● Village Bistro East (East Village) - Name says it all. Bistro fare between A and B at surprisingly reasonable prices.
● Manhattan Inn (Greenpoint) - Name doesn't reflect borough confusion, that's the Greenpoint avenue it's on.

It’s the classic scenario that you always hear about but hope never happens to you. You have an unorthodox, creative job that makes it hard to afford real health insurance -- or if you do have health insurance and get into a serious accident, you might be in just as big of a pinch. That’s the scenario that Laura Masura finds herself in. Luckily, she’s got big friends in high places, namely Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins. Corgan and his other band, The Backwards Clock Society, are headlining a benefit show on Sunday for Masura at Echoplex. (The band also includes Kerry Brown of Ancient Chinese Secrets and Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes.) Additional performers include The Happy Stars (Brian Young from Fountains of Wayne), The Pulsars, Tim Rutili (Red Red Meat, Califone), Pity Party and Light FM. If you're a Pumpkins obsessive, a couple of goodies are being auctioned off, including Jimmy Chamberlin’s autographed drum kit used in Gish, and one of Corgan’s bass guitars. But how does one get Billy Corgan to play one's benefit show?

Whipping up the same tired pitchers of Sex on the Beach every soiree and then not expecting to wake up on the bathroom floor, crusted in vomit and peach schnapps, is the definition of batshit crazy. Luckily, the seasonal sages at Back Forty are looking to help a drunk out, offering professional guidance on three weekends in November. Starting this Saturday, November 7, Michael Cecconi, the cocktail ace at both Back Forty and its landed gentry cuz Savoy, will lead classes on DIY-ing his fancy fresh creations at home. Students will learn to shake that thing, muddle like it’s hot. Not one to acknowledge boundaries between liquor store and Whole Foods, Cecconi will also help participants face their fears of squash plus vodka.

I may be a day late on this story, but at least I'm not $60 short. It’s the Halloween that will never end. It lingers in the mysteriously disappearing stale candy in the mushy pumpkin by the door and a few sprinkles of glitter on my cluttered desk. It screams at me on Facebook as 1,733 (as of this morning) unhappy Facebook folk have organized a “We got scammed by Tavern on the Green 2009 Halloween!” group. Thousands of comments recall the true Halloween nightmare these people and many others endured. Many have asked me to weigh in on this, including my editor, so I made some calls.

● Stout (Hollywood) - Burgers and beer done with elegance. And it'll stay open late.
● Bouchon (Beverly Hills) - Angelenos have been waiting patiently for a Keller outpost to call their own.
● Bar Bouchon (Beverly Hills) - Small, upscale bar where most people will probably be whispering. If you don't want to splash out on a full meal at Bouchon upstairs.

Obama is here. At least that is the adrenaline-inducing catchphrase being tossed around the lobby of The Pierre. I hold my breath as secret service agents and suited-up black tie security whisk someone passed me. To my left is a ballroom filled with Victoria's Secret pink bags and a band singing a Black Eyed Peas cover. Certainly not the event I am here for, and it doesn't seem like the Obama lackeys are headed there either. As the security cloud saunters into the “To India with Love” Assouline book launch party, I realize it is not B.O. but Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri and his wife, on their way to join Waris Ahluwalia, Lauren Santo Domingo, Tory Burch, and Natalie Portman to raise spirits, awareness, and funds by leveraging the creative arts to draw attention to the people and culture of India.

When I was a mere clubbing pup at the age of 19, I was living in Seattle and going out to my first nightclubs. Among them was the Weathered Wall, a very early 90s bordello-styled venue that had been around for a while in various formations but was made more exciting by a simple twist: instead of entering through the front door like you were meant to, you went through the back alley, which gave the party a feeling of danger and uncertainty. What were we doing in this seedy back alley? What sort of world was awaiting us inside? 
I found out later, after I moved to New York, that my friends who threw that party, called Lemon Twist, had ripped off this time-honored trick from New York City promoters. It’s an easy way to enliven a space that otherwise might seem like any old bar. It’s something the people behind the Doheny, one of several downtown “private” speakeasy-type bars have figured out. When we went to see KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox during one of his bi-weekly gigs, the only way we were alerted to the presence of the bar was a simple street sign: a key pointing in one direction that said “Private.”

Jeter, A-Rod, CC Sabathia, and (hip hip) Jorge Posada celebrated at 1Oak last night. Here's video of Jeter and Sabathia poppin' bottles. You can too, if you win the World Series. So now you know who parties at 1Oak. The Yankees. That's me to the very left, making out with Kate Hudson. Kidding, A-Rod! She can have the Centaur. I spent last night blacking out at the Cherry Tavern. A home run for everybody. L'chayim! More video after the jump.

Zona Rosa on Haight Street in San Francisco is a colorful joint that makes a mean veggie taco, but if I’m really in the mood for killer Mexican, I head over to the outer Mission’s La Taqueria, where authenticity is the name of the game, right down to the vibrant murals on the walls. That authenticity is what gives me qualms about trying to serve Mexican food at a dinner party. I can’t pretend to be from Mexico, and the Mexican food you buy out is always so good and so cheap that it seems pointless to make it at home. Of course, sticking with authentic Mexican means no tempeh, which means no mixing up the proteins for vegetarian guests. To remedy that, try the recipe below, which may not get much play south of the border, but is great for a festive night entertaining at home.

● Lincoln Hall (Lincoln Park) - Owners of Schubas Tavern go all out, and all in, for Chicago's newest live music club.
● Bar Novo (The Loop) - Luxe cocktails at luxe prices. Renaissance Hotel's typically plush bar with bites.