New York, NY - Fuerza Bruta

If you don't have the budget to do a Broadway show, try Fuerza Bruta. It's not a play or a musical - it's really just a visual spectacular. You stand the whole time (so if that's a problem, this show isn't for you) and throughout the show, ushers move you around to make room for set pieces coming in and out. Almost everything happens over your head and it's a lot of awesome aerial acrobatics with dramatic lighting and music. It will blow your mind. At one point they lower a shallow pool of water over your head (it's plexiglass on the bottom) and women swim/dance through it. At the end, you might get wet - it starts "raining" in the studio and the performers come and dance with you in the rain, but you don't have to stand under the rain if you don't want to. You just might accidentally be under it to begin with, so be prepared to possibly get wet. But it's really a fun time and is just visually such a treat.

I realize that if you're reading this in the future, they show may not still be running. But it has been running for almost four years now, so I suspect it will stick around for a while longer. If you stand in line for rush tickets earlier the same day as you want to see the show, they're only $25. However, if it's a nice day out, you'll have to stand in line for maybe 3 hours or so to be sure you get tickets. They're $79 if you order them the normal way, though they have promotions all the time (you can follow them on Facebook to be alerted of these promotions).

They also have performances of Fuerza Bruta set up in other cities across the world, so check that out too if you're not going to be in New York any time soon but would like to go.

Louisville, KY - 4th Street Live

I was only in Louisville for one night, but I managed to have a blast at this little semi-outdoor, slightly cheesy but overall fun, mall complex called 4th Street Live. Located in Downtown Louisville, there are bars, restaurants, a comedy club, dance clubs, etc. First we hit up the comedy club and saw Ralphie May from Last Comic Standing. I have to say, it was interesting to me what people in KY find funny versus here in NY. They were definitely not so comfortable with some of the more politically incorrect humor. But it was still a hilarious show all around and I had a lot of fun. There is a 2 item (food OR drink) minimum (on top of the tickets, which were $25), which I find a tad bit ridiculous. But the margaritas were good, and overall I'd say it was worth it.

Next we went dancing at a club in the complex, the name of which I forget (those 2 Margaritas from the comedy club went straight to my head!). I have to say, the club wasn't really my scene. People in Louisville dress to impress at these clubs apparently, so I felt kind of out of place in my tank top and jeans while everyone else was wearing mini-skirts and tube tops with their hair all done up. Plus it was mostly top 40 rap, which I'm not a big fan of. But for those of you who like to get all tarted up and go dance on tables/poles to P Diddy, 4th Street Live seems to have at least a few options. And I didn't hate it. I just didn't love it. All in all, it was a fun night.

Oh, and one final note: if you happen to be in the military or be with a date who is in the military (seems to me as if most of Kentucky is involved with the military in one way or another), you can get free cover or discounted cover at a lot of these places. Just make sure you ask for their military discount!