It’s finally summer in New York—that means tens of thousands of interns, recent grads and wide-eyed tourists will be dumped into the steaming streets of Manhattan. For them, the itinerary holds the usual suspects—Statue of Liberty, Broadway, Times Square—but how many of our fanny-pack-wielding friends actually know about the NYC’s true hotspots after dark? And how exactly do suburbanites carouse in their own tree-lined communities and townships?
To find out, Clubplanet held a Friday morning stakeout at Rockefeller Center just in time to see this alien species cluster for the Today Show’s summer concert series. That’s right, while many New York locals are stumbling home at 4am, Avril Lavigne and Celine Dion followers from South Carolina to Seattle have been in line since midnight to see their favorite popstars in the flesh. This week, it’s fans of teen R&B sensation Chris Brown who stand amidst the litter of breakfast sandwich wrappers and Starbucks cups waiting patiently with bedazzled posterboards in hand.
Kimberly Hoffman
Local by week, tourist by weekend
Clubplanet: What are your plans tonight?
Kimberly Hoffman: I don’t have any set plans, but I’ll probably go to a couple of bars with friends in the area.
CP: What would you be doing this Friday night in your hometown?
Kimberly Hoffman: Going out with friends around the area there
CP: What do you prefer: bars or clubs?
Kimberly Hoffman: Bars. They’re more relaxed
CP: What do you think makes NYC nightlife so special?
Kimberly Hoffman: There are so many places to go here that you could go out and never have to go to the same bar or club ever.
CP: What song can you not help but dance to in a bar or club?
Kimberly Hoffman: Any rap song. I really like Chris Brown.
Caitlin Mucha
New York City is her Disney World
Clubplanet: What are your plans tonight?
Caitlin Mucha: I have to work and once I’m done working I plan on hanging out and going out.
CP: What time do you get off of work?
Caitlin Mucha: 11 o’clock.
CP: Are you going to go out in your work clothes?
Caitlin Mucha: (giggles) Yeah.
CP: Do you pregame before going out?
Caitlin Mucha: Absolutely! I like rum and Coke, or Jack Daniels and Coke, or Keystones, Vodka Sours. Anything I can get my paws on.
CP: What do you think makes NYC nightlife so special?
Caitlin Mucha: Anything can happen. You can walk down one street and meet the love of your life and the go down another street and go to this hot party. There is always something going on, always something different.
CP: Have you met any stars while going out?
Caitlin Mucha: Absolutely not. Maybe tonight.
CP: What do you crave after a night out?
Caitlin Mucha: Snack Wraps! Or a McChicken. I end up wanting fatty foods. Anything I can get.
CP: What song can you not help but dance to in a bar or club?
Caitlin Mucha: "Damaged" by Danity Kane or "Get Low" by T Pain.
Caitlin Schell
The self-proclaimed “local”
Clubplanet: What are your plans tonight?
Caitlin Schell: To go out and have a good time. Forget the night.
CP: What do you prefer: bars or clubs?
Caitlin Schell: Depends on the night. If I want to forget the night, I’ll go to a bar and but if I feel like dancing I’ll go to a club.
CP: What do you like about the atmosphere of the bar?
Caitlin Schell: I like a little bit of both you can’t dance all night. You gotta relax and when it has a little bit of a bar you can go out and dance.
CP: What do you crave after a night out?
Caitlin Schell: Snack Wraps and Doritos. Whether it's a McDonalds or a snack whatever I can get.
CP: What song can you not help but dance to in a bar or club?
Caitlin Schell: "Yeah!" by Usher, "Lollipop," any 50 Cent song.
Ale Benedeto
The Poughkeepsie suburbanite
Clubplanet: What are your plans tonight?
Ale Benedeto: I am celebrating my friend Cara’s birthday. We’re going out to The Loft.
CP: What do you prefer: bars or clubs?
Ale Benedeto: It’s kind a new scene for me so it depends on the night.
CP: What do you think makes NYC nightlife so special?
Ale Benedeto: I think there is so much stuff to do, and it is so different than upstate. [Upstate] is one area and it’s like "awww we’ve already done that, been there." But here there is so much going on every night there is something different.
CP: What do you crave after a night out?
Ale Benedeto: White Castle, I’m not gonna lie. Any kind of chips or candy.
CP: What song can you not help but dance to in a bar or club?
Ale Benedeto: Anything from Chris Brown to Usher to Young John to Lil Wayne.
Michelle Billick
The Intern
Clubplanet: What are your plans tonight?
Michelle Billick: Probably going out to a bar somewhere. I just got in the city a week ago so I need to figure out something that is not boring.
CP: What do you prefer: bars or clubs?
Michelle Billick: Definitely bars.
CP: Why is that?
Michelle Billick: I’m not that big of a dancer so I like to just hang out, socialize and meet people.
CP: What would you be doing this Friday night in your hometown?
Michelle Billick: Going out with friends for dinner then drinks after. Nothing too special.
CP: What do you think makes NYC nightlife so special?
Michelle Billick: There are so many places to go and things to do that there are an endless amount of options.
CP: What song can you not help but dance to in a bar or club?
Michelle Billick: Anything Chris Brown song of course.
