When money’s tight, you’re always on the lookout for gifts that are long on creativity and spirit but gentle on the debit card. Elsewares—one of those indie-artsy online shops—has something that would make a really memorable offering for all kinds of big occasions: a custom cartoon portrait by Texas artist Ryan Feerer. You email Ryan a photo and two of your friends’ favorite things (the guy pictured here likes coffee and cookies, obvi) and the artist will send you a framed cartoon portrait in a week or two. They’re normally $125, but today there’s a 25-percent-off deal through Daily Candy (code ELSEWARES25), which brings it to under $100 ($93.75 to be exact). Still too steep? Go in on it with seven friends. Find out more about Ryan Feerer’s custom portraits here.
Special-occasion gift idea: custom cartoon portrait
Behold: a $10-a-month gym (this week anyway)
Planet Fitness on Duffield St.
We just got turned onto to this hot offer from a new gym near Fulton Mall: the recently opened Planet Fitness on Duffield Street is offering you the ACT NOW deal of $29 to signup and $10 a month after that. The deal is good through Feb. 26, so you’ve got less than a week to talk yourself into doing it (ladies, two words: swimsuit season. Dudes, three words: Board short thighs).
The gym looks brand new, with spiffy yellow-and-purple machines everywhere and a bank of flatscreen TVs against the treadmill wall, each labeled to what station they were turned to (The Fresh Prince was a popular eye-grabber this a.m.). Planet Fitness is open 24 hours Monday-Friday and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on the weekends.
Dig for literary gold at the Park Slope Book Sale
The days of used books a-plenty in the Slope are long gone, but this weekend’s your chance to wade through low-priced dusty covers and lovingly-dog-eared pages once again. The 17th annual Park Slope Book Sale is on this Saturday and Sunday at the Park Slope United Methodist Church (493 8th St. at Sixth Ave). The sale will be huge—it really does look like a mini-Strand moves into the church’s basement for a weekend—with all books going for $0.50 to $2. There’ll also be DVDs, CDs, records, cassette tapes, audio books, games and puzzles for $4 or less. All proceeds go to the church, which, last year, made $15,000 from the sale—that’s how many books are at this thing. Hours are 8:30 to 4:30 Saturday and 12:30 to 4:30 Sunday. Donations are still being accepted until 9 p.m. tonight. More info here.
10-class fitness cards for only $85
Photo by Melissa Scott
We love Midwood Martial Arts & Family Fitness Center, the slightly misnamed karate-yoga-gymnastics-family-fitness-and-recreation hub on Avenue H. Sunny and clean studio, zero pretension, excellent instructors, friendly neighborhood vibe, etc. etc. etc..
We also love the owners: Alison and Alfred, who are so nice they belong in some small town somewhere (ignore the fact that small-town friendliness is often overrated). That’s why we’re thrilled that they’re colluding with us on a little deal exclusively for Brokelyn readers: Alfred and Alison have agreed to offer a very limited number of 10-class cards for the unreasonably low price of $85 (normally $140). That means each class is just $8.50. 
Good shoe day on Gilt.com
Today on Gilt, our favorite cheap shoe line, Seychelles, is even cheaper than usual. These pretty teal suede booties—lined in gold—are only $45 (normally $110) and they come in black too. Whiskey-colored leather cowboy are only $75 (normally $190). A couple rungs up on the price ladder, Gilt also has delightlfully batty, bejeweled and texture-ific Nanette Lepore sandals and flats for more than 50 percent off the original prices of $225 to $375. We’re keeping it quick here so the shoe fanatics among you can sign up and get on with it. Gilt sales start at noon and the good stuff can go fast.
Learn about Diego Rivera, get free tickets to MoMA
Come for the lecture on Mexican Modernism, leave with free tickets to the Museum of Modern Art. Put on your listening shoes for the Brooklyn Public Library’s art appreciation lecture tomorrow, Jan. 23, at Grand Army Plaza; stay until the end, fill out a survey and you’ll receive a free five-person pass to the MoMA ($100 value, and good for the Tim Burton exhibition). Seems like a bribe, we know, but the lecture itself does sound pretty cool.
Tomorrow’s free 4 p.m. talk will be with MoMA’s Diana Bush on art created during and after the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1917. Bush will cover the works of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and others. And next Saturday, Jan. 30, also at 4, Bush’ll be back (as will the free ticket opportunity) for the multimedia work of Gabriel Orozco. If the talks whet your appetite for a trek to the museum, the pass will soften the blow of the subway fare. Info here.
For two weeks only, off-Broadway tickets for $20
Some deals are worth the subway ride into Manhattan, and $20 for off-Broadway tickets definitely qualifies (it’s even designed for getting there in the nick of time). Starting Monday, Jan. 25, show up at the box office of one of these plays and shows 20 minutes before curtain, and you’ll be able to buy a $20 ticket. No catch, just say “20 at 20,” and make sure to sound sufficiently excited. Organized by the Off-Broadway Alliance, the event lasts two weeks—through Sunday, Feb. 7—and it’s good for 25 classic and brand-new shows including The Fantasticks (reg: $75), Fuerza Bruta, Smudge and many others. The offer’s good for as many shows as you can fit in. In fact, see seven of them, and you’ll get a free dinner for two at a participating restaurant. All shows and details here.
Reluctant plug for 2-for-1 makeup at Rite Aid
We’re not big fans of Rite Aid for all kinds of reasons (mean manager at the one near our place, cooler NY-centric branding at Duane Reade) but far be it from us to stand on principal when there’s a BOGO sale on makeup going on. That’s retail-speak for buy-one-get-one-free—on all Revlon and Almay products through Saturday (Jan. 16). On all L’Oreal items and assorted things from Maybelline, Cover Girl and Physicians Formula etc., it’s buy one, get half off the second. Nowhere in the store was the dead-lady grey nailpolish that all the fashion chicks are wearing (Chanel, right?), but those seductive yellow tags got us wondering: Which drugstore cosmetics are any good? Everyone knows cheap mascara is legit, but how about foundation and moisturizers? Do you have a favorite? Our very glammy friend Sheryl, the Bitchcakes weight-loss blogger, swears by Covergirl Outlast and L’Oreal Lipfinity. And if you can’t trust someone who rides a century without smearing her lipstick…
11 deals we love: Prospect Heights
At Pieces: party dresses and shimmery accessories. Photos by Eric Reichbaum.
With $3 drafts and afternoon-long happy hours, Prospect Heights is a small sliver of Brooklyn where the drinks alone should be a cheapskate draw. But with some mouth-watering daytime fare, sale racks that overfloweth and well-stocked knick-knackeries, the neighborhood isn’t a find only for the pocket-change imbiber. Desperate, hungry shoppers, read on too. Here are my Prospect Heights picks from beer glass to last-minute stocking-stuffer.
Big moving sale at Deluxa
This just came in from reader Kristen Stocks, and we’re definitely checking this one out:
Love your site and am a big fan. [Thanks, K!] Just thought I’d send you a tip that my vintage store Deluxa will be closing and moving to East Williamsburg sometime between Xmas and NYE and having some pretty ridiculous sales. Lots of good stuff to score too for cheap for last minute presents. Just to give you an idea, this week, all clothing 50% off lowest marked price, 50% off all kitchenware, all records (including some good shit) $1.50/each, I’ve already got two tables full of other half off merchandise including purses, gloves, belt buckles, glassware. Anyhow, just thought I’d share.
Deluxa, 187 Sackett St. between Henry and Hicks, (347) 721-3401, Wednesday through Sunday noon to 7pm, or appointment. Please send your sale scoops to tips [at] brokelyn [dot] com.
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