The spelling bee at Pete's Candy Store
(Credit: www.ryanbrenizer.com)
The Spelling Bee
Put your "I" before "E" skills to the test at Pete Candy's Store's biweekly spelling bee. Every other Monday, contestants don paper-plate placards and take turns mounting the brightly lit stage, preparing to be confounded by comedian Jennifer Dziuria and longtime host Bobby Blue. Fortunately, even if you find yourself grappling with “hesperidium” (a leathery berry) or “toponymy” (study of names and origins), you won't be eliminated until you spell three words incorrectly.
The prize: Broadway show tickets, for starters, and a chance to continue on to the finals. And everyone gets the chance to dip into the onstage candy bowl. Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St.; every other Monday at 7 p.m.
Scrabble!
Coffee and a crossword puzzle? No thanks. For those of you who want an espresso and a brain-challenging endeavor, join the word-formers at the Think Coffee Scrabble night. Every Tuesday, wordsmiths gather at this eco-friendly coffee spot to come up with a way to spell out "benzoxycamphors" (the highest scoring word in Scrabble).
The prize: After 7 p.m., all players (even three-letter-word-makers) get $1 off their ice cream purchase. Think Coffee, 238 Mercer St., Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Trivia (NYC Style)
Think you've scoured these streets long enough, pored through Metromix and watched enough "Sex and the City" to answer even the most obscure Manhattan-related questions? The comedic hosts of Dempsey's Pub's NYC-themed trivia night don't make it easy.
The prize: $25 bar tab, with $15 and $10 variations for the top two runners-up. Dempsey's Pub, 61 Second Ave., Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Trivia, Bingo and Hulas
When you feel like putting your useless knowledge to actual use, head for the Tortilla Flats Sunday night trivia, where the questions are fun (Rachel Green's place of employment, for example—yep, it's a "Friends" question) and the teeming colorful margaritas may actual help jog your dormant file of knowledge. Then stick around for Bingo (Mondays and Tuesdays) and, um, hula-hoop contests (Wednesdays).
The prize: Varies, but the trivia night features free shots of Cuervo for correct answers. Tortilla Flats, 767 Washington St.; event times vary by night
Trivia (Upscale)
If Pete's is too dive bar-ish for your refined knowledge base, or you're just in the mood for a free meal, Park Slope's Cocotte Restaurant may be your salvation. This upscale French eatery hosts a weekly game night for the brainy and the hungry.
The prize: A free meal for the winners, and a bottle of wine for second place. A $23 duck breast for knowing Lincoln's assassin? Cette merde est la bombe! Cocotte Restaurant, 337 Fifth Ave.; Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
