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Wondering where to find the Best British meet-ups in New York, New York, a city that never sleeps? In those copious waking hours, there seems to be a never-ending series of places to go, things to do, and people to meet. Having never stepped foot in this insomnia ridden metropolis before now, you might be asking yourself, where does one begin this behemoth task of breaking down the barriers? And more importantly, where does someone like ME begin? As an ex-pat, or perhaps an Anglophile in American’s clothing, it can be positively overwhelming visiting or moving to the Big Apple. While the city offers so much in the way of culture, food, and nightlife, deciphering the city’s endless options is exhausting. So make way and allow New York’s numerous British ex pat meet-up communities to step in and offer an inviting and warm welcome.

Currently containing over 1,500 members across Manhattan and neighboring boroughs, the various British Meet-up groups across the city have created an expansive network of places to go, things to do, and most importantly people to meet; people just like you. Come and enjoy a drink at many of the groups’ casual, as well as sophisticated, event nights out. As British meet-ups go, convening at the pub is one of the most time-honored traditions. The venues vary from traditional English/Irish fare such as St. Dymphna’s in the East Village, to more Americanized British watering holes such as the Telephone Bar on 2nd Avenue. As is part of the experience of discovering familiar, yet disparate pubs around town, the venues chosen by the best British Meet-Up groups in New York City, always have one thing in common; the warmth and comfort of a pub full of great beer and scrumptious pub food.

In the spirit of one of the greatest examples of pub food, relax and take pleasure in a traditional roast dinner in the Big Apple, with Yorkshire pudding that tastes as delectable as it did back home. The tradition of a Sunday roast dinner has carefully made its way across the Atlantic, to the delight of Ex Pats all over the city. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by British Meet-Up groups, as many of them have started organizing a Sunday roast at least once a month. Once again the venues for these savory meals of roast beef, roast potatoes, and all the lashings of gravy one could ever want are handpicked. Two of the most popular are the newly established Clerkenwell on the Lower East Side, as well as The Black Horse Pub in Brooklyn. Both serve up delectable versions of the traditional roast, while the Clerkenwell also provides a warm atmosphere, complete with toasty fireplace and casual board games.

While drinking and eating are a great way to get out, see the city, and enjoy new company amongst other ex-pats and Anglophiles, cultural events are also a big part of the British Meet-Up. Different meet-up communities offer varying ways of enjoying British culture, which includes, but is not limited to exclusive engagements of British made films, British sports events both international and domestic, and an assortment of evenings and afternoons filled with the viewing and reading of classic and modern British books, theatre, and comedy. Just this past year, some of the best British Meet-Ups in New York City offered exclusive tickets and giveaways to top UK imports, including In The Loop, Sherlock Holmes, and The Young Victoria. Savvy New Yorkers, native as well as transplanted, are very familiar with British TV shows, which have made quite the resurgence across the pond in the last few years. Ex Pats will be delighted to find there are events and activities centered on these imported gems, including an Eastenders anniversary screening as well as comedy nights that include new and old British TV comedies.

Another mainstay of British culture is sport, highlighted most predominantly in the three largest sports in the UK, football (the kind where you use your feet), rugby, and cricket. Because of football’s international appeal, a number of pubs across New York have sprung up to showcase the world’s greatest game on a daily basis. From the English Premier League, to international competitions including the Champions League and World Cup, Ex Pats are never far from a match. There are even a number of locations that host supporters clubs for the biggest teams in England. For instance, The Liverpool Supporters Club is at a small, but cozy bar in the East Village, aptly named The 11th Street Bar after its location. While just a few blocks away, the world famous Nevada Smiths plays host to numerous supporters clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Although rugby and cricket aren’t as readily available as football, British Meet-ups make the effort to gather at various locations around the city that showcase big international tournaments for Six Nations Rugby and cricket test matches. Rest assured if England, Wales, Scotland, or Ireland are playing, British Meet-ups will make sure you have an entertaining place to view the game, along with first class company to share it with.

For all the music lovers across New York, British Meet-ups organize a diverse smattering of live bands and DJ’s, descending upon New York from within the city and beyond its borders across the globe. The UK is famous for its music, especially its innovations in electronica. Luckily for ex pats and music loving Anglophiles, the Big Apple plays host to a number of venues for bands and DJ’s. One example is the emergence of the British Meet-Up DJ night the third Friday of every month. Typically hosted at a small, but comfortable bar, most notably The Stone Creek Lounge on 27th street, these nights include fantastic house music and an atmosphere that is loungy and laidback. Most importantly, wherever the music nights are hosted, British Meet-Ups always look for locals that are upscale, while also being affordable. For anyone that has spent a night out in Manhattan, British or otherwise, they understand the cost of enjoyment can often be a deterring factor for where to go.The best British Meet-ups in New York City make a point to always look for places that don’t break the bank for it’s loyal members.

With British Meet-Up communities as vast, but inclusive as those in the Big Apple, however varied your background, occupation, and age, rest assured you will find a home away from home while in one of the greatest cities in the world. Ex-Pat Meet-Up groups thrive on creating an environment with the genuineness of UK culture right in the heart of New York City. Mix, mingle, dance, drink, and most importantly, enjoy the city’s eternal sleepless nights with people you will hereafter know as your mates, the community of British Meet-Ups in New York City.

Almost everyone would agree that the most common question that dancers ask potential partners at swing club functions is: “would you like to dance?” This straightforward question is asked hundreds of times an evening and usually, after a brief conversation, the smiling couple walks to the dance floor where the “leader” leads and the “follower” follows. It is understood that when the male dancer determines which moves are the most appropriate to lead his partner, he must factor in her experience level, the tempo of the music and the space available to him on the dance floor; however, there is another implied, yet unspoken, consideration that makes his selection even more challenging, and surprisingly, it is not for his lack of taking sufficient dance lessons!

When the D.J. begins spinning, most dancers around the room move effortlessly into their patterns, but for one leader this moment is “crunch time” because at the last second, just before he transitions his partner into the open position with his planned “Tuck and Turn,” she urgently mentions her bad rotator cuff and asks him not to raise her right arm above her head. Whew, the male dancer thinks, I knew there was a reason that the clubs always teach the “Glideaway!” Having successfully dodged that bullet and moved his partner into the open position, he decides to lead her into a neck wrap using either a traditional, two-hand tuck entry, or a modified “Sweetheart Wrap” entry where, before he turns her, he may circle his left hand (holding her right hand) in front of her head at neck level to minimize any stress on her right shoulder. Great idea he muses as he opts for the latter entry; however, his self-congratulations are short lived because after he picks up a two-hand lead and he begins to rotate her around clockwise into the wrap, his partner balks at his lead and informs him that she recently sprained her neck and to please be gentle.

Without missing a beat the male dancer deftly continues around behind her and exits the move holding her right hand again in the open position. While executing a couple of “patty-cakes” to contemplate his next move, our hero suspects that his partner is protective of her left wrist which she casually confirms moments later by telling him about her recent diagnosis of carpal tunnel, caused by her long hours at work as a computer programmer. “I’d rather dance than work any day wouldn’t you?” she asks cheerfully. “It’s great exercise and it really increases your range of movement!” He agrees and compliments his partner on her great footwork and enthusiasm, and then he leads her into a benign, waist level pass-by which worked great; that is, great until her casual reference to the knee that she twisted recently playing volleyball and her not so subtle request for him to avoid leading her into moves like the ‘last one’ that caused her to lean forward which aggravates the pain in her lower back.

Wanting very much for his partner to enjoy their dance and being sensitive to her temporary physical limitations, the male dancer decides that it is time for him to really play it safe, so he leads her into a comfortable “Basic Return” followed by a “Caught-in-the-Cage.” Both of these moves worked perfectly: when he led her return into the closed position, her right hand was positioned at waist level, and when he rotated her back-and-forth within her “cage” she was able to stand up straight. The male dancer executed a few more carefully considered moves and then he led his partner back into the closed position feeling confident that he had protected her as much as possible from any pain. After he quickly dismissed the thought that his hand “flip-flopping” on her upper back during the “Caught-in-the-Cage” would have any impact whatsoever on her lower back pain, he smiled and instinctively knew at that moment that he was improving as a dancer by becoming a better leader!

As the music ended, the male dancer avoided any concluding embellishments like a “dip” and he simply led his partner into their final steps together in the closed position. Afterwards, she graciously thanked him for the wonderful dance and, while they threaded their way across the crowded floor towards her table, he reflected upon the valuable lesson their dance had taught him. He used to think that music tempo and dance floor space coupled with his partner’s experience determined which swing moves to lead, now he realized that he also needed to consider their physiological impact. When he seated her, she asked him what he thought of her favorite line dances: the Electric Slide and Swamp Thing. Ordinarily, he would be very unenthusiastic about these two dances; however, live and learn! Grateful for his new insights from their enjoyable dance together, he looked at her with appreciation and then he surprised himself by answering her question without even a blink of an eye: “I haven’t learned these popular dances yet but they certainly look like a lot of fun. I’ll bet they really give you that welcome freedom of unrestrained movement and expression don’t they!”