New York City Entertainment

Best DIY Rock Show: Why trek out to the Nassau Coliseum to watch some aging monsters of rock, when the Lower East Side offers up the same three chords for free? Arlene's Grocery (95 Stanton St.; tel. 212/358-1633) is the tri-state's best place to play rock star, with a real-live rock band standing in for soulless laser discs.

Best Festival: Harlem Week began as a single day 30 years ago and now stretches across the entire month of August. Film, jazz, and food festivals are among the highlights to be found along lovely brownstone blocks Uptown.

Best Movie Screenings Without a Roof: Forty-Second Street welcomes movie fans with an eclectic selection of classics during the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival (tel. 212/512-5700). The lawn crowds up quickly, but that only enhances the festive atmosphere.

Best Movie Date Night: Friday nights the Rubin Museum of Art (150 W. 17th St.; tel. 212/620-5000) throws open its doors. You can tour intriguing Himalayan art for free, and for $7 you can treat yourself to a martini and a movie. The Cabaret Cinema series brings an eclectic selection of films, along with the occasional related celebrity, for just the price of a tipple or a snack at the bar.

Best Concerts for Skipping Out on the Office: The worker bees of the Financial District have long taken advantage of the great classical performances heard during the "Concerts at One" series at Trinity Church (74 Trinity Place; tel. 212/602-0747) and St. Paul's Chapel (Broadway and Fulton St.). St. Paul's hosts lunchtime Mondays, and Trinity handles Thursdays. The acoustics are great in both churches and the $2 suggested donation doesn't begin to reflect the caliber of talent.