While there is some debate over the best time of year to open a nightlife venue, we are going to go with in or around Fall Fashion Week.  Better to nail it and open the first weekend of Fashion week, but close can be good enough.  While the Standard was open before Labor Day, and the Standard Grill the same, Boom Boom Room came seemingly out of nowhere to take the Fashion Week crown, using a monster lineup of events and dinners to catapult itself to the head of the pack for Fall openings.

However, now that the cat is out of the bag and you don't stand a chance in hell of getting in, what is one to do?  Why not try to have some of that hotness rub off on you from 20 floors below?  The Standard Biergarten opened to little fanfare last week, but what better way to kick of Oktoberfest this week with a little Monday night visit?

Located under the Highline, the Biergarten was packed on a balmy and breezy Monday night.  Buy your beer tickets at the outhouse on the way in and you have a choice of three German brews on tap.  We opted with the Bitburger.  Add a couple of ping pong tables (take that Spin!) and pretzel girls (yes) and there you have your new MePa alternative to the new hot mess that is Boom Boom, Simyone, Abe & Arthur's, etc.