Nothing Says the Holidays Like a Two-Ton Snowflake

What with the commercials, Sidewalk Santas, holiday windows, and endless catalogues, Christmas in New York seems to be in attack mode this year, earlier than ever—we haven’t even reached Thanksgiving yet.
And the bulk of the holiday madness is yet to come.
Still, if you'd like to ease into the holidays more gradually, and remember what they’re really about, check out the UNICEF snowflake on 57th street and 5th Avenue, near the Louis Vuitton Store.
Last night Lucy Liu (“Charlie’s Angels,” etc.), a UNICEF ambassador, flipped the switch that lights up the enormous crystal snowflake that hangs high above 57th Street. (It’s hard to see during the day; try planning to be there early evening if possible.)
The snowflake weighs in at more than 3,300 pounds, contains 16,000 Baccarat crystals, and is 23 feet in diameter and 28 feet tall. It’s also billed as the largest outdoor chandelier of its kind. Yes, that gave us pause too. (Are there many more of their kind?? It makes them sound kind of like aliens, and that attack-mode comment was just a joke…)
If there seems to be a disconnect between the Baccarat crystal part, the fact that the reception was held in the Louis Vuitton store, and the relationship with UNCIEF, remember that in fact UNICEF has helped save the lives of more kids worldwide than any other humanitarian organization.
The snowflake will remain lit until January 3rd.

The Holidays Must Be Close: The Rockettes Have High-Stepped It Into Town

Say what you will, but there’s really nothing like it: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is once again at, yes, New York’s Radio City Music Hall, heralding the holiday season and bringing high-kicking glory to our fair city once more.
What visitors seem to love is the combination of spectacle and nostalgia; pageantry and familiarity; and of course, the vision of the scantily-yet-absolutely-appropriately-dressed Radio City Rockettes themselves.
Oh-so-familiar numbers include “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”; Santa’s ride to his workshop at the North People (wait for the rag dolls); and the reenactment of the first Christmas in ”The Living Nativity”(present in the original 1933 version, as were the wooden soldiers!)
It's a truly weird mix of the sacred and the profane, from giant LED screens and 3D glasses to the birth of Christ; showgirls to "The 12 Days of Christmas."
The Spectacular, which is seen by more than a million people each year, runs through Dec. 30; Radio City is at 1260 Avenue of the Americas, between 50th and 51st Streets. The Holiday hotline (no, really) is at 212 307-1000. A touring version of the show also plays in selected venues across the country.
Dancing Santas! Falling soldiers! Live camels and sheep! Endlessly smiling dancers! All on a giant stage!
How much more Christmas-y can you get?

Wondering Where Your Train Is? A New Clock May Help You Figure It Out

In the never-ending annals of the never-ending plans for New York’s vastly complicated transportation system comes some (potentially) good news: Countdown clocks will be arriving at several subway stations by the end of next month, with others to follow.
An announcement was made Monday that subway riders on the number 6 train will be the first to utilize the countdown clocks. Three stations in the Bronx will lead off, followed by the rest of the 6 line and all other lines by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011. Nearly 150 other stations along the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines will be rolled out in addition to the 6 line.
Wondering about the 7 line? It was supposed to get the clocks as part of a separate project that was due to be completed in 2006. It’s now (obviously) many years overdue, and the original price tag of $170 million is now projected at closer to $200 million--just for that line.
The separate $200 million project for the other lines has encountered a number of snafus, including a serious flaw in the software that was discovered a year into the project.
At the moment, countdown clocks can be found only on the L and the 34th Street bus corridor.
Bus riders, take heart--clocks are due to be installed at the 50th Street route as well—but no launch date (surprise, surprise) has been set.

Think Small This Week, and Support Your Independent Bookstore

We love Barnes& Noble, we really do, but let’s face it, especially in a huge city like New York, it’s great to support the little guy--in this case, your local independent bookstore.
So you’ll be happy to learn that it’s the first ever Independent Bookstore Week NYC, ending on Saturday, Nov. 21 with America Unchained Day. (No actual chains are involved in this event.) Consumers across the country are urged to break free (Get it? Yes, it was an analogy…) of gigantic mega chain stores, and shop at neighborhood institutions.
Independent booksellers have banded together to promote interest in and awareness of their stores, and have tossed author appearances, readings, and special events galore into the mix.
Participating stores include veterans like Three Lives and St. Marks, as well as newbies such as Idlewild in midtown Manhattan. Other well-known names include Bank Street Books; Bauman Rare Books; the Scholastic Store; and the Argosy Book store.
There’s even a photo scavenger hunt for the plucky: To enter, participants take photos of themselves with various objects at designated stores across the city. (For more info. go to ibnyc.wordpress.com)
Despite the state of the economy and the inevitable closing of several independent stores, other bookstores in the city, continue, oddly enough, to thrive. Some stores, like Book Culture in the Columbia University area, are actually expanding.
So forego the big guys this week, and pick up that bestseller for Uncle Fred at that little shop around the corner, not the one with the two aisle-wide shopping carts.

Put Down That Custard Pie Until You've Been Properly Trained

Being a clown takes more than sticking on a funny red nose--at least if you want to be one of the clowns in the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (and, we suspect, elsewhere as well.)
With New York’s most famous parade looming at the end of next week, wanna-be clowns got a crash course this past weekend in, well, clowning around, from the masters themselves—professional clowns from The Big Apple Circus.
The “Clown U” Program (Well, what did you think it would be called?) was held in Macy’s in preparation for the 83rd annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26. During the two-hour workshop, the volunteers learned pratfalls, sight gags, comedic timing, various silly tricks, and clown do’s and don’ts. They report for duty at 6 AM on parade morning, rain or shine—in full clown regalia, of course.
Almost 850 clowns will march next week. They will divide into 25 different groups, ride uptown on the Clown Bus, gather at "Clown Corner,” and get ready to chuckle.
Some of the clown groups? Pirate Prankster Clowns; Malt Shop Clowns; Safari Clowns with Butterfly Kites; Half-Baked Holiday Sweet Clowns; and Silly Seaside Clowns. Really, it doesn’t get any better than that.
All we can say is, that’s a lot of banana peels.
Check back here next week for details on the parade itself…

Ready For a Revival, Coney Island Gets a Reprieve

Be honest, now: When you think of New York City’s Coney Island, do you think, “Ah, now there’s a destination?” Or do you think, ”Hmm, dated relic of ancient amusement park days?”
Well, all that is about to change. Last week, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city has made a deal to acquire almost seven acres in Coney Island in order to expand and renovate the amusement park area.
The acquisition will allow the city to create a 12.5-acre amusement park as part of an amusement and entertainment district of almost twice the size; three waterfront areas are included in the addition.
The plan is expected to bring in more than $14 billion in economic activity for the city over the next 30 years.
In recent years, the so-called amusement district has shrunk to a barely-there three acres and a rather meager and decrepit offering of boardwalk fun; the expanded version will include stores and nearly 5,000 new units of housing (and, ideally, many new jobs) in addition to the “amusements.” Well-loved attractions such as the Cyclone and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park are expected to remain in place.
Coney Island became a resort after the Civil War, reached its peak of popularity in the early twentieth century, and continued to decline in popularity after World War II.
The name, if you were wondering, most likely comes from the Dutch words meaning “Rabbit Island.”

Craving a Gallon of Salad Dressing? Costco Comes to NYC

Admit it: you’ve woken up at 3:00 AM longing for a giant tub of mayonnaise. Or maybe it was the 10:00 AM craving for 20 rolls of toilet paper. Whatever the desire for the oversized; the excessive amounts; or just the proverbial low, low prices, your wishes have been fulfilled: The first Costco has opened in New York City.
The mega-deal store is the first tenant in the new East River Plaza, a “big-box” shopping center off the FDR Drive on 116th street. The store, clocking in at 110,000 square feet, will also welcome neighbors Best Buy, Marshalls, and—be still my heart--Target in the next few months.
Costco execs looked for years to round out their offerings of Costco stores in the city (the others are in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island). The same spot was deemed too pricey a few years ago--but thanks to the recession, the space is now going for 30 percent less than was originally offered.
Buyers must fork over an annual membership fee—but at the Manhattan location, offerings include wildly reduced Ugg Boots and Seven for All Mankind jeans—not to mention Cartier jewelry and Rolex watches.
Is it too far uptown for many New Yorkers? We’re willing to bet that for off-price designer goods, discounted bestsellers, coveted makeup brands and oversized boxes of pasta, New Yorkers will go just about anywhere--especially if it’s in their own backyard.

A Chicken-Stealing Fox Takes Over a Famous Men's Store

At the Men’s Store at Bergdorf Goodman, one of New York’s poshest department stores, you might expect impeccably tailored designer clothing; high-end accessories; and eccentric, rather pricey gifts...but Claymation figures from a children’s book?
Yup.
The sets from the movie “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which opens today in New York and L.A. and nationally on November 25, and had its premiere at the famed men’s department store this week, are on display through early January, thus providing the store’s all-important holiday display. Directed by Wes Anderson (“Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums”), and based on the best-selling, classic children’s book by Roald Dahl (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach”) the movie tells the story of the title character, a rascally, chicken-stealing-thief-turned-journalist-turned-chicken-stealing-thief-again who puts his family’s life in jeopardy. Mr. Fox and his friends and family join together to fight the three evil farmers—Boggis, Bunce, and Bean—who are set on capturing Mr. Fox and putting an end to his chicken-stealing ways. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, and Bill Murray are among the high-profile cast members.
The store, located on Fifth Avenue and 58th Street, features 12 windows with exquisite sets from the generally well-reviewed film, which was done in painstaking stop-motion animation. Anderson, known for his whimsical, odd, offbeat sense of humor, was responsible for building and designing all the objects in the film; it’s his first foray into animated movies.
Why the tie-in? Movies have provided fodder for store windows before (remember “Harry Potter”?). And it’s certainly more interesting—and guaranteed to get people to stop and look--than a display of suits and sweaters, no matter how nicely designed.

The Tree We've All Been Waiting For Has Arrived

It’s heeeeere! The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived.
The 76-foot-high Norway spruce, which belonged to fifth-grade teacher Maria Corti, was cut down in Easton, Conn. yesterday. It was transported to New York City on a special flatbed truck, and was hoisted into place this morning. (The tree generally travels during the night with a police escort; it usually takes 15-20 people and a 280-ton crane to handle the behemoth.)
The tree clocks in at more than 10 tons; it's 40 feet in diameter. Minimum requirements say that the tree must be at least 65 feet tall and 35 feet wide; although between 75 and 90 feet high is favored. A Norway spruce is generally preferred (they’re not native to this country, but many were planted ornamentally), and if you were wondering, no money changes hands--it’s the pride of having your tree assume its place near the Prometheus Statue and the ice skating rink.
The tree will be covered in scaffolding as workers start adorning it--over five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree every year.
The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was erected in 1931 as workers were building the complex during the depression. First tree lighting? 1933.
The tree is located in the center of the plaza, at 50th Street and 5th Avenue. The official tree lighting is on December 2.

Give Us Some Lip, and Pucker Up for the Troops

Here’s a new spin on Veteran’s Day in New York City: Choose a lipstick, pucker up, and kiss a postcard.
Well, there’s more to it than that: Cosmopolitan Magazine and Maybelline New York have teamed up with the USO for “Kisses for the Troops,” a program designed to deliver “kisses” to troops serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Here’s how it works: The “Cosmo Kisses for the Troops” van will be roaming around the city today with a military escort and uniformed personnel. Those New Yorkers who are lip-ready and willing to participate will be offered a choice of Maybelline lipsticks with which to smack a postcard; the cards will be delivered to the troops in time for New Year’s Eve.
In addition, Cosmo and Maybelline will donate one dollar for each kiss to the USO.
But wait--there’s more! All kisses logged in between 7 am and 7 pm today will count towards setting a new Guinness World record for most lip prints collected in 12 hours. (Have many people tried to set that one??)
Want to get in on the action? The van will be found at various points across the city today, including Times Square (8:30-10:30 am); Union Square (11:00-1:00 PM); NYU, near West 8th Street and 6th Avenue (3:30-5:30 PM); and the Meat Packing District (6:00-7:00 PM). Call (212) 649-2577 for more information—and pucker up for Veteran’s Day!

Elmo Doesn't Look A Day Over 3, But Sesame Street is 40

In the beginning, Cookie Monster smoked a pipe (only occasionally, and only in character as Alistair Cookie), the streets were dirty, and buildings were covered in graffiti. For four decades, however, generations of kids have known how to get to “Sesame Street,” which celebrates its fortieth anniversary today. Mayor Bloomberg has declared Broadway and 64th Street--you guessed it--Sesame Street, and today is officially ”Sesame Street Day” in New York City.
The show, which films in New York, has been gussied up through the years and, some may argue, is less appealing for its PC focus. (Yoga? Tofu? Really?) But as, perhaps, the best loved, most popular, and most influential children’s show ever, still known for its trademark goofiness, it deserves every accolade it’s afforded.
The special guest today is Michelle Obama; she suggests that Oscar the Grouch take a bath, and he is understandably concerned by this notion because he might get clean.
If it weren’t for “Sesame Street,” we wouldn't have Elmo or Big Bird or the Muppets. We wouldn’t have seen a children’s show cross boundaries of race and deal with issues like the death of a character, long before other shows tackled those issues. Numerous kids wouldn't have seen their own urban environment reflected on TV, and adults wouldn't have known that children’s shows could be for them, too.
But most of all, we wouldn’t have had the sheet revelry and zaniness that is the show’s hallmark. Generations of kids would still have learned their ABC’s—but perhaps not with as much sheer delight as they did on Sesame Street.

Take a Whirl, Buy Aunt Edna a Gift: Holiday Pastimes at Bryant Park

No, you haven’t missed Thanksgiving, and yes, part of New York’s Fifth Avenue is already decorated for Christmas, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that the holiday shops at Bryant Park are open as well. The shops, which opened last week and will remain open through January 3, feature more than 100 little shops, designers, craftspeople and food merchants from around the world. (If the thought of rushing headlong into your holiday shopping at a huge department store terrifies you, this is a nice way to ease into it gently.) You can call 212 661-6640 for more information; the shops are located at Bryant Park; 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue. They include Annie’s Dog Bakery and Boutique; Ireland in Prints; Max Brenner-Chocolates by the Bald Man; and Santa’s Workshop. (No, we can’t vouch that it’s the original, one and only Santa.)
Plus, if that isn’t enough enticement, the city’s only free ice skating rink—The Pond at Bryant Park--opened there for the season last Friday as well.
And yes, you read that correctly--free. Skates can be rented (for a fee; you can’t have everything), and the 170’ x 100’ rink also features occasional skating shows, events and activities.
Because it’s free, of course, you can expect longish lines and largish crowds, but hey, it’s all part of the holiday sprit.

Craving a New Lipstick? Bloomingdale's Has Made Over Your Makeup

In a recession, big-ticket items like houses by the beach and Fendi purses may be shelved, but often, it’s the little luxury items, like lipstick, that do well.
Maybe that’s part of the thinking behind the major renovation of New York City’s Bloomingdale's’ BWAY, the famous makeup area, a few weeks ago.
The department store’s flagship store has added six new cosmetics brands (yes, a big deal if you’re a makeup junkie); and completely transformed the 25,400-square-foot area; the renovation began in 2004.The new brands include Jo Malone; Sisley; and shu uemura.
The cosmetics and skin care department has been transformed from one gigantic open space to three separate rooms. The point? Each shop has been raised in height, and black glass trim has been added above each shop up to the ceiling. Each room now has a separate look and feel--one has black and silver leaf; another, white glass; and the third, black glass. Oh, and you can breathe a sigh of relief: The famous black-and-white floors remain.
So where did all this extra space come from? Sorry, guys—some of the menswear department was moved to the lower level, thus adding an adding 4,400 square feet of space. This round goes to the ladies.
Large aisles also make movement easier.
Lest you thought this was all for show: Vanity, they name is not Bloomingdale’s (well, not entirely): The moody diffusion lighting eliminates shadows on the floor and creates a drop in electric consumption.
Bloomingdale’s, you're not just pretty, you’re energy efficient!

Goodbye to the Stables? Carriage Horses Will be Trotting Away

What’s more iconic than a horse-drawn carriage ride around Central Park? What says “New York” more then the clip clopping of horse’s hooves near the Plaza?
OK, maybe many things, but that’s certainly up there.
It turns out that, as of this winter, more than two dozen New York City carriage horses may be out of a home and therefore, will be out of work (as will their drivers.)
Shamrock Stables, home to the carriage horses, has been ordered by the city’s Housing Preservation and Development Agency to vacate its current space by the end of December.
Thirteen hundred units of affordable housing, 10,000 feet of retail space, and a new school will be moving into the space on West 45th Street.
Manhattan does have four other stables—all located in the west 30s, 40s and 50s--but they’re all full up, especially during the holidays.
It’s not just that the horses themselves take up a lot of room--the 700 bales of hay they eat every two weeks, as well as a great deal of equipment, also needs to be factored in.
The stables will most likely remain open through the holidays, a peak time for the horse-drawn carriages because of both the influx of tourists and the holiday spirit that seizes many New Yorkers. (Ah, a winter ride through the snowy park…)
Animal-rights activists have long protested the stables and working conditions of the horses in the city, while others feel they are an essential part of New York.
In addition, the stables were definitely ready for their close-up: The long-running TV series ”Law and Order” filmed there several times.

Going Crosstown in Midtown? You Might Want to Walk

Think you can walk faster than a crosstown bus can take you to your destination?
You’re right.
The Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives group announced their Pokey, Trekkie, and Schleppie Awards yesterday for New York’s worst bus rides--the slowest, longest, and most unreliable bus service in the city.
The winner (loser?) of the Pokey Award went to the M42, which goes (slowly) across 42nd Street. It now carries the notoriety of being the slowest bus in New York: At noon on a weekday, it traveled a majestic 3.7 miles an hour. Yes, you can walk that fast, if not faster.
Why does it take so long?
Mix midtown congestion (read: traffic) with a healthy helping of many riders, all of whom have to put their metro cards into the slot, and bingo! A recipe for a two-book, three-newspaper, 12-phone-call, 50-songs-on-the-ipod journey.
This year’s Trekkie (longest scheduled running time) goes to the M4, which runs between Penn Station and Fort Tryon in Manhattan, clocking in at a grueling, mind-numbing, one hour and 50 minutes.
You could be in another state--several other states—by then. (Not counting despair, agony, and downright frustration).
The Schleppie (least reliable bus route) went to the B44 in Brooklyn.
The MTA says it hopes to improve bus speed and reliability. Plans for new payment methods, a system that should let riders know when their bus is coming, and better enforcement of bus lanes is also in the offing.
In the meantime, buy a pair of sneakers.

Coolest iphone App Yet? It Might Be The Museum of the Phantom City

This is New York, so you can go on pretty much any kind of walking or bus tour in the city you can dream up, from "Sex and the City” venues to lower east side foods. But a tour of places that never were?
Welcome to the very cool new iphone app “Museum of the Phantom City.”
The app examines 50 architectural sites in New York that never got off the drawing board, from Buckminster Fuller’s plan for a “Mini Earth”—a miniature globe suspended by cables across from the United Nations Building—to a heliport on top of Bryant Park that could have doubled as an air raid shelter. A number of the proposals from the mid-twentieth century, in fact, show unease over the Cold War and potential attacks.
Got some time on your hands? You can walk around the city and actually check out the sites where the projects would have been, if you want, using your phone like a museum audioguide of sorts.
The plan was developed by Irene Cheng and Brett Snyder, founders of a design studio, in conjunction with The Van Alen Institute, a nonprofit architectural institute.
Don’t have an iphone or can’t borrow one? Check out phantomcity.org.
So are these things-that-never-were a missed-the-boat alternative future? Lost opportunities? Monstrosities that are better relegated to the drawing board?
Whatever they are, this intersection of architecture and technology is whole lot more interesting than apps for finding the nearest deli.

September 11 Memorial Damaged in Deliberate Arson

A temporary New York City chapel containing unidentified remains of September 11 victims was set ablaze last weekend in what police are calling a definite case of arson. Although the remains themselves were untouched, most of the mementos and candles left by loved ones were either damaged or stolen. The tented building (which was also largely undamaged) serves as a temporary resting place for the remains until they are moved to a permanent location at Ground Zero; it stands behind the chief medical examiner’s office on East 30th Street in what is known as Memorial Park.
Twenty-six-year-old Brian Schroeder, who’s originally from Texas, was arrested in connection with the crime. The Harvard Law School graduate supposedly set the memorial on fire as part of a drunken prank. Firefighters responded to a call before 9 am last Saturday (Halloween) and found remains of the fire still smoking.
How Schroeder was able to simply walk into what was supposed to be a high-security area is uncertain, to say the least. He turned himself into the police on Sunday.
Not surprisingly, the posh New York law firm that had made him a job offer—and in which he worked last summer--has since rescinded it.

USS New York Has Docked At Its Namesake

Utilizing 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center, the USS New York steamed into New York on Monday, paused at the World Trade Center site, and finally docked in midtown Manhattan.
The 684-foot ship (an amphibious assault dock, a kind of warship, for those who wish to be specific) will spend the week in New York before being officially commissioned on Saturday. The steel from the Twin Towers was welded into her bow after the attacks of September 11, 2001. She’s here for a full military commissioning ceremony on November 7 before entering active service with the US Navy. Her homeport will be in Norfolk, VA.
For information on public visits, check out ussny.org., where you can also find other info. and cool facts about the ship.
Oh, and if you feel the urge to do something nice for the ship, to give a little something to her--for whatever reason—the ship has its own Tiffany registry.
Yes, really.
The wish list includes a sterling silver Chippendale tray (listed at $2,868.75); a Queen Anne teapot ($4,250) and, for penny pinchers, a $173.75 Hampton fish knife. What a deal!
Don’t worry--she does come with something of a dowry, including about 15 serving pieces passed on from the last USS New York, commissioned in 1911.
And if that’s more than you gave your best friend for her wedding, well, you can always just go peek at her in the harbor.

No, You're Not Imagining It: That Taxi Ride Costs More

If your taxi ride seems pricier than it did last week, you’re not hallucinating: A fare increase went into effect in New York City yesterday (Sunday, Nov.1). Merely getting into a cab will now cost you 50 cents more than it did on Saturday: The fare has been raised from $2.50 to $3.00.
But the extra money isn’t going into the drivers’ pockets: the surcharge was ordered by state officials to help the MTA with a massive (1.8 billion dollar) shortfall.
Although it may seem like fares get higher and higher every day in New York, this is actually the first fare increase since the $2 fare was raised in 2004.
Each additional fifth of a mile will stay at 40 cents.
The city has 13,237 licensed yellow cabs; the surcharge on fares will bring in about $85 million.
Other parts of the plan include a payroll tax of 34 cents per $100 on employers in 12 counties served by the authority. An increase on bus and subway fares went into effect last June.
No one said New York was cheap, but this kind of increase will most definitely be felt by riders. It’s being done without a huge amount of fanfare, either, so many who glance at the fare maybe surprised.
While you’re saving your quarters, may we suggest walking?

Run, Run, As Fast As You Can: Welcome The New York City Marathon

After you have fallen back (Daylight Savings) and had a complete sugar rush (Halloween) you should surely have enough energy to rouse yourself for today's big event: The ING New York City Marathon, sponsored by New York Road Runners. One of the world’s premiere road races, the New York Marathon draws more than 36,000 runners, 2 million spectators, and more than 300 million TV viewers worldwide.
Race coverage will be presented on WNBC-TV (Channel 4) from 9:00 am–2:00 PM in New York; nationally, from 2:00 pm–4:00 PM.(And of course, you can always try to weasel your way in and watch it in person.)
The time limit for the course is 8½ hours from the 10:10 am start.
The race begins in Staten Island, runs (pun intended) through all five boroughs, and ends up near West 66th Street in Manhattan. Originally, the race course (in 1970) had runners repeatedly dashing around Central Park; it now involves crossing major bridges (going across the East River on the Queensboro Bridge is considered one of the most challenging parts of the race), zooming through residential and commercial neighborhoods, and finishing near Manhattan's Tavern on the Green Restaurant in Central Park. A staggered start sends everyone off in waves.
Along the way, entertainment (music ranging from Hip Hop to Jazz to Dance to R&B); free food and water samples; and the sheer high of watching the racers race keeps viewers enthralled.
Yes, it blocks traffic and makes getting anywhere in the city today a nightmare, but really, when can you see 30,000 runners dashing through all five boroughs just because they can?

Get Your Scare on and Join the Village Halloween Parade

You either love it or you hate it, but it’s probably safe to say that Halloween in New York is not like Halloween anywhere else. Today’s the big day, and with the plethora of catalogues that start arriving in July, pop-up Halloween stores, and events around the city, Halloween has reached the status of a seriously major occurrence. (Many of us grew up in an era where our moms just threw together a few sheets to make us into ghosts, and that was it.)
And with Halloween comes the biggest Halloween event of all—New York City’s Village Halloween parade.(It's included in the book "100 Things to Do Before You Die."
This year marks the event’s 36th anniversary, with the theme “Terra Incognita”; it celebrates the ancient mariners exploring undiscovered waters. (Interpret as you wish.) The parade, which wends its way up Sixth Avenue, starts south of Spring Street and north of Canal Street. Revelers can gather between 6:30 and 8:30 pm; the parade officially kicks off at 7:00 PM.
The spectacle offers one of the more over-the-top, exhibitionist Halloween events anywhere in the country—all in the confines of an organized event. Along with the marchers, musical acts, circus performers and puppeteers--one of the parade’s highlights—join the throngs.
Parade-ers have to be in costume to join, but spectators--sometimes more than 2 million of them--are welcome. Only costumed participants are allowed in the parade itself. Abandon normal clothing, all ye who enter there.
Not brave (or foolish) enough to participate or watch it in person? Never mind--it’s being broadcast on NY1 from 8-9:30 pm tonight.

There's No Place Like a Train for the Holidays: Get on Board for "A Christmas Carol"

So you still haven’t decided where to put Uncle Mel at the Thanksgiving table, but never mind--wire your brain to skip ahead, because big Christmas movie releases wait for no relative.
This Friday–Sunday (Oct. 30-Nov.1) Disney’s “Christmas Carol” Train pulls into New York’s Grand Central Station, the last stop on its 40-stop tour across the country. (Track 37; 9 am -7 pm, Fri and Sat; 9 am-4 pm on Sun.) The occasion? The upcoming release of Disney’s big holiday movie "A Christmas Carol.”
The tour started in Los Angeles’ Union Station last May (no, really), and spent the summer and early fall traveling across the country, covering more than 16,000 miles of track and touching in points from Santa Fe to St. Louis, Oklahoma City to Omaha.
Each train car (yes, they will remain stationery) showcases a different aspect of the film’s production, and activities galore are on board for guests of all ages; you can check out objects from the Charles Dickens Museum in London; wander through digital galleries; and even be serenaded by holiday carolers. And yes, you can also(no surprise) catch a glimpse of a pivotal scene (so we’re told) in the 3-D film.
The walk-through takes about an hour; lines are expected to be long; but--on the upside—the tour is free, and no reservations are needed.
So get into the holiday spirit--even if you’re still several holidays behind.

What Does the City Council Do? Take a Look at Yesterday's Agenda

Ever wonder what the New York City Council is up to, or, more specifically, what exactly it is that they do?
For starters, yesterday they gave clearance for New York’s MOMA (The Museum of Modern Art) to build an 82-story tower on West 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues as part of the museum’s expansion. The 1000-foot-high tower will add 40,000 feet of new gallery space (a 30 percent increase), as well as 150 residential apartments and 100 hotel rooms. It will be on the same block as the current museum building.
What else has the New York City Council been doing with its time?
Well, you should no longer leave your car keys in the ignition while you stroll away to check out a store window--if indeed you had ever contemplated doing such a thing. Not only is it foolish (thieves, people) but it's also dangerous—unattended cars and vans have killed several people as they either rolled backwards or were stolen and then hit someone.
Leaving your car unattended can also be pricey--the fine has been increased from $5 (really? that’s all?) to $250.
Finally (busy day, apparently) the City Council took on advertising rules for businesses selling loan advice to people at the risk of foreclosure—the measure now requires print ads to disclose state regulations that govern the industry. (And they didn’t before?)
So ask not what your City Council does, New York—it passes random measures on just about anything.

Feel the Earth Move? It's the New York City Police

It’s not an earthquake or the fallout from a noisy party--it’s the New York City Police, and while they might not have their phasers on stun, they now have their cars on vibrate. Twenty-five New York City police cars were outfitted last week with a device called "The Rumbler," and another hundred plus were added earlier this week. The devices were tested in precincts throughout the city for almost a year before they were rolled out.
What’s the point? Well, gabbing on your cell or to a friend next to you; texting; listening to your ipod; or merely being lost in a fantasy of moving to Barbados will no longer be enough to distract you from police vehicles trying to get through city traffic.
The device emits a low-frequency sound wave that can be felt by pedestrians as well as drivers up to 200 feet away. In the car? No use trying to turn up your stereo to ear-popping levels, yelling at the kids in the backseat, or rolling up your windows—the vibrations can still be felt; it’s rumored that they may even be strong enough to rattle a rear-view mirror. Hmm.
The system makes sense, sort of, since many New Yorkers seem oblivious to police cars trying to get by, especially at crowded intersections. Will the vibrations cause pedestrians to jump aside in panic or merely stand there dumfounded?
Well, the new system will certainly grab everyone’s attention.
Note: Any jokes—lewd or otherwise—that you are thinking of making have undoubtedly been made, most likely by the police themselves.

Halloween Frights Galore Set Sail on the USS Intrepid

You may have noticed a distinct uptick in the number of witches, ninjas, and French maids on the streets of New York--and yes, that could just be everyday wear, given that it is New York, but in this case, it does mean that Halloween doth approach, so get thee to a pumpkin-carving class, or at least, get yourself some bat ears and try to feel festive.
To get you in the proper ghoulish mood, The USS Intrepid (Pier 86; West 46th Street and 12th Avenue; 877-957 SHIP; or 212-245-0072) has started the festivities early, with “Haunting on the Hudson,” a week of Halloween-y fun, running through Sunday, November 1.
The Haunted House part of the festivities allows guests to meander through the frightfully decorated Combat Information Center (there’s a joke in there somewhere…) and every day this week, visitors can catch a “Grumpkin” carving demonstration. (What is a Grumpkin? Well may you ask. They’re weird sculptures carved from giant fruit, and, as you can tell by their names, smiling cheerily is not in their nature.)
Things get creepier as the week progresses, with the bulk of the events happening, of course, on October 31. Magic Shows, stilt walkers (scary? who knows); face painting; storytelling; crystal balls or fortunetellers; and “Interactive Statue Scarecrows” all abound. That last one is enough to have us running from the ship.
If you’re made of stronger stuff, “Operation Slumber” commences on Halloween night; visitors can spend the night (ooh, creepy!), and also participate in a treasure hunt; watch a movie; hear haunted tales about the Intrepid; and finally, go to sleep (or not) on the aircraft carrier.
Well, it’ll make a good story.