Bowery: Forcella, at 334 Bowery Street, is practically giving away pizzas tonight: two Margarita pizzas for $2 until 7:30 p.m. [Grub Street]
East Village: Having been shuttered for months, the café that inspired Rent is up for rent. Life Café, where Jonathan Larson wrote most of his musical, was also the setting for the song “La Vie Boheme.” [EV Grieve, NYDN]
Nolita: City Grit supper cub will engage in a bit of non-basketball March madness with a themed dinner on March 1 at 7:30 p.m. Because chef David Santos, alum of Per Se and Bouley, will be creating the multi-course meal, we’re guessing tickets ($85) will go fast. [Grub Street]
Lower East Side: Sons of Essex is entering the brunch fray, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. They had us at “mac n cheese” omelette, but they made a video, too. [Grub Street]
Soho: Lani Kai is bringing back the Pupu Platter with a spin on the classic that boasts Hawaiian and Asian influences. Diners can pick four of seven options to include on their platters; as for us, we’ll be going for the crab wontons every time. [Grub Street]
Midtown West: Add the Original SoupMan to the list of New York eateries going Linsane for the Knicks’ star point guard. The soup purveyor will rename its lentil soup LINtil soup for the rest of the basketball season. [Grub Street]
Kellari Taverna will host a “Clean Monday” celebration on February 27 to benefit the American School of Classical Studies at Athens’ Gennadius Library. Gregory Maninakis and the Mikrokosmos Ensemble will entertain with live music, and Suzanne Perrault of PBS’s Antiques Roadshow will lead an auction. The fare will be Mediterranean; tickets are $300, or $160 if you’re under 40. [Grub Street]
Times Square: Oceana will mark the leap year with an extra menu item. On February 29, diners can select strozzapreti pasta with frogs leg ragout, with fennel, rosemary, and green olives for $16. As a bonus, anyone celebrating his or her birthday will be treated to a glass of sparkling wine: It only comes once every four years, after all. [Grub Street]
Upper West Side: Momofuku’s David Chang, food writer Peter Meehan, and Lucky Peach editor Chris Ying will headline a Global Kitchen event at the American Museum of Natural History on March 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets, $45, include a Momofuku treat and a signed copy of the magazine. [Grub Street]
Tickets are now available for the fifth annual Whole Foods Market’s New Taste of the Upper West Side, which will be held this year on May 16, 18, and 19. Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and many other big-name chefs will participate. [Grub Street]
Williamsburg: Sweetleaf Cafe is bringing its Stumptown beans and La Marzocco espresso machines to Blue Bottle territory. Look for the new location to open this April. [Grub Street]
Beginning next week, Toby’s Estate Coffee will offer a free cupping for five lucky people every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Register by e-mailing brewschool@tobysestate.com or calling 347-457-6160. [Grub Street]
