do women always go to the bathroom together? What are they doin' in there? Cause I don't know about you, but when my wife spends hours in the bathroom she comes out looking exactly the same!” with nothing but three required watered down drinks in front of you on a table with a candle and a checkered table cloth to get you through the night.

But I finally convinced a few friends that this would be nothing like that at all and, thankfully, I was correct. This weekly show is a bargain at $5.00 with no drink minimums, and no carrot tops. There really, honestly is such a thing as good stand up comedy and Invite Them Up showcases most of the best that is happening right now. Bobby Tisdale and Eugene Mirman (major crush) host an array of wildly funny people including Michael Showalter, Demetri Martin, and Chelsea Peretti.

Get there early, because even though this evening of funny is still under the radar, it gets packed by the time the doors open. I guarantee it is one of the best ways to spend $5 in the city.