What's Up in the Lower East

Whether you are into Monday night football, classy parties, or shopping till you drop the LES has you covered. Brandsway Creative has teamed up with several shops and bars to provide a week worth of everything from good clean holiday fun to sports bars and swanky parties.

The week of events kicks off with LES is More for the Holidays, a Shop Local promotional event that asks Lower East Siders to do their holiday shopping in at neighborhood stores. 40 shops have joined the event to promote local businesses. If the spirit of local camaraderie isn't enough to draw in shoppers, participating stores will be offering discounts of 30%, 50%, and even 75% along with promotional freebies and refreshments.

Following the shop-apalooza guests of the LES Shop Local promotion are invited to recoup from all the holiday shopping madness at theHoliday Oasis Lounge at the Mark Miller Gallery. The lounge will feature complimentary gift-wrapping, a bag check station for shoppers to unload and unwind, refreshments, free back massages from licensed massage therapist and lookbooks with great gift ideas from participating merchants. LES Shop Local goes from Sunday, Dec. 11, to Sunday Dec. 18, and the Holiday Oasis Lounge will be open Dec. 10-11 and 12-18 between 12-8pm.

If you are one of the lucky few who has finished all your holiday shopping, then fret not, there are still two events that are right up your alley. Now that the shopping is all done why not partake in another time-honored holiday tradition and have a few well deserved drinks? Brandsway if offering two events where shoppers can shake off their post-traumatic holiday stress. Lifestyle, nightlife and style blogger, Mel Debarge, is hosting a launch party for his new blog, Bow Times and Good Times. The event will take place on December 13, at Sons of Essex from 9:30-11:30 p.m. RSVP at rsvp@brandswaycreative.com.

At the other end of the party spectrum, sports fans will find their scene at the Monday Night Football party hosted by Steven Porter of ESPN. Head down to Bounce Sporting Club on Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. enjoy yet another favorite holiday pastime, football and beer. RSVP at LT@branswaycreative.com.