Day 13: Halloween in NYC

If you’ve never done Halloween in NYC make sure you do at some point in your life. From morning on October 31 (and even days before) the city is abuzz with the energy—in the costumes, the shops windows and along Sixth Avenue for the famous Greenwich Village Halloween Parade where floats by commissioned artists and costumes from some of the greatest imaginations talk a walk for the world to see. Without a doubt Halloween is one of the city’s largest unofficial parties even if you’re not up for a party. Even a ride on the subway—or waiting on the platform for a while—can be pretty entertaining. Let’s just say it’s pretty *#$% spook-tastic.

Day 10: Pumpkin Carving Contest at Kettle of Fish

It’s agreed that Halloween wouldn’t be the same without jack-o-lanterns, right? Sure there’s the mess—the guts, the seeds, the slimy hands that come with carving, but it really is fun and it only comes around once a year. Village tavern Kettle of Fish has been hosting an annual pumpkin carving contest now in its 23^rd year. They provide the pumpkins and the tools, the rest is up to contestants. Aside from the fact that hanging out at Kettle feels like hanging out in a friend’s living room, it’s the best of both worlds, arms elbow-deep in a pumpkin with a Freaktoberfest pint on the side. Brings back the memories of childhood with a grown-up sort of spin. After three hours of carving judges pick their faves in categories that happen to fit with the final works of craftsmanship. This year a Most Seductive pumpkin, a Biggest Suck-up, Best Use of Props and always the All-Around Best in Show. 

Day 9: 2009 Nike+ Human Race

For a few hours on Saturday morning, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park saw a wave of red as thousands of participants arrayed in Nike Plus shirts ran in the second annual Nike+ Human Race 10K. For days before, forecasters were predicting a downpour, but thanks to a thoughtful gesture by Mother Nature, the sky held off until most participants had crossed the finish line. The two-loop course made for a picturesque run with leaves in autumn colors swaying overhead and on the ground paving the way for many thousands of feet. At 6.2 miles the race was a fraction of next week’s ING New York City Marathon, but as Nike titles it, “the day the world runs”, it was nevertheless, a good preview.

www.nikerunning.nike.com

Day 8: CMJ Music Marathon

In NYC there are always bands to be heard and films to be seen, but for six days in October it’s a marathon—the CMJ Music Marathon (and Film Festival) that is. Six days of music, beer, stamped hands and wristbands, and more music, and more beer, if you can take it. With a list of artists so long it’ll have your eyes crossing, there’s enough to keep you moving for hours on end, from daylight until the wee hours of night…or morning really. And with more fresh faces than familiar faves on the bill it’s a good chance to get a peak at some of the best new music around. There are for sure a good deal worth getting to know.

www.cmj.com/marathon2009

Current and Coming Up…

2009 Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park (Sunday, October 4, 11:30am – 6pm), http://www.whidc.org/home.html; St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals Fair (Sunday, October 4, 1pm),http://www.stjohndivine.org/St.Francis2009.html; The 47th Annual New York Film Festival (through Sunday, October 11),  http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyff.html;