If you want to both enjoy all the great food, drink and entertainment options the city has to offer while also helping out survivors of Hurricane Harvey take note: you've got some options when it comes to that idea, thanks to bars, restaurants and even the Wonder Wheel offering a cut of their sales to help fund relief efforts down in Texas.
Kolaches, those delicious meat or fruit or sweet-filled pastries, are extremely good for your taste buds (the arteries and everything else maybe not so much, but who cares). Befitting a shop selling a food that originates in Texas, Bed-Stuy's Brooklyn Kolache Co. will donate 100 percent of the sales from their gift cards to the Texas Diaper Bank through the end of the day. Diapers for people in need, kolaches for you or whoever you want to impress with a great gift, sounds like a win for everyone.
Hurricane Harvey Relief Fundraiser
A donation of $20, which will go to the Rockport-Fulton Harvey Relief Fund, gets you a bracelet that opens up a world of $4 Shiners and $6 margaritas today from noon to 5 p.m. at Avenida Cantina, the East Village Tex-Mex spot owned by a group pf Tex-pats. Avenida will also be serving up a J.J. Watt Taco (named for the Houston Texans' defensive end), made with house smoked brisket and cheesy mashed potatoes, with all of the sales of the taco going to the Rockport-Fulton fundraiser.
In a video explaining that his family wanted to help any way they could, Wonder Wheel scion Deno Vourderis mentioned that since his family has "this wonderful wheel," 100 percent of today's (September 9th) ticket sales for rides on the Coney Island landmark will be donated to efforts to "provide direct relief in the form of food, water, clothing and shelter." It's a beautiful late-summer day after all, so take a spin in the wheel before it shuts down for the season.
And of course, as long as you're riding the Wonder Wheel, you could always stick around Coney Island and enjoy the rest of the rides the beachfront theme park has to offer. Luna Park will donate ten percent of their ticket sales today (September 9th) to the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and ten percent of tomorrow's (September 10th) ticket sales to the J.J. Watt Foundation Houston Flood Relief Fund. A number of other Coney Island businesses are pitching in with donations based off of their sales numbers today as well.
Redemption might be a bar known for their support of the Washington football club, but on Tuesday, they're all about raising money for Houston. A $10 donation gets you a free drink and access to $4 well drinks and beers, while a $25 donation gets you a bottle of champagne.
Steers and Queers: A Benefit For Hurricane Harvey Victims
Phoenix, the East Village's premier gay bar (according to them), is raising money for both the Houston Food Bank and the LGBTQ Disaster Relief Fund on Wednesday, with an evening of performances from drag queens Marti Gould Cummings and Busted Queen, as well as other surprises.
The movie theater/bar will be donating $4 from the sale of every Adventureland Stash (featuring Austin-made Tito's Vodka) and Austin Eastciders Original Pale Cider to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.
There's never a bad time to go to Canal Bar, especially if you're looking for a nightcap to an evening at Littlefield or The Bell House. But now is an especially good time to go to the Gowanus dive, because they're collecting supplies like tooth brushes, pet food, tampons and cleaning supplies to send down to Houston. So go drink there, but just bring a tooth brush or some unopened dog food with you.
City Winery
The Brooklyn wine spot announced in a press release that 50 percent of the sales from all of their risotto balls will go towards All Hands Volunteers, a volunteer disaster relief group that's currently on the ground in Houston.
Solange at Radio City Music Hall
Like her sister and fellow Houston native Beyonce, Solange Knowles is doing her part to help out. Instead of the Times Square telethon though, Solange has turned her Radio City Music Hall shows in October into a Harvey fundraiser. Solange's October 2nd show is already sold out, but the October 3rd one still has seats available, with $3 from each ticket going towards Harvey relief efforts.
