Since I got back to New Jersey, I've wanted to test out the New York night. New York is known for late nights, so I figured that my Port Authority curfew of 2am would be way too early. I should mention that this analysis would not apply to all scenes, obviously.
I joined some friends of mine at Iguana on 54th St. for a salsa night (downstairs there was a different scene). When I got there at 11.15pm the place was cookin', but it only filled up another 2% while I was there. At 1am the place started to empty out. By 1.30 the tendency was clear -- which is when I should've headed for the bus station -- and by two it was only 20% of the people left (the late nighters).
At 3.30am the lights were on already, and music was shut off and the bouncers were corraling people to the door. By 3.45 we were out on the street, and a friend offered to bring me to the All Night Milonga at Steppin Out Studios. At 4.15 I rang the bell but to no avail. Then I looked at the website: 9pm to 5am only.
On the street walking to Penn Station most everything was closed. The situation inside the station -- no doubt the same all year round -- is squarely third world. No chairs, people on the hard tiles laying down or sitting, some with laptops connected to the free wifi here.
