Joe Allen and Venus in Fur

“Venus in Fur” is David Ives's scary and fun two-character play, with Hugh Dancey (Claire Danes's husband) as the playwright who has adapted Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 novel, Venus in Furs (stet -s). At the end of the casting call an actress, who begs to audition, sweeps in from a storm. Wearing a trench coat and carrying a broken umbrella, this unlikely actress evolves into the Venus of his fantasies, turning the tables, getting him to question his vanilla marriage. We love S&M as much as the next gal, but don't think Fifty Shades of Grey. The woman is on top in this production, played by Tony Award-winning Nina Arianda.

With its decor of Broadway shows that have flopped and a wait staff of would-be actors, Joe Allen is a 40 year-institution serving very American cuisine. Is might be the most famous Theatre Row restaurant, bustling at lunch and dinner with a clientele that includes the occasional famous face. We stopped there for Dirty Martinis, the twenty-five-dollar hamburger, chopped salad, and a Hot Chocolate Chip Cookie. 

Of course it's overpriced, but you don't do a show and a meal on Broadway without expecting to dig a little deeper. After all, it's the most exciting date that New York City — or any other city in the world, that is — has to offer.