Although the doors have been shuttered since late October, a new sign outside of Lotus Lounge beckoned in one of our Metromix correspondents last night. Sadly, although the LES coffee shop/bar had re-opened, that was apparently a temporary measure.

"The place was gutted," said our source. "There was no heat, about two people in there, and they were charging full price for drinks. I mean, if they're trying to get rid of alcohol, why bother charging $7 for a mixed drink? And they were out of almost everything, anyway." A friend of our writer later told us that plans for something "more upscale" may be in the works. Oh, joy.

If full prices, lack of selection, freezing cold and a sense of despondence and ennui are what you crave, do check out Lotus in its last week. It should be open every night, starting at 5 p.m. And hey, maybe you can remember the days when the Lower East Side actually had an affordable neighborhood hang-out. 

My female friends always tell me how impossible it is to meet a guy in New York. It's not that I didn't believe them: statistically New York features a disproportionate number of single women to single men. It was more that I thought it couldn't be that hard to find a lot of single guys in one place.

This was proven last night at possibly the largest sausage fest ever witnessed in our fair city: a Dillinger Escape Plan concert at the Blender Theater. By my rough estimate, leaving out event staff, media types and publicists, there were approximately 400+ men at the show...and maybe 20 women.

Granted, this isn't the Wall Street/lawyer/doctor crowd...but if you like your men with impeccible music taste (at least metal-wise), with a brooding manner, youthful exuberance (and somewhat burly), last night would have represented a smorgasborg of potential mates. Hey, even their guitarist Ben Weinman admitted to us that it's certainly a lot easier to find good dudes over quality ladies at a DEP show. 

As for the show...amazing. Intense. Lots of crowd-surfing, highly intricate metal/hardcore and, best of all, a lead singer unafraid to show his dragon breath. (See photo above. Note: while that photo isn't from last night, it pretty much encapsulates every night of a DEP show).