The Entertainment SociaList

by Bradley Gula

April 30th, 2008 in Dining, Entertainment, Events, Lifestyle, Newsletter, The SociaList Issue

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If an exciting night means paper football and a Designing Women marathon, social media is here to help.

Whether you’re looking to hit the town or need some new ideas for an evening at home, expand your entertainment horizon with a few of these useful tools.

1. Upcoming - A true social media pioneer, Yahoo’s Upcoming lists thousands of events and keeps track of who’s going where. Follow Uncle Jerry’s worldwide backgammon tour, and see if the ex is headed for the Kate Nash show before you commit to tickets. Paired with Twitter and Dopplr, the “What are you doing tonight?” phone call becomes obsolete.

2. Filmcrave - I’ll admit — it’s good to be alone when Del Griffith is found at the church and my eyes inevitably do their best waterfall impression. But, for the most part, movies are meant to be social. Filmcrave bridges the online gap between film and friends as a commonplace for chat, trailers and lists of favorites. None of your pals up for the new Willie Aames feature? Find a willing companion at Filmcrave!

3. Metromix Detroit / 313rd - For years a go-to source in L.A., New York and Chicago, Metromix has finally landed in the Motor City. With plenty of photos and in-depth coverage, bar and restaurant reviews find themselves teamed with the latest in music, movies and television. 313rd aims specifically for food and drink with an all-local flair and simple but intuitive interface. Both sites welcome your contribution.

Flickr ID: Mr.Thomas

4. Second Life - Want to check out the symphony? Prefer a night at the club? A trip to an art gallery perhaps? Sure. But what if it’s 4 in the morning? No worries. Do it all from the comfort of the couch with a couple of clicks. If you still haven’t discovered Second Life, now’s the time to visit the free virtual world that never sleeps.

5. Joost - The TV-on-computer movement is building steam, led largely by YouTube’s quick hits of skateboarding dogs and teen diaries. But as streaming video continues to improve, Joost brings full-length (and completely legal) episodes of your favorite shows both new and old. Ren and Stimpy, CSI and The Twilight Zone are all here. Share your “joy joy” with other viewers in each program’s live chat room.

6. Yelp - A reviews site formed around community, find the best in restaurants, nightlife and shopping rated by “Yelpers” across America. A good steak in Flint. The best theatre in Traverse City. A tour of Muskegon. It’s all available on Yelp. Build a trusted list of neighborhood friends and say goodbye to poor acoustics and the constantly-distracted-by-his-watch waiter.

7. Fanista - A new home for “prolific entertainment reviewers and creative connectors,” start by sharing a selection of your top films, games and music. Browse through the visual profiles of others and make their favorites your own. Or, more importantly, use the service to proclaim your affinity for Toni Basil.

8. Facebook - While it’s fun to keep tabs on whose “single” status moves “in a relationship,” the social network’s application program continues to extend its capabilities. Social Gaming Network is developing games specific to the platform, many allowing direct competition with your Facebook chums. Who can resist a good round of Scrabulous?

9. GRNow - A West Michigan transplant or G-Rap native, you’re bound to find the perfect excursion with a quick browse of Grand Rapids’ top entertainment guide. Don’t miss the 2008 Summer Festival Preview.

10. Ask MetaFilter - For years, Ask MetaFilter has been my favorite website on all of Al Gore’s internet. Although not limited strictly to entertainment, its premise is simple: ask a question, receive an array of responses from the vast MetaFilter community. This is stuff you won’t find with a pair of Google keywords. A five dollar lifetime membership earns one question per week, so you can finally figure out how those expressway signs calculate travel estimates. Reading and learning, however, are free.

Know another spot to find entertainment online? Leave a comment and let us know.