Halloween Extravaganza & Procession of the Ghouls at St. John the Divine
Friday October 31
Location: Soho, NYC
Event: The 35th Annual Village Halloween Parade
Show time: 7 PM
Venue: Sixth Avenue
Food: Souen
Drink: Ear Inn
Miscellaneous: Alidoro
Happy Halloween! Now’s the time of year to break out that costume and roam the streets looking for something to do. For the truly ghoulish, there’s the 35th Annual Village Halloween Parade where the theme this year is “ghost.†Expect lot’s of great costumes and plenty of people getting spooky. Whether you live here or are a tourist, this is a must see for all. For fans of macrobiotics, tofu, seitan and even fish, Souen is great for healthy food that won’t have you feeling like you shouldn’t have ordered that. Try the Broiled Tofu Okabe, which sees thick slices of tofu, broiled and topped with a sesame and sake paste ($11). One of the oldest bars in the city, Ear Inn offers cheap pints in a timeless environment. Walk through the doors and it’s like you’re in the early 1900s, though the occasional ringing cell phone will bring you back to reality. Possibly one of the best sandwich shops in the city, Alidoro has 40 kinds of amazing Italian sandwiches, all named.
Friday October 31
Location: Harlem, NYC
Event: Halloween Extravaganza & Procession of the Ghouls at St. John the Divine
Show time: 7 PM & 10 PM
Venue: Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Food Amy Ruth’s
Drink Harlem Lanes
Miscellaneous Stop 125
Another Halloween event you might want to check out is the Halloween Extravaganza & Procession of the Ghouls. First there will be a silent film screening of “The Phantom of the Opera,” with live organ accompaniment followed by the Procession of Ghouls, written and directed by Ralph Lee. While you’re up in Harlem, head over to Amy Ruth’s for some of the best fried chicken around. A MUST TRY is the fried or smothered Chicken & Waffles named The Rev. Al Sharpton ($9.50). It’s out of this world! A complex housing 24 bowling lanes, mini arcade, and a gourmet café, Harlem Lanes also has a sports bar with 24 plasma screen TVs. At Stop 125 you’d think the outdoor Tiki Bar would be the main attraction, but it’s the food that many come for. Offering dinner entree’s as well as small tapas style appetizers like the much-loved Chorizo With Caramelized Figs sautéed in its own juices (sm $6.95, lg $12.95), Stop 125 takes American cuisine and spices it up with the international flair that NYC, and especially Harlem are known for.
Saturday November 1
Location: Chelsea, NYC
Bands: The B-52’s + Hercules & Love Affair + James Murphy & Pat Mahoney Get Tickets Here
Show time: 9 PM
Venue: Hammerstein Ballroom
Food: Better Burger
Drink: Passerby
Miscellaneous: ’sNice
The B-52’s “Live it Up on the Day of the Dead.†That’s the theme of the show as this legendary band hit Hammerstein Ballroom. Joining them are the cross gender disco and electronic dance infused group Hercules & Love Affair and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy & Pat Mahoney. Hormone and antibiotic free, Better Burger focuses on serving a fresh and healthier alternative to the grease burger you can get anywhere. With a tiled floor that lights up, other than that, Passerby is a non-descript bar, which is why it’s a place artists flock to for a cocktail without being disturbed. While not the best named coffee shop, ‘sNice is a nice and quiet coffee house offering vegetarian sandwiches and baked goods, while being a large enough space to spread your legs out and not worry about stealing another seat from someone.
Saturday November 1
Location: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Film: Sexy, Scary, and Often Naked: Asia Argento
Show time: See website for schedule, date, and times; Through November 9
Venue: BAM
Food: Juniors
Drink: Moe’s
Miscellaneous: Tillie’s
Daughter of legendary horror director Dario Argento, Italian actress Asia Argento has made a name for herself on the screen in films across the globe. In this series, some of her scariest and most risk taking roles will be on display starting with todays screening of New Rose Hotel, a sci-fi thriller also starring Willem Dafoe and Christopher Walken. Known for their amazing cheesecakes, Juniors offers a pretty damn good menu too. Though it’s your old school deli style food, personally, my favorite dish is the Bar-B-Q fried chicken and the Mac & Cheese is officially the best traditional version of it I’ve ever had. Probably one of the best bars in the area simply due to its ethno-Brooklyn vibe. Everyone looks cool here and is friendly. Good music and great drinks, its a great place to chill. For dessert, stop by Tillie’s. It’s one of the best places in the area to get coffee, cupcakes, and cookies. The environment here is laid back.
Sunday November 2
Location: Midtown West, NYC
Event: ING New York City Marathon
Show time: 9 AM
Venue: Multiple venues (see website)
Food: Zip Burger
Drink: Subway Inn
Miscellaneous: Kinokuniya Bookstore
If Halloween and costumes aren’t your thing, and say, running is, then you might want to check out or even enter the ING New York City Marathon. It’s 26.2 miles and goes through all five boroughs starting in Staten Island and ending in Central Park. But if your like me, you’ll be at home watching it on TV recovering from all the insanity from this Halloween weekend. At Zip Burger they prove their point, offering farm-raised, organic, grass-fed meat and poultry, letting you build your own burger with plenty of gourmet toppings. The first time I went to Subway Inn I thought it was completely strange that there was a dive bar off Lexington Ave., in this neck of the woods, but somehow it works. Born in the 30s, this bar has somehow remained, and thank god, as it’s easily the cheapest place in the area for a drink. For fans of Japanese pop-culture, Kinokuniya Bookstore has a large selection of Japanese themed books, videos, CDs, magazines, comics, and stationary.
