NYC Date Idea: Magic show

So. Alex and I are usually pretty skeptical, but last weekend our minds were blown...

Along with two friends, we went to see Steve Cohen, a magician who performs five times a week in a private suite at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. The dress code is cocktail attire, so Alex wore a suit, and I wore my striped dress. You take the elevator thirty-something floors and enter a luxurious hotel room with just a few rows of chairs. Suddenly, Mr. Cohen enters with a cheeky smile, and the show begins...

His incredible performance comprises mind-reading and sleight-of-hand card tricks, and his charming antics and quick wit makes him seem like a Yonkers-born Willy Wonka. (At one point, he even began giggling and jumping in the air.) Mr. Cohen prefers subtle mind tricks over pulling rabbits out of hats. "I don't do big, flashy magic,” he told The New York Times. "My magic is more of a thinking man’s magic."

We were totally enthralled. People were gasping after each trick. Normally, I can figure out most magic tricks, but these were watertight...or maybe just actual magic?

Perhaps the biggest jawdropper was "Think-a-Drink." Mr. Cohen asked everyone in the audience to write down their favorite drink on a piece of paper. "Be specific!" he encouraged. "Don't just write, 'beer,' write exactly what kind of beer."

Alex wrote "Dry Tanqueray martini up with olives," and I nerded out with a Shirley Temple. Then we all passed in our papers, one audience member shuffled them up, and another audience member randomly chose five.

Then Mr. Cohen stood in front of the room with a teapot. Slowly, the audience member named the five chosen drinks—grapefruit juice, iced coffee, a 2002 Syrah red wine, a margarita and a vodka martini. And, right in front of us, Mr. Cohen poured each drink, one by one, out of the teapot.

HE IMMEDIATELY POURED FIVE RANDOMLY REQUESTED DRINKS OUT OF A SINGLE TEAPOT. Just like that.

"To shouts of 'Oh, my God,' Mr. Cohen slyly answers, 'Just call me Steve.'"

What a fun and wild night. I'd highly recommend it. You can find tickets here and read more here, if you'd like.

P.S. More NYC date ideas, including a terrifying trapeze class and fire-escape drinks...

(Photos courtesy of Steve Cohen)